TDE.L Regulatory News (TDE)

2 Sep 2009 09:00



Management Changes at Telefónica O2 Slovakia

Juraj Sedivy to be succeeded by John McGuigan as CEO

2. 9. 2009

Telefónica Europe today announced that Juraj Sedivy is leaving his post as Chief Executive Officer of Telefónica O2 Slovakia. Sedivy will be succeeded on 1 October by John McGuigan, Customer Service General Manager at Telefónica O2 UK.

McGuigan - who in his previous role was responsible for the provision of customer service for more than 16 million customers in the UK - will report directly to Salvador Anglada, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Telefónica O2 Czech Republic.

Salvador Anglada said: "I am delighted to announce that John McGuigan has been appointed to the role of CEO of our Slovak operation. John brings great experience and track record in the field of customer service, and will prove invaluable in ensuring that quality of customer experience is consistently at the highest possible levels."

Juraj Sedivy assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of Telefónica O2 Slovakia at start-up in 2006.

Matthew Key, Chairman and CEO of Telefónica Europe, said: "Consistent with his outstanding service for the company over 12 years, Juraj Sedivy has played a crucial role in establishing and developing our business in Slovakia, his dedication and vision reflected by the fact that the business enjoyed its best-ever customer net additions in the last financial quarter. In appointing John McGuigan, I am delighted we have once again promoted from within, demonstrating the breadth and depth of management talent at Telefónica. With John's wide experience in telecommunications, he is well placed to lead and deliver the next chapter of growth in Slovakia."

Juraj Sedivy joined Czech Telecom in 1997 and in his role of Chief Financial Officer and First Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors led several key strategic initiatives, among other acquisition process of Eurotel in 2003 and successful privatization process in 2005. Post privatization, he served in the position of Chief Financial Officer of Telefónica O2 Czech Republic, one of the first fully integrated fixed and mobile telecommunications operators in the world, Over last three years, Juraj and his team succeeded in a highly competitive Slovak telecommunications market, 

John McGuigan, 49, joined O2 in May 2007 from NHS24, a UK National Health Service telephone triage service for Scotland, where he was Chief Executive for two years. In this role, he was responsible for approximately 1,400 members of staff. Prior to this, John was a Director for Frontline Consultants for seven years. Frontline provides strategic advice to help drive the performance of organisations across a broad range of sectors including national and local government, healthcare, economic development, education and business. 

The newest addition to Telefónica's Europe's business portfolio, Telefónica O2 Slovakia launched its commercial service in February 2007 and gained more than110,000 customers in its first 12 days. The business remains one of the fastest growing networks in Europe, recording a year-on-year increase of 52 per cent in the first half of 2009.

Telefónica Europe plc contacts

Telefónica Europe plc press office: t +44 (0)1753 628 402

All Telefónica Europe plc news release can be accessed at our website: www.o2.com 

About Telefónica Europe

Telefónica Europe is a business division of Telefónica comprising mobile, fixed, and DSL operations in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. With the exception of Isle of Man, all the operating businesses use 'O2' as their consumer brand. Telefónica Europe also has 50% ownership of the UK and Irish Tesco Mobile and German Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businesses. Telefónica Europe is headquartered in Slough, UK, and has 49 million mobile and fixed customers.

About Telefónica

Telefónica is one of the world's largest telecommunications operators by market capitalisation. Its activities are centred mainly on the fixed and mobile telephony businesses, while its broadband business is the key growth driver underpinning both. It operates in 25 countries and has a global customer base of 260 million. Telefónica's growth strategy is focused on the markets in which it has a strong foothold: Spain, Europe and Latin America. Telefónica is a 100% private sector company with its shares listed in Madrid and other stock exchanges and more than 1.5 million individual shareholders