AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) has announced that Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson will retire from the latter position this July. The service provider’s board of directors has named current President and Chief Operating Officer John Stankey as Stephenson’s replacement. Stephenson, 60, will remain with the company as executive chairman until January 2021 to assist in the transition. AT&T’s board will elect an independent director to replace Stephenson as chair when he fully departs the company.
The service provider says it began succession planning in 2017, with the HR Committee led by AT&T Director Beth Mooney launching a five-month executive search process that culminated in the decision to promote Stankey, who is 57. He has served in his current role since October 2019, but joined AT&T in 1985. During his tenure with the company, he was CEO of WarnerMedia, CEO of AT&T Entertainment Group, chief strategy officer; CTO, CEO of AT&T Operations, and CEO of AT&T Business Solutions.
“I congratulate John, and I look forward to partnering with him as the leadership team moves forward on our strategic initiatives while navigating the difficult economic and health challenges currently facing our country and the world,” said Stephenson. “John has the right experiences and skills and the unflinching determination every CEO needs to act on his convictions. He has a terrific leadership team onboard to ensure AT&T remains strong and continues to deliver for customers and shareholders for years to come.”
“I’m honored to be elected the next CEO of AT&T, a company with a rich history and a bright future,” commented Stankey. “My thanks go to Randall for his vision and outstanding leadership during a period of tremendous change and investment in the core capabilities needed to position AT&T well for the years ahead. And I appreciate the board’s confidence in me leading the company during our next chapter of growth and innovation in keeping people connected, informed, and entertained. We have a strong company, leading brands, and a great employee team, which I’m privileged to lead. I couldn’t be more excited about the new opportunities we have to serve our customers and communities and create value for our shareholders.”
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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