Ronan Dunne starts next month as group president of Verizon Wireless; he’s the former CEO of O2
Ronan Dunne, the former CEO of O2, doesn’t start his job as the new group president of Verizon Wireless until September, but, on Twitter at least, he’s already putting pressure on Verizon Wireless rival Sprint.
It’s no secret that U.S. carriers use network quality ratings like those provided by RootMetrics, Open Signal and others, to form advertising campaigns that, in turn, contain shots at competitors. In the context of Verizon Wireless and Sprint, Verizon has used pitchmen Jamie Foxx and Ricky Gervais to knock Sprint, while the Overland Park, Kansas-based operator has brought on a former Verizon Wireless spokesman to hawk Sprint services.
Anyway, the official Sprint Twitter account recently tweeted out a “history lesson” targeting Verizon. “It’s 2016 & all networks are great. Y charge high rates of the past? #FactsMatter.”
To that, Dunne responded: “I think you mean all networks are great some of the time – only some networks are great all of the time #FactsMatter.”
Dunne will be responsible for all aspects of Verizon Wireless’ operations, including marketing, wireless, network operations, digital operations and customer care. Customer care was a top priority for Dunne at O2. At Verizon he will report to John Stratton, Verizon Communications’ EVP and president of operations.
Dunne was CEO of O2 for eight years. O2 is owned by Telefónica, and Dunne was part of Telefónica’s executive committee. According to Verizon, his leadership at O2 helped to make that carrier “the most successful wireless operation in the U.K. and the most efficient within the Telefónica Group.”
Verizon’s current EVP for wireless operations, David Small, will take charge of the company’s wireline business as head of Verizon Communications’ global wireline network operations. Effective immediately, Small replaces Bob Mudge, who has a new assignment at Verizon Communications.
