• Orange’s long-time AI chief, Steve Jarrett, is leaving the telco for pastures new
• His replacement is Usman Javaid, currently chief product and marketing officer at Orange Business 
• Javaid’s role at Orange’s B2B division has included responsibility for its data and AI transformation

Orange has appointed Usman Javaid, who is currently chief product and marketing officer at its enterprise services division Orange Business, as its new chief AI officer starting on 1 September 2026.

Javaid, who has been at Orange Business for just over three years, will replace the telco’s long-time AI chief Steve Jarrett, who is leaving for a new but as yet unannounced role at a different company. Earlier this year, Jarrett outlined the role that AI is playing in Orange’s new strategy, dubbed Trust the Future, which was unveiled in February: One of the stated goals at Orange is to generate more than €600m in value from AI by 2028.

Javaid’s current role has included responsibility for the data and AI transformation at Orange Business: He talked with TelecomTV last year about what the AI service chain means to the service provider and its customers, how enterprises are considering their AI options, and how Orange is using AI to enhance its own operations – see Orange Business on the AI value chain.

He is taking the AI baton from Jarrett just as major operators such as Orange, one of the founding telco partners of the recently launched AI-Native Telco Accelerator (ANTA) initiative, are increasingly adopting AI-native processes, operations and technologies. Orange noted that the appointment comes as AI “enters a new phase of large-scale deployment and opens up major opportunities to transform the group’s businesses.

Javaid, who will report to Orange Group chief technology & innovation officer Bruno Zerbib, “will be responsible for accelerating and scaling up Orange’s AI initiatives, building on the strong technological foundations already in place.”

Javaid took to LinkedIn to note that during his career, which includes stints at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Vodafone, he has been “fortunate to help shape several transformative technology waves – from the internet and mobile, to cloud and now artificial intelligence”.

 “Each wave expanded access to innovation, created new experiences, and unlocked new sources of value,” he added. “But AI is different… [it is] not simply the next tech wave. It is markedly more transformative. It is a new paradigm and requires new thinking on business reinvention. In short, what got us here in the past will not get us there in the future. Building on Orange’s exceptional technological foundations, our ambition is clear: To embed AI at the heart of everything we do – from networks and operations to customer experience and consumer & business services. My mission is to accelerate this transformation and help turn AI into a lasting source of value, innovation and competitive advantage for Orange.”

And as if to anticipate some questions that might be coming his way, Javaid added: “Most importantly, I believe AI should make us more human, not less. Its greatest promise is not replacing people but empowering them – to create more, innovate faster, solve harder problems and unlock new forms of human potential… Here’s to a new chapter. Here’s to making AI a force multiplier for human progress.”

Orange noted that Jarrett helped “structure the group’s AI approach, establish strong technological foundations and position Orange among the most recognised players in the field of AI.” He is expected to announce his new job in the next few days. 

 - Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV