Telstra CEO, David Thodey, has announced major changes to the company’s operations to position it for future development.

 

From August 1, Telstra’s entire sales and retail customer service workforce will be unified in a single business unit, Telstra Customer Sales & Service, to be headed by Gordon Ballantyne as Chief Customer Office.  The heads of Telstra’s business, enterprise and government segments will report ot Mr Ballantyne and will be members of the extended CEO leadership team.

 

Telstra will also centralize internal business support fundtions that do not directly service customers, as well as the company’s marketing functions which will  be led by Chief Marketing Officer, Mark Buckman.

 

Stuart Lee has been appointed Group Managing Director, Telstra Wholesale. NBN Co will become Telstra’s largest wholesale customer as a result of its agreement to lease Telstra infrastructure including dark fibre, exchange space and ducts for at least 35 years.

 

Mr Thodey also announced the creation of an Applications & Ventures Group (AVG) to spearhead Telstra's investment in new and emerging high-speed broadband businesses.

 

Mr Thodey said that the AVG will invest and partner with other companies and government agencies at the forefront of innovation to provide a new range of digital services for business and consumers, including health and education.

 

Deena Shiff, currently Group Managing Director, Telstra Business, will lead the Applications & Ventures Group from 1 August.  Will Irving, formerly Group General Council will be head of  Telstra Business, reporting to Gordon Ballantyne.

 

Other initiatives announced by Mr Thodey include:

 

  • Establishment of specialized teams to support Telstra’s growth opportunities in Cloud Computing and Media;
  • The international business unit, headed by Tarek Robbiati, will assume day-to-day responsibility for managing the network assets it uses to serve international enterprise and carrier customers;
  • The Operations business unit will be accountable for prviding all back-of-house services for consumer customers.

 

Mr Thodey said that the initiatives were part of his long-term strategy ton build a strong sales- and marketing-led culture within Telstra.