Investor Releases
Magyar Telekom Announces Organizational and Management Changes
Budapest, April 21, 2010 14:00
Magyar Telekom (Reuters: NYSE: MTA.N, BÉT: MTEL.BU and Bloomberg: NYSE: MTAUS, BÉT: MTELEKOM HB), the leading Hungarian telecommunications service provider announces the following organizational and management changes.
Magyar Telekom
(MT) has successfully positioned itself in the consumer market as a leading
three screen company serving its customers with multiple products and services
on mobile handsets, laptop/computers and television, with approximately 650,000
homes passed via high speed internet connections, market share leadership in
mobile broadband and the number two position in the TV market.
In order to
further improve its effectiveness in responding to quickly changing market and
economic conditions, MT’s Board of Directors has decided on changes to the management
structure of the company on April 21, 2010. After the introduction of a
customer focused organization in 2008, in order to further improve decision
making and flexibility of the company, a more functional organization is
required. The changes will enhance cooperation between marketing, sales and
technology areas, and will ensure the company’s transition from traditional
fixed and mobile service provider to an innovative communications,
entertainment and information services company.
All mass market
product management, communications, market research and branding competencies,
previously distributed across different areas of the company, will be combined
under a new Chief Marketing Officer. This position will be assumed by István
Király, currently Director of Marketing in MT’s Business Services Business
Unit. Together with a new marketing and branding approach this will ensure a
stream of attractive products and services for our customers.
A Chief Sales
Officer will be appointed to ensure seamless end-to-end service to MT’s mass
market customers. This position will be responsible for sales, customer
service, provisioning and logistics for customer premise equipment.
At the same
time, a number of policy and governance functions including Legal, Regulatory
affairs, Compliance, Internal Audit and Security, currently reporting to the
CEO, will now operate under a new Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs
Officer. This position will be held by Balázs Máthé, currently
MT’s General Counsel.
New
Chief Officers will become members of MT’s Management Committee, reporting
directly to the CEO.
As part of
streamlining MT’s operations, all finance activities currently operating in
different organizations of the company will be combined under the Chief
Financial Officer, Thilo Kusch.
In addition to
the changes above, Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer, Róbert
Pataki, will also assume responsibility for MT’s wholesale business.
Leadership in
HR, Business Services and Technology areas remains unchanged.
Due to the
organizational changes János Winkler, currently Chief Officer for Consumer
Services, will leave MT on the basis of a mutual agreement as of April 30.
Until the new Chief Officer positions become effective July 1, Chief Executive
Officer Christopher Mattheisen will assume responsibility for the current
Consumer Services Business Unit.
“I would like to
express my deep appreciation for János Winkler’s significant contribution to
Magyar Telekom’s success over the years. János played an important role in
achieving and maintaining the market leadership of the Westel and later the
T-Mobile brand, as well as in the successful launch of the T-Home brand and
execution of the company’s three screen strategy. We wish him every success in
his future endeavors” - said Christopher Mattheisen.
The
organizational changes will take effect as of July 1, 2010.
This investor news contains forward-looking
statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements
about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These
statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore
should not have undue reliance placed upon them. Forward-looking statements
speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to
update publicly any of them in light of new information or future events.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent
risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors could
cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any
forward-looking statement. Such factors are described in, among other things,
our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009 filed with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.