- Deutsche Telekom‘s Supervisory Board extends contract of CEO Tim Höttges
- CHRO Christian Illek to become new CFO of Deutsche Telekom in 2019
- CFO Thomas Dannenfeldt to leave Deutsche Telekom by the end of the year for private reasons
The Supervisory Board of Deutsche Telekom has extended CEO Timotheus Höttges‘ contract for another five years. Ulrich Lehner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Telekom AG: "Tim Höttges has done a tremendous job since he has taken office in 2014. He has led Deutsche Telekom back to a growth path and to the position of leading European Telco. I am delighted to continue our working relationship.“
Christian Illek, currently CHRO of Deutsche Telekom, will take over the position of CFO in January 2019. The present CFO of Deutsche Telekom, Thomas Dannenfeldt, has decided to leave the company for private reasons at the expiration of his contract by the end of the year.
Ulrich Lehner, Head of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Telekom: "With Christian Illek changing roles, we ensure a smooth transition. He has known the company and our industry for years. He has a strategic understanding of the market and operational experience. Therefore he is perfectly suited to continue the successful work of his predecessor. We are delighted to have found an internal candidate as Thomas’ successor. With Thomas Dannenfeldt we are losing a CFO, who has led his department over the last years with strategic foresight and great expertise. The Supervisory Board likes to thank him sincerely for his achievements.“
Tim Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom: "It is good that an experienced Telekom guy like Christian Illek will take over the reins. Christian has a long career in marketing, general management and in HR. He is very well prepared for his new role as CFO. We have been working closely together for many years. I have no doubts that he will fulfill his new tasks as successfully as his current ones.
I’ve been working together with Thomas Dannenfeldt closely and the best possible terms. Through the course of the last 18 years, we’ve been extraordinary successful in many domains – and Thomas always played a significant role. He is very structured in his professional life and so he is in his private life, too. Therefore, his step isn’t a surprise to me, this is Thomas … He is a great guy and I will miss him.“
Christian Illek, CHRO and future CFO of Deutsche Telekom: "I am excited about the opportunity to continue supporting Deutsche Telekom in this new role. Rotation within the DT board has become a good tradition by now. I want to thank the Supervisory Board for its trust.”
Dr. Christian P. Illek, born in 1964 in Düsseldorf, took over the post of Chief Human Resources Officer at Deutsche Telekom on April 1, 2015.
Mr. Illek's previous position was Chairman of the Management Board at Microsoft Germany, a role in which he shaped flexible working time models for the company by getting rid of the strict obligation to work from the office. From April 2010 to September 2012, he was Director of Marketing at Telekom Deutschland GmbH. In this position he was responsible for all marketing activities for both consumers and business customers in Germany. He was also in charge of the Wholesale Center and the Value-Added Services Center, as well as international product development for Deutsche Telekom's fixed-network, IPTV, convergent and business customer portfolio.
Before being appointed member of the T-Home Board of Management (at the beginning of 2007) and Marketing Director at T-Mobile (in May 2009), Dr. Illek held various management positions at Bain & Company and at Dell, in both Germany and Switzerland.
Dr. Christian P. Illek studied Chemistry and business Administration in Düsseldorf and Munich. He began his career at the University of Munich in 1989. (Find details here.)
No decision has been taken yet on a successor of Christian Illek. Ulrich Lehner: “We will initiate the search process for a successor with our usual care and professionalism!”
Thomas Dannenfeldt, CFO of Deutsche Telekom: "After 26 years with the company and five years as CFO, I will take a longer break and then reorientate myself. It has always been my plan, to do something different around my 50th birthday. Nevertheless it is hard for me to take this next step. I want to thank all employees, my fellow board members and Deutsche Telekom’s Supervisory Board, for the outstanding cooperation in the past years. A special thank you goes to Tim Höttges for nearly two decades of cooperation. I was always fully committed to work for Deutsche Telekom and so I will be for the next ten months.“
Deutsche Telekom confirms its stated financial guidance.
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