Displaying items by tag: CEO

CSG announced that Bret Griess, president and chief executive officer of the company has shared his plans to step down at the end of the year, following nearly 25 years of service with the company. Brian Shepherd, executive vice president and group president has been selected to succeed Griess as president and chief executive officer of the company, effective January 1, 2021. In addition, Shepherd will be appointed to the Board on the same date.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Bret for his significant contributions and dedicated years of service to CSG,” said Don Reed, chairman of the Board of Directors. “Under Bret’s leadership, the company became more market and customer-focused, a leader in revenue management and cloud payments solutions, and created a culture that fosters innovation. His and his leadership team’s execution on these and other strategic initiatives enabled the company to grow its revenues and earnings, creating long-term shareholder value.

“We are delighted with the selection of Brian as our next president and chief executive officer,” said Reed. “Brian has a proven record of driving profitable revenue growth by creating a vision and strategy that brings teams together. At CSG, he has demonstrated that he thrives in a dynamic environment and has helped create a strong culture that is values-based and results focused. He is the right person to lead CSG into its next phase of growth.”

“I’m pleased to have been a part of and lead a team over the years that has built a sustainable, relevant and resilient company by delivering value to our key stakeholders---employees, customers and shareholders,” said Griess. “Over the past five years we have returned the company to a growth-mindset while continuing to be true to our values.”

“Bret set out several years ago to build a strong, dynamic team that could advance CSG’s value and position in the market,” said Shepherd. “I am honored to help continue the momentum generated by our senior leadership team and 4,600-plus employees around the world. Good things will happen for our customers and shareholders as we continue to help our customers solve their biggest business challenges.”

Shepherd, 52, joined CSG in 2016 and has helped accelerate the growth and strategic direction of the company’s global business, leading CSG’s profit and loss organization. Prior to joining CSG, he held a variety of executive roles with companies such as TeleTech, Amdocs, DST Innovis and McKinsey & Company.

TikTok’s CEO said he has quit the company as tensions soar between Washington and Beijing over the Chinese-owned video platform.

Kevin Mayer said that he was resigning after the company came under sustained pressure from the Trump administration over its alleged ties to China.

Mayer's resignation comes days after TikTok filed a lawsuit challenging a crackdown by the US government over claims the wildly popular social media app can be used to spy on Americans.

TikTok has been at the center of a diplomatic storm between the US and China, and President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 6 giving Americans 45 days to stop doing business with TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance, effectively setting a deadline for a sale of the app to a US company.

TikTok, which has been downloaded 175 million times in the US and more than a billion times around the world, argued in the suit that Trump's order was a misuse of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act because the platform, on which users share often playful short-form videos, is not "an unusual and extraordinary threat."

Former Disney executive Mayer, who has only been in the post since May, said in a letter to staff that the "political environment has sharply changed" in recent weeks.

"Against this backdrop, and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon, it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company," he wrote.

"I understand that the role that I signed up for, including running TikTok globally, will look very different as a result of the US administration's action to push for a sell-off of the US business."

TikTok said in a statement: "We appreciate that the political dynamics of the last few months have significantly changed what the scope of Kevin's role would be going forward, and fully respect his decision. We thank him for his time at the company and wish him well."

Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile US has announced that it is financially prepared to close its planned merger with Sprint, based on its previously secured commitments for bridge financing and senior credit facility financing.

The company has been in communication with all banks and is confident that they are ready to fund their commitments to support the closing of the merger transaction. The two telcos continue to drive forward toward closing the merger as soon as possible.

John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile, commented: ‘I’m pleased that right now we have broad support from the banks to finance the closing of this merger. We are very close to unleashing the capabilities of the New T-Mobile, and that is even more important for consumers during the current COVID-19 pandemic.’

The merger will see Deutsche Telekom in effective control of the combined company, controlling more than 69% of the shares: early on in the process, SoftBank gave Deutsche Telekom a proxy for the shares the Japanese company will own in the new T-Mobile US. The original agreement was adjusted last month to reflect Sprint’s declining value.

Legere noted: “Our nation is more dependent than ever on connectivity, and we will continue to deliver our essential wireless service today and when we merge with Sprint, with a nationwide 5G service that is broader and more robust than anything else in America. We can see the finish line and are prepared to close the merger very soon so our teams can get to work building a supercharged Un-carrier.”

MATRIXX Software has appointed board member Glo Gordon as the new CEO, succeeding Dave Labuda.

She is to lead the company through its next phase of transformative growth. The transition is expected to take place throughout the month of February. Following the transition, Labuda will remain in the company as a non-executive chairman of the board and senior innovation advisor.

Labuda stated, “It’s been an honor to lead the talented MATRIXX team and I’m excited that Glo will bring her incredible skills and experience to the CEO role as she leads the company forward.”

“I look forward to supporting her as we enter this next chapter,” he added.

Glo Gordon has been a board member at MATRIXX since 2018 and has brought her extensive global leadership experience in enterprise software, OSS/BSS and sales to the table. She has a proven track-record of driving transformative growth and sales.

“It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead MATRIXX. The company is embracing its greatest opportunity with the rollout of 5G networks across the glove and is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the market with its innovative, cloud-native 5G solutions,” said the new CEO.

Gordon added, “I am excited and humbled to continue the work of establishing the company as the service provider industry’s go-to solution for rapidly standing up new offerings for today’s fast-paced, competitive global economy. Our cloud native technology, along with 5G, presents an amazing opportunity for us to deliver immediate value through our direct sales force and our valued partners.”

She recently served as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) at Uptake, the industry leader in industrial AI and IoT. Before Uptake, she was the CRO at Jasper, a leading IoT service platform where she made a significant impact on delivering IoT solutions to Service Providers and enterprises on a global scale, before Cisco acquired the company for $1.4 billion.

MATRIXX Software Chairman, David Strohm, said, “The board is confident that Glo’s demonstrated ability to build world-class go-to-market teams and customer relationships will enable us to unlock the full potential of the company’s patented, best-in-class technology, empowering service providers to stand up new offerings quickly in response to their customers’ growing demands, specifically in 5G and cloud.”

“The board extends its deep appreciation and thanks to Dave, who is a proven visionary and has been an exceptional leader, championing a culture of relentless innovation at MATRIXX,” he continued.

Orange Jordan officially launched its e-wallet service, ‘Orange Money’, during a press conference which was attended by governmental officials alongside the company’s management and strategic partners.

The event celebrated the launch of the financial solution, which recently acquired the e-payment license from the Central Bank.

The company said at the event that the service operated by Petra Mobile Payment Services Company has completed all official requirements stipulated in Jordanian legislature. 

Thierry Marigny, Orange Jordan’s CEO, said that the company finished registering Orange Money service last year to achieve the goals of Orange Group’s strategy for its subsidiaries in the Middle East and Africa which focus on many disciplines including automating, securing and easy payment services. He also noted that the group’s keenness to develop a mobile e-payment solution has enhanced Orange Jordan’s role as a leading local provider of premium technologies that enhances customers’ lives by saving them time and effort.

The e-wallet service will enable users to conduct financial processes anywhere and in anytime, with ease, Marigny added. He noted that developing this solution will contribute to the development of the digital sector, financial inclusion, all economic sectors and national economy as a whole.

Raslan Deiranieh, Orange Money’s Chairman, said that the company signed an agreement with Gate to Pay Company which has developed the e-wallet’s software and an anti-money laundering system, issuing pre-paid VISA cards. Orange Money also signed an agreement with the Housing Bank for Trade and Finance, by which the bank will settle the Orange Money’s Services and will enable users to withdraw and deposit cash directly from the bank’s ATMs, he added.

Deiranieh stressed that the company seeks to offer a comprehensive set of services not only for Orange Jordan’s customers but also for users of any telecom services inside Jordan via the e-wallet which enables the users to pay bills, transfer money, shop online, and recharge mobile prepaid credit.

Orange Jordan is actively contributing to the economic development in the Kingdom, Orange Money’s Chairman said, adding that developing the e-wallet service contributes to achieving the goals of the Central Bank’s Financial Inclusion strategy which requires collaboration between all concerned parties.

“Orange Money is a modern solution that eases life by providing high quality financial services to meet the different needs of users in the local market” Deiranieh said, noting that Orange Group has succeeded in enhancing financial inclusion in 17 countries by developing financial solutions that serve 45 million customers.

Hiba Al Shareef, Orange Money’s General Manager spoke at the event about Orange Jordan’s efforts to expand to e-payment services and how Jordan has surpassed other countries in the region in developing payment solutions.

Al Shareef noted that the Orange Money’s e-wallets will enable users to fulfill their financial commitments via a wide range of digital solutions easily and securely, impacting all economic sectors and the society as well.  

AT&T 5G is now live for consumers in 10 markets. Millions of consumers and businesses across Birmingham, Ala., Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Providence, R.I., Rochester, N.Y., San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif. market areas can now access AT&T’s 5G network using the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G.

“We believe 5G technology will be game-changing, and we continue to help drive this next wave of innovation,” said Scott Mair, President of AT&T Technology Operations. “We were the first in the U.S. to offer commercial mobile 5G, and this is the next step as we build to nationwide service in the first half of 2020.”

AT&T 5G availability will continue to rapidly expand - including service in Boston, Bridgeport, Conn., Buffalo, N.Y., Las Vegas, Louisville, Ky., New York City, and other markets soon – as they work toward offering nationwide coverage in the first half of 2020.

5G initially offers broad coverage areas for both consumers and businesses over low-band 5G. This service is ideal for mobile customers who need performance while on the go.

5G+ offers extra speed and capacity over high-band 5G to serve high-traffic areas and places like arenas, campuses and more. It is currently available for businesses and collaborators who are exploring new ways to unlock the significant performance capabilities of 5G+. Service is now offered in parts of 23 cities, including recent entries into parts of King of Prussia and West Hollywood.

Additionally, customers who travel outside our available 5G coverage area with a compatible 5G device will have confidence in knowing they will still be able to connect to the nation’s best and also the fastest network on AT&T 5G Evolution and LTE. In fact, LTE customers nationwide are already benefitting from the upgrades we’ve made to our network while preparing it for 5G. We offer 5G Evolution (areas with optimized LTE technologies) in over 550 markets today and it offers customers speeds up to twice as fast as LTE.

Steve Papa, CEO, Parallel Wireless said: “AT&T has today become the final major US carrier to launch 5G services for consumers, creating a hotbed of competition in the marketplace. AT&T has always been a leader when it comes to the use of new and innovative network technologies. For the last six years it has been focused on scaling out its virtualization efforts through VNF and SDN, as it moves towards a cloud native network infrastructure. This approach will now enable it to quickly and cost-effectively deploy and scale 5G as demand for the technology grows.

“The carrier that will emerge as the leader in 5G will be the one that successfully juggles the benefits of virtualization and open computing. The open computing model is disrupting the telecoms space as carriers of all sizes move away from hardware towards software-centric networks. This approach means networks can support technology from multiple vendors and deliver coverage at a much lower cost. This will be particularly important as carriers look to introduce best in-class solutions to deploy 5G across multiple spectrum bands, such as the mmWave and the sub-6 GHz.

Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have announced they are stepping down from top roles at the online giant's parent company, Alphabet.

F(x)tec is a London based smartphone manufacturer which initiated in 2018. Its mission is to bring back technologies and features that we love into modern smartphones. F(x)tec released the Pro 1, designed to allow the user to choose between a virtual keyboard or a physical keyboard, among many other features. Telecom Review had the chance of meeting Adrian Li Mow Ching, CEO and co-founder of F(x)tec, at GITEX technology week in Dubai.

What challenges do start-up companies face at the moment in such a saturated market?

It’s very important that start-ups find their niche. In a saturated market like smartphones, this is paramount. You need to have a very clear picture of what you are good at, what you want to achieve and who you want to target. There are many brands who make the mistake of packing every feature they can into a phone and try to sell it for the cheapest possible price. The problem is that you will never succeed against big global manufacturers like Apple or Samsung. For us, we have a niche that we are really passionate about. We know our target market, we understand our customers and we know what they like. With this understanding, we can create the best product.

Tell us about Pro 1, what is different about your product?

We formed last year and we brought our first product to the market. It’s called the Pro1. It provides the total android experience for our customer base. It is purposely designed for everyday use where true multi-tasking comes to life. The Pro 1 packs a slim design that conceals a full slide out keyboard. This allows users to choose between a virtual keyboard or a physical keyboard, providing the best of both worlds. The main purpose of this has been is to enhance productivity for the end user, whilst remaining functional. The landscape QWERTY keyboard combined with the large 5.99 inch dual-curve AMOLED display allows for optimum efficiency, so users can complete everyday tasks such as answering emails and browsing the internet without compromising screen size. The split screen experience also helps users multitask by allowing two apps to be displayed on screen at the same time. With an optimum viewing angle when opened, the device is perfect for watching YouTube videos or films on the go. The device is perfect for everyday use, working on the go and travelling. Our main mission is to bring technologies and features that we love back into modern smartphones.

Aside from the keyboard, what are other preloved features that you think might be of interest to your customers?

As well as the keyboard, the Pro 1 has a 3.55mm headphone jack which is universally simplistic and we also love the nature of using plug in headphones. There is also a physical camera shutter button along the right side of the device for taking photos. Both of which are simple yet effective to operate. We believe that incorporating such preloved features into the device allows us to put our own spin on the modern smartphone, a nostalgic nod to the past. 

Global ride-hailing firm Uber has projected a more measured valuation ahead of its IPO debut on the New York Stock Exchange later this week.

Swiss telecommunications operator Swisscom has launched the continent’s first large scale 5G networks in partnership with Swedish vendor Ericsson.

In a statement released by the Swedish telecommunications behemoth it confirmed that the 5G network was launched in 54 cities across Switzerland after the operator secured a license to operate a 5G network in the country.

Ericsson has seen its financial coffers significantly boosted by its success in the North American market following the publication of its Q1 results.

Ericsson CEO Borje Ekholm expressed his delight at the launch of the 5G networks in Switzerland and predicted that the company would up the ante in relation to 5G in the large parts of Asia by the end of this year.

Ekholm said, “To date we have publicly announced commercial 5G deals with 18 named operator customers, which, at the moment, is more than any other vendor. The company would continue to incur costs for field trials and we’re expecting large-scale deployments of 5G to begin in parts of Asia by the end of 2019. Combined, this will gradually impact short-term margins but strengthen our position in the long term.”

Shares of Ericsson rocketed on the Stockholm stock exchange with the company reporting an increase of 3% which represented a four-year high for the vendor.  

Ericsson, one of Chinese telecom giant Huawei's main rivals in the 5G market, said earlier this year it hadn't felt any effects from US pressure on countries to ban Huawei's equipment amid fears that it could compromise the security of the mobile phone networks.