Spark Home, Mobile & Business CEO Chris Quin will leave Spark New Zealand at the end of June 2015, as part of the company’s well-documented leadership and strategy execution changes, set to kick into gear this year.
Following over 20 years of service with the company, Quin is leaving to pursue other leadership opportunities, and will be replaced by Jason Paris, GM Spark Home, Mobile & Business.
According to a statement released this morning, Paris will be taking over the reins from Quin as CEO Spark Home, Mobile & Business from 1 July 2015.
"Two years ago Spark New Zealand (Telecom at that time) embarked on a bold new strategy designed to transform the business from a traditional fixed and mobile infrastructure company to a future-oriented, competitive retailer of digital services delivered over our networks and the Cloud,” says Simon Moutter, Managing Director, Spark New Zealand.
“At that time, we outlined a two-phase approach to strategy execution: a first phase where we would aim to stabilise revenue/margin and reduce costs; and, once this was completed, a second phase to move on to driving market revenue/margin growth with continuing improvement in unit costs.”
According to Moutter, the telco remains “firmly on track” as it enters 2015, with the company “bringing a focus back to New Zealand, developing a more competitive, multi-brand market approach and successfully rebranding the company as Spark New Zealand.”
As the company continues to “invest heavily in fixed and wireless data network leadership", following its foray into the Cloud IT Services and Internet TV markets, Quin’s departure will see an executive reshuffle at the top level, including new roles for Rod Snodgrass, CEO Spark Ventures and Jolie Hodson, Chief Financial Officer.
Snodgrass will take accountability for the new Digital First Programme in conjunction with his existing accountability for Spark Ventures.
“Rod is our leading thinker on digital business and the capability he has built in the Ventures Division will add real depth to the programme and its intended outcomes,” Moutter says.
Meanwhile Hodson will take on some operational business activities in conjunction with her existing CFO accountabilities, with the now more mature Skinny and Big Pipe businesses ready to move outside Spark Ventures and report directly into her with effect from 1 February 2015.
“This will maintain high level focus on our multi-brand market strategy at the same time as creating room for Rod to pick up the big Digital First Programme,” Moutter explains.