In a significant internal reshuffle, Ericsson has appointed Chris Houghton as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO), while Åsa Tamsons steps into the role of Head of Business Area Enterprise Wireless Solutions.
A longstanding employee with 35 years under his belt, Houghton’s recent role was Senior Vice President, Market Area North East Asia. He will now focus on initiatives that span the group, such as the current ongoing cost efficiency drive.
Tamsons, formerly holding the position of Senior Vice President, Business Area Technologies & New Businesses (BTEB), will be steering the growth of the Enterprise Wireless Solutions division in her new role. It is her aim to increase the pace towards breaking even.
Both of these appointments will be directly accountable to Börje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson. Speaking about his appointments, Ekholm stated, “The COO’s objective will be to strengthen operational execution across the Group and enhance alignment and co-ordination across operational areas… I’m happy that Chris, with his extensive international experience, has accepted this new role within Ericsson.”
Commenting on Tamsons’ successful tenure with BTEB, he added, “During Åsa’s tenure, BTEB has reached profitability… I’m now looking forward to having her head another important business area within Ericsson and drive growth and profitability improvements.”
On the flip side, some senior figures from the Ericsson team will be stepping down. George Mulhern, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Area Enterprise Wireless Solutions (BEWS), will retire from Ericsson in 2024, moving into an advisory role. Nunzio Mirtillo, Senior Vice President and Head of Market Area South East Asia, Oceania & India, will also retire in the next year.
Paying tribute to his colleagues, Ekholm said, “Nunzio has been with Ericsson for 35 years and his dedication and refreshing focus on growth have inspired many…. George has contributed greatly to integrating Cradlepoint into the Ericsson offering. I wish him all the best.”
In addition to these changes, Ericsson has announced the appointment of Jan Sprafke as Chief Compliance Officer. Given the recent allegations of indirect bribes to ISIS in Iraq and subsequent fines, it’s clear that transparency and accountability remain top priorities for the company. As Ericsson continues its operational evolution and structural shifts, one thing is certain – the telecoms giant is relentless in its drive to innovate and adapt in the changing landscape of the industry.
