AT&T Names Stankey Chief Strategy Officer

By Josh Long

John Stankey, the executive who has been in charge of AT&T’s business customers worldwide, has been named group president and chief strategy officer of the telecommunications titan, AT&T announced Monday as part of some changes in senior management positions.

Stankey, a 27-year AT&T veteran, “will be responsible for developing the roadmap to maximize future growth opportunities, including corporate development, addressing long-term wireless-capacity needs, capital allocation strategies and identifying the best strategic path for low-growth and non-strategic assets,” AT&T said.

AT&T announced the appointment after Forrest E. Miller, the company’s group president for corporate strategy and development, revealed plans to retire, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

In other executive news, AT&T disclosed Ralph de la Vega will continue to lead AT&T Mobility as president and CEO. Previously, in addition to leading AT&T Mobility since October 2008, he was also responsible for AT&T’s local consumer wireline operations, including U-verse television.

Andy Geisse has been named senior executive vice president  AT&T Business and Home Solutions. Geisse will lead the Home Solutions Team, which is focused on U-verse, broadband and voice services for the company’s 22-state local wireline operations. As an executive with 32 years of experience in AT&T’s business and consumer segments, Geisse also will be responsible for serving the business segment ranging from small businesses to global enterprise customers.

“As part of the reorganization we have essentially consolidated consumer and business wireline operations under Andy,” AT&T spokeswoman McCall Butler said in an email. “That makes [the] best sense as it allows Ralph to place his entire focus on our largest growth opportunity.”

AT&T further appointed John Donovan as senior executive vice president AT&T Technology and Network Operations. Donovan previously served as AT&T’s chief technology officer.