TelecomTV TelecomTV
  • News
  • Videos
  • Channels
  • Events
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • Open RAN
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • 5G
  • Access Evolution
  • Private Networks
  • Cloud Native
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Sustainability
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Security
  • More Topics
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • |
  • About
  • Contact
  • |
  • Connect with us
  • 5G
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Access Evolution
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • Cloud Native
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Open RAN
  • Private Networks
  • Security
  • Sustainability
  • Connect with TelecomTV
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Sign In Register Subscribe
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
    • Register
  • Search

Transformation

Transformation

DT plays musical chairs in Romania and Slovakia

Anne Morris
By Anne Morris

Aug 18, 2021

  • Dina Tsybulskaya appointed CEO of Romanian mobile unit
  • Reports say her mission is to prepare the unit for sale
  • Slovak Telekom undergoing management reshuffle following reorg

Deutsche Telekom (DT) has just engaged in a bit of management reshuffling at its operations in eastern Europe. It’s also been suggested that the newly appointed chief executive of Telekom Romania’s mobile operations has been tasked with the mission of selling the business in the next two years.

It’s complicated

DT has already agreed to sell its fixed-line business in Romania to Orange Romania, and the deal is expected to close in the second half of 2021. Greece’s OTE, which directly owns the Romanian operations and in which DT holds a controlling 45% stake, is selling its 54% stake in Telekom Romania Communications (TRMC) to Orange for €268 million. 

Following this transaction, the DT group will retain a mobile-only business in Romania called Telekom Romania Mobile Communications (TRMC ) via a 70% stake held by OTE. It has now just been announced that Dina Tsybulskaya, currently CEO of DT-owned Crnogorski Telekom, is to take on the CEO role at TRMC with effect from 1 September 2021.

It’s not yet clear who will replace her at the Montenegrin operator, although DT said it expects to announce the new CEO of Crnogorski Telekom at the end of next week. Vladan Pekovič, who was appointed CEO of Telekom Romania in November 2020, is to remain CEO of TRC until the Orange transaction has been completed.

Given DT’s focus on converged fixed and mobile players in Europe, it had always seemed likely that TRMC would be sold off at some point. However, Charalampos Mazarakis, chief financial officer of OTE, said during an earnings call in March that the Greek operator had no immediate plans to exit Romania in full.

Now, the suggestion is that Tsybulskaya has been brought on board to prepare TRMC for a sale within the next two years, according to a report by Romanian news site Ziarul Financiar (ZF), which quoted unidentified sources.

The news site did not speculate on who might buy the mobile division. It’s always possible that local rivals Vodafone and even Orange could be interested. Notably, Czech investment group PPF Group NV, United Group and RCS&RDS-owned Digi were previously cited as potential buyers of the fixed-line TRC business. For sure, United Group has been active of late, recently snapping up Wind Hellas in Greece. However, the group tends to focus on markets where it can secure complementary fixed and mobile operations, and does not appear to have any other operations in Romania.

Over in Slovakia…

Amid all the Romanian intrigue, there has been some activity at DT’s Slovakian operator, too. DT confirmed that Pekovič has already taken on a new role at Slovak Telekom (ST).

A DT spokesperson said Pekovič was appointed chief IT and technology officer for ST as well as T-Mobile Czech Republic, starting 17 August 2021. Pekovic will hold this position “in parallel with his tenure as CEO of Telekom Romania Communications, ensuring a smooth transition until the transaction’s completion”, the spokesperson said. 

The Zive news site reported that Pekovič is replacing Branimir Marič at the Slovakian operator. ST, which is also said to be splitting its retail business into two divisions, enterprise (B2B) and mass market (B2C), reportedly appointed Peter Laco to head up the enterprise market unit and Mladen Mitič as director of the mass market business. 

Mitič, said to be replacing Dušan Švalek, currently holds the position of VP B2B EU Growth at DT. Laco joined Slovak Telekom in September 2020. Marič is said to be leaving the group at the end of August while Švalek is apparently leaving ST on 31 December 2021. 

Related Topics
  • 4G LTE,
  • Access Evolution,
  • Analysis & Opinion,
  • Broadband,
  • Business Models,
  • Deutsche Telekom,
  • Europe,
  • Mobile,
  • News,
  • Telco & CSP

More Like This

DSP Leaders Forum 2022

TelcoDR Provides Update on Totogi, Preps for DSP Leaders World Forum

May 24, 2022

Transformation

What to expect at this year's DSP Leaders World Forum

May 19, 2022

Telcos and Public Cloud Summit

TelcoDR’s Top 5 Guide to True Cloud Native Apps

Apr 25, 2022

The economic case for Telecom Saas

The economic case for Telecom SaaS - Panel

Apr 20, 2022

Security

Telenor turns to Cisco to expand customer cybersecurity services

Apr 5, 2022

Email Newsletters

Stay up to date with the latest industry developments: sign up to receive TelecomTV's top news and videos plus exclusive subscriber-only content direct to your inbox – including our daily news briefing and weekly wrap.

Subscribe

Top Picks

Highlights of our content from across TelecomTV today

16:19

AT&T Amy Zwarico on securing telco applications in the public cloud

35:55

The best use cases for telco/public cloud partnerships

13:58

Ahmed El Sayed on Vodafone’s ‘techco’ transformation

36:47

The role of 5G in private network innovation

TelecomTV
Company
  • About Us
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
Our Brands
  • DSP Leaders World Forum
  • Great Telco Debate
  • TelecomTV Events
Get In Touch
[email protected]
+44 (0) 207 448 1070
Connect With Us
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Terms of Use
  • Legal Notices
  • Help

TelecomTV is produced by the team at Decisive Media.

© Decisive Media Limited 2022. All rights reserved. All brands and products are the trademarks of their respective holder(s).