Embarq chief to take reins at Sprint Nextel: Hesse a veteran of AT&T

Sprint Nextel Corp. has taken the head of its wireline spin-off back into the wireless fold, tapping Embarq Corp. Chairman, President and CEO Dan Hesse to become the wireless operator’s new president and CEO, effective immediately.
Hesse, 54, has served as the leader of Embarq since Sprint Nextel spun off the firm last year. During that time, the wireline company-which offers wireless service through a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreement with Sprint Nextel-has gained 108,000 wireless customers, even as Sprint Nextel has struggled with subscriber losses.
Hesse has bounced around the wireless industry for more than 30 years. He spent 23 years at AT&T, ascending to the rank of president and CEO of the former AT&T Wireless Services Inc. from 1997 to 2000. Prior to leading Embarq, Hesse was CEO of Sprint Nextel’s local telecommunications division.
“He is a proven leader with deep wireless experience as a chief executive and an established track record of generating strong operating performance,” said Sprint Nextel board member Irvine Hockaday Jr., who headed the carrier’s CEO search committee. “He has the board’s full support to take decisive actions necessary to improve our performance.”
James Hance, the carrier’s non-executive chairman, said that Hesse’s “mandate is to hone our strategy, improve our ability to serve our customers and execute in the marketplace.”
He added that Hesse “possesses marketing and innovation savvy along with considerable operating acumen.”
Hesse himself said in prepared remarks that “there is no company in the wireless industry with a stronger set of assets” than Sprint Nextel, and added, “I believe through solid execution and commitment to our customers we can reinvigorate our operating performance and return the company to a growth trajectory. We will review every aspect of our strategy as we intend to lead Sprint to the forefront of the wireless industry.”
Sprint Nextel CFO Paul Saleh had been serving as interim CEO since the departure of former president and CEO Gary Forsee in October.