Telkom's former acting CEO, Jeffery Hedberg, is moving to JSE-listed Allied Technologies (Altech) to take up the position of COO, which has been vacant since Andy Baker left the company more than a year ago.
Boston, Massachusetts, native Hedberg (50), known as a turnaround strategist, left his post at the fixed-line group at the end of March, after deciding not to renew his contract. He became acting CEO when Reuben September left the company in a surprise move in the middle of the year.
Altech has been without a permanent COO since Baker left the company last March to head up privately-owned digital printing and labelling company Kemtek Imaging Systems, before moving on to head up Nashua Mobile from last month.
Hedberg had agreed to stay on with Telkom in an advisory capacity until its results presentation, in June. He will take up his new post from July.
In a statement, Altech says Hedberg has more than 20 years of experience in the ICT sector. He will report directly to CEO Craig Venter and will be responsible for the operational leadership of Altech's 33 operating companies.
Venter says Hedberg's skills and experience match Altech's key strategic objectives of growth through globalisation, income base diversification, merger and acquisition activities and convergence.
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Venter says Hedberg “came to our attention because of his strong execution skills, his proven ability to drive shareholder value, his track record in leading complex organisations and his sound executive and personal qualities”.
Hedberg says: “Altech is one of the leading ICT companies in SA, with a proud history of innovation, outstanding talent, customer commitment and an enviable business record. It is a great honour to join its leadership team and have the opportunity to build on its success”.
Hedberg joined Telkom in November 2009 to head up its loss-making Nigerian operation, Multi-Links. As acting Telkom CEO, he led the company's disposal of its Multi-Links CDMA operation for R350 million. Between 2006 and 2009, he was CEO of Cell C, SA's third-largest mobile operator, making a name for himself in the local telecoms sector.
He replaced Talaat Laham when the mobile operator was making a R300 million-a-year loss. Hedberg managed to turn the company around in just less than three years, pulling Cell C back into the black, with an operating profit of R320 million, and revenue of more than R600 million.
Between 1999 and December 2004, Hedberg worked as a member of Deutsche Telekom's management board, responsible for its international activities. Before that, he spent almost five years at the Swiss national phone company, Swisscom, in a similar capacity.
He holds a BA in business administration, international business and marketing from Northeastern University and an MA in international management, international policy and international law from the University of Denver.
Hedberg will also assume an executive director position on the Altech Board. Hedberg will be in charge of Altech's group executives responsible for its TMT divisions.
Altech's year-end results are due to be published tomorrow,
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