Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) named Verizon Wireless CTO Tony Melone as its new CTO, the latest C-level shuffling at the telecommunications giant.
Melone will replace Shaygan Kheradpir, following Kheradpir's decision to retire this month after a 23-year career with Verizon and its predecessors. Kheradpir plans to move to London to join Barclays Global Retail Banking as its COO starting next year.
Melone, who spearheaded Verizon's LTE launch this year, has been Verizon Wireless CTO since 2007, and before that was vice president of network operations at the carrier. He will be replaced as Verizon Wireless CTO by David Small, who was previously the president of Verizon's Northeast area.
Verizon launched LTE service Sunday in 38 markets covering 110 million POPs. The carrier plans to expand that figure to 200 million POPs by 2012 and more than 285 million by 2013.
Dick Lynch, who had previously held the title of Verizon Communications CTO, will remain with the company as an executive vice president, Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said, and will "spearhead strategic projects for the business."
In September, Verizon named Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam as its COO, putting him in line to replace Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg when Seidenberg retires next year. Francis Shammo, formerly the president of Verizon Telecom and Business, became Verizon Communications' CFO in November, when John Killian retired.
For more:
- see this release
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