COSMOTE Romania announces that Mr. Nikolai Beckers is appointed company CEO, beginning April 1st. Mr. Beckers will also assume the position of Romtelecom Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Stefanos Theocharopoulos, following a successful 5-year track record as head of OTE’s Romanian operations, will assume a new position within OTE Group as Group Chief Technology & Operations Officer, for both Fixed & Mobile Telephony. In Greece, Mr. Theocharopoulos will be responsible for a team of over 6,000 employees.
Mr. Beckers was T-Systems France CEO as of September 2011. He has wide experience in the field of telecommunications, IT&C, as well as the Internet and Social Media. Mr. Beckers began his career in 1989 at Deutsche Bank and has held a number of management positions as President and CEO of Deutsche Telekom France, Managing Director of Deutsche Telekom Philippines, Financial Director at T-Online France. He was also CEO of DT’s subsidiary in FYROM. Mr. Beckers holds an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Köln, Germany.
Mr. Stefanos Theocharopoulos, COSMOTE Romania CEO since January 2008 and Romtelecom Chief Executive Officer as of July 2011, joined OTE Group in 2002. He has held the position of OTEGlobe Business Development Executive Director, OTE Investment Services Executive Technology Director, as well as BoD member in a number of OTE Group companies. He holds a BEng in Electronic Engineer from Sussex University as well as a M.Sc. in Mobile & Satellite Communications from the University of Westminster.
OTE Group Chairman and CEO and Chairman of Romtelecom Board of Directors, Mr. Michael Tsamaz, stated: “Stefanos’ contribution in the rapid growth of COSMOTE Romania and Romtelecom’s turn-around towards a modern and profitable organization has been pivotal. Equally significant will be his new role in OTE Group’s transformation process, with focus on maximizing network operations efficiency and optimizing customer services quality”. Mr. Tsamaz wished Mr. Beckers every success in Romania, and added: “With a long and successful track record within Deutsche Telekom Group, Nikolai Beckers comes to Romania, bringing valuable experience from international markets. I am confident that he will contribute to the positive course and further progress of our operations in Romania, a significant market for the Group, at the same pace”.
COSMOTE Romania had 6.3 million customers at December 31st, 2012. Launched in 2005, COSMOTE Romania achieved the fastest network development in Europe, according to the Citigroup report in June 2007. In less than 5 years, COSMOTE Romania surpassed its competitors in terms of national network coverage. Today, COSMOTE Romania offers seamless communication to more than 99% of the population and 90% of the territory. COSMOTE Romania is a subsidiary of COSMOTE Group, the operator with the strongest presence in SE Europe with approximately 20.4 million customers in Greece, Albania, Bulgaria and Romania.
