Vivendi, the French media and telecom conglomerate, on Monday named Jean-Yves Charlier as the senior executive vice president of its telecom operations.
When Charlier begins his new role in October, he will leave the company's supervisory board and relinquish his role as chairman of the strategic committee. He will report to Jean-François Dubos, Chairman of Vivendi's management board.
Charlier, who has helmed interactive learning company Promethean as CEO since 2007, brings plenty of telecom experience to Vivendi. Previously, he served as the CEO of Colt Telecom (Nasdaq: COLT), in addition to the head of European operations at BT Global Services (NYSE: BT) and president of Equant, now Orange Business Services.
The company currently owns three major service providers: SFR, Maroc Telecom and Brazil's GVT.
Vivendi appears to be at a crossroads for its Brazil-based GVT unit. On Friday, Vivendi appointed Rothschild and Deutsche Bank to advise it on what it should do with GVT. One possible option is that it may sell its Brazil-based telecom unit.
Besides Charlier, Vivendi made a number of appointments to its top management lineup.
Bertrand Meheut, the current chairman of the management board of Canal Plus, would lead a study of strategic study regarding the development of media and content.
In addition, Vivendi promoted three current executives to new roles: Stephane Roussel will serve as chairman and CEO of SFR; Frederic Crepin has been appointed as the new secretary of Vivendi's supervisory and management boards; and Mathieu Peycere, vice president, human resources, is appointed executive vice president, human resources.
For more:
- see the release
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