KPN names new CEO

Maximo Ibarra

Dutch telco KPN has named Maximo Ibarra as the company’s new management board chairman and CEO.

Ibarra will succeed current chairman and CEO Eelco Blok when the latter steps down on April 18 next year. Blok has served as the company’s chief for 12 years.

Ibarra will joint KPN in an advisory role on January 15 to ensure a smooth transition. Blok will continue to serve as CEO until the company’s AGM.

Ibarra, who has Colombian and Italian nationality, previously served as CEO of Italian operator Wind and, from 2016, as CEO of Tre, the 50:50 joint venture between Wind’s owner Veon and CK Hutchison’s 3 Italia. Wind Tre, with revenues of about €6.5 billion, serves over 30 million mobile and 2.8 million fixed customers.

Prior to joining Wind in 2004, he held senior leadership roles at Benetton, Fiat and DHL, having previously worked in marketing for Vodafone Italy and Telecom Italia.

“I am extremely pleased to be nominated as the next CEO of KPN. I recognise the strategic direction of the company, admire its industry achievements, and I am looking forward to working with the entire KPN team to continue to deliver outstanding service for customers and creating value for all stakeholders. In addition, my family and I are very much looking forward to living in the Netherlands,” said Ibarra.

KPN supervisory board chairman Duco Sickinghe said that Ibarra was “a dynamic leader with a proven track record in the telecommunications industry and a deep understanding of customer needs” who would “be able to navigate KPN into its next phase.”

He said that Blok had “put KPN into a very strong position” thanks “above industry-average investment in networks, simplification, digitalisation and service” which had led to “much stronger customer loyalty and reputation, providing a solid platform for growth”.