TeliaSonera and Telenor announce first members of Joint Venture top management team

Today, Telenor and TeliaSonera announce that Ms. Hilde Tonne from Telenor Group’s Executive Management has been appointed as CEO for the future joint venture in Denmark. Additionally, Telia Denmark’s CEO Søren Abildgaard and CFO Dennis Kilian have been appointed as Deputy CEO and CFO respectively.

Published: 1 July 2015

“We are pleased to announce Hilde Tonne, Søren Abildgaard and Dennis Kilian as the future CEO, Deputy CEO with responsibility of Consumer Business with brands, channels and marketing and CFO respectively in TeliaSonera and Telenor’s Danish joint venture. The skills, core knowledge, and areas of experience of these three people complement each other and make them a very strong top management team,” says TeliaSonera’s Executive Vice President and Head of Europe, Robert Andersson.

Hilde Tonne has been a member of Telenor Group’s executive management team since 2007, and Head of Group Industrial Development since September 2011.

“Hilde Tonne is a very competent and experienced leader with a strong track-record for driving change and for challenging status quo. These skills are an ideal match for joining two business units and forming a new, strong and innovative company with the ambition of challenging the Danish telco market,” says TeliaSonera’s Executive Vice President and Head of Europe Robert Andersson.

Søren Abildgaard has been CEO of Telia Denmark since January 2011.

“Søren Abildgaard was appointed for his insight in the industry, his commercial understanding, and operational knowledge. He has shown an ability to adapt to a fast-changing environment and translate strategic visions into action. In spite of tough times, he has created an environment in which the employees have thrived,” says Telenor’s Executive Vice President and Head of Europe Kjell-Morten Johnsen.

Dennis Kilian has been CFO of Telia Denmark since March 2013.

“Dennis Kilian was appointed for this position because of his firm grasp of financial fundamentals, commercial understanding and analytic skills, which has made him a key driver to the business. He has played an active role in developing and defining the overall strategy for Telia Denmark, and he has ensured that business decisions were grounded in sound financial criteria,” says Kjell-Morten Johnsen.

A robust operator in the Danish market

Hilde Tonne, Søren Abildgaard and Dennis Kilian will commence in the new positions once new joint venture has been established following the EU Commission’s approval of the merger which is expected during second half of 2015. Prior to that, Hilde Tonne will start as program manager 1st of August for a small Copenhagen-based team of employees from TeliaSonera and Telenor which is preparing the merger of the two Danish business units.

“With the merger of Telia and Telenor we will become a robust operator in the Danish market. This will be beneficial for the customers who can look forward to valuable services and improved network experience. I also look very much forward to meet all the employees in Telia and Telenor in Denmark as we embark on the journey to establish a new joint venture in the Danish market,” says Hilde Tonne.