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T-Mobile Netherlands Expected to Name Ex-Sunrise CEO as Chairman

T-Mobile Netherlands Expected to Name Ex-Sunrise CEO as Chairman

T-Mobile Netherlands, which is being sold to private equity investors, is expected to name the former chief executive officer of Swiss mobile operator Sunrise, Olaf Swantee, as its chairman.

The soon-to-be new owners, Warburg Pincus LLC and Apax Partners LLP, have tapped the Dutch executive to lead the carrier’s supervisory board, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the decision is private. The investors agreed three weeks ago to buy the business for 5.1 billion-euro ($6 billion) from Deutsche Telekom AG and Tele2 AB.

Swantee was CEO of Sunrise until 2020, and before that he spearheaded Britain’s 4G rollout as the boss of EE, then owned by Orange SA and Deutsche Telekom, until it was bought by BT Group Plc in 2016.

Swantee’s role hasn’t been formally announced because the deal is awaiting regulatory approval, the people said. However, on Monday Vodafone Group Plc announced his resignation from its board after just two months. Vodafone competes with T-Mobile Netherlands through its Dutch joint venture VodafoneZiggo.

Representatives for Warburg Pincus, Apax Partners and Vodafone declined to comment. T-Mobile Netherlands referred questions to its owners. 

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.