Verizon is looking to capture opportunity in industrial IoT and connected vehicle tech, creating a new senior vice president role and appointing TJ Fox to the position.
Fox has been with Verizon for nearly 30 years in a variety of roles. He previously led a 5,000-person sales team for Verizon Business Markets, selling wireless and wireline solutions for small and medium business in the U.S. As SVP of Industrial IoT and Automotive for Verizon Business, he’s now responsible for business development, commercial modeling and cross-functional efforts for the carrier’s IoT and connected vehicle efforts across different industries and business segments.
Verizon pointed to industries like automotive, utilities, manufacturing, shipping and logistics as particularly primed.
As industrial users start to digitize their own complex operations, IoT is coming into play for sophisticated equipment alongside connectivity needs and interest in private networks for some.
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At the carrier’s March investor day Verizon Business CEO Tami Erwin cited early benefits from industrial IoT investments, including the addition of 10 million incremental machine-to-machine LTE connected devices in 2020 and revenue growth.
Fox in a statement called out customer needs for IoT solutions that can switch easily between fixed locations and mobile, such as a warehouse environment to transporting across geographies.
“As we advance into the 5G and MEC enhanced massive IoT era, Verizon has the existing network superiority, ongoing network investment – including our recently acquired C-Band spectrum – and deep enterprise experience to be partner of choice for customers with IoT and connected vehicle ambitions at the highest scale,” Fox stated.
Verizon has a variety of IoT platforms, including Verizon Connect for fleet management and vehicle tracking and its self-service ThingsSpace for IoT platform to prototype, test and manage devices on the carrier’s network.
Earlier this month it expanded IoT coverage to 170 countries, activating customers globally with eSIM technology.
“In naming a leader who can catalyze growth in burgeoning and rapidly changing markets, TJ was the obvious choice,” said Sampath Sowmyanarayan, Chief Revenue Officer of Verizon Business, in a statement. “He has excelled at any task that is his charge in nearly three decades at Verizon, and with the company in prime position to take advantage of the enormous IoT growth on the horizon, he has the experience, drive, and vision to spearhead our expansion in these spaces.”
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Sowmyanarayan recently took on the CRO role and is aiming to grow Verizon Business revenues 4% annually.
With Fox’s appointment, heads of Verizon’s small and medium business segments are Wendy Taccetta, SVP for Nationwide Small Business and Channel Chief; and Aparna Khurjekar, SVP of Verizon Business Markets.