Top 10 highlights on mobile network operators’ management, in 2008

“Top management salaries didn’t raise so much in the telecommunication market this year, compared to other markets, by roughly 10-15% from 2007. The low percentage is due to the maturity level that the local market has achieved, and no new player entered the market in order to allow relocation of employees”, George Butunoiu, owner of human resources advisory firm George Butunoiu Ltd, told Wall-Street.

Second of all, Butunoiu added, the main competitors in the telecommunication market have a stand-by agreement which is not yet materialized, and provides that no player should attract employees from another competitor, so their staff have a limited availability to relocate, compared to other sectors of the industry.

The year 2008 was the most dynamic year for the recruiter, at least until September, including for the telecommunication market.

Pay packages in IT&C higher than 2,000 euros will probably fall next year, due to the economic crisis.

“If we will witness a full-blown crisis, as many marketers expect, I think that in March-April it will be clear for everyone where things are heading, and then, salaries will drop, especially the high ones of over 2,000 euros”, said Butunoiu.

Five new managers joined Cosmote Romania team, one of them being Stefanos Theocharopoulos, Cosmote’s CEO.

Theocharopoulos joined Cosmote Romania earlier this year, replacing Nikolaos Tsolas, who held the position for two years.

Mid May, the operator made public the appointment of Costas Apostolou as the new Chief Financial Officer, taking over the tasks of Antonis Kerastaris whose mandate at Cosmote Romania completed.

Mircea Garbovan, former sales manager at Telemobil SA joined Cosmote Romania this summer, as the new Corporate Sales Manager, a newly-created position within the Sales and Customer Support Department.

After heading Consumer Acquisition division at Vodafone Romania, Gabriel Ionita was appointed as Manager Development Products and Services within Marketing and Communication Department of Cosmote.

As of this fall, the mobile carrier has a new HR manager, namely Liliana Danaila, who held a similar position at Germanos Romania. At this moment, she is overseeing activities in the department for Cosmote and Germanos.

Zapp, one of the major players in the Romanian telecommunication market, has conducted a set of changes in its management team as well.

After the resignation of Piermario Di Pietro, the company’s CEO, Chris Bataillard took over the helm of the operator earlier this year.

Chris Bataillard is the founder of Zapp Holdings was actively involved both in the management and development activities of Zapp Romania and Zapp Portugal.

Adriana Ionescu has recently joined Zapp team as marketing director, after work experience in similar field at Procter & Gamble.