Telenor Strengthens AI Initiatives with Key Leadership Appointments and New CTO from Google Cloud

Norwegian telecommunications giant Telenor has announced significant leadership changes and the appointment of a new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) from Google Cloud, all aimed at bolstering the company’s AI-driven endeavors.
Petter-Boerre Furberg, a seasoned executive with a history of senior management roles at Telenor across Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Thailand, has been named the head of Telenor’s vital Asia business unit. This move follows the completion of the $15 billion merger in Malaysia and the successful $8.6 billion deal in Thailand earlier this year. Furberg’s appointment is set to continue the company’s expansion and solidify its presence in the Asian market.

Furberg’s predecessor, Joergen C. Arentz Rostrup, who played a crucial role in orchestrating Telenor’s robust organization across Southeast Asia after the major mergers, will transition to a new role as head of Telenor Nordics. Telenor’s CEO, Sigve Brekke, commended Rostrup for his instrumental contributions and highlighted his return to the Nordics after overseeing transformative developments in the region.

Meanwhile, Telenor’s tech aspirations are further fueled by the appointment of Amol Phadke, who joins as the new Chief Technology Officer. Phadke, previously the Global General Manager for the Telecom Industry Vertical at Google Cloud, brings a wealth of experience from notable industry players like British Telecom, Alcatel-Lucent, and Accenture’s network services unit. Telenor’s strategic partnership with Google Cloud in 2021 has paved the way for a joint exploration of service offerings and digital transformation initiatives.

Telenor Group CEO Sigve Brekke expressed the company’s commitment to infusing AI into all aspects of operations, with a vision to enhance efficiency, product innovation, and energy conservation. Amol Phadke echoed this sentiment, outlining Telenor’s plans to utilize AI for predicting traffic demand, optimizing bandwidth allocation, and enhancing customer interactions. Notably, Phadke emphasized that the integration of AI will not result in job cuts within the organization.

As Telenor continues its journey towards a more digitally empowered future, the strategic leadership changes and the addition of a tech-savvy CTO underscore the company’s unwavering commitment to harnessing AI’s potential across its global operations. With these transformative shifts, Telenor is poised to redefine its industry landscape and position itself as a trailblazer in AI-driven telecommunications.