Rogers Communications hires German telecom veteran to head its consumer business

TORONTO – Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX:RCI.B) is hiring a senior executive of Germany’s largest telecommunications company to be president of the company’s consumer business unit.

The appointment of Dirk Woessner, who has been responsible for the equivalent of C$25 billion in sales at Deutsche Telecom, becomes effective April 6.

At Rogers, Woessner will be responsible for product development and sales operations for the company’s consumer business, which includes its national wireless network and cable TV distribution services in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

It also has an extensive media business, including ownership of the Toronto Blue Jays and Canadian broadcast rights to NHL games.

He’ll report to chief executive Guy Laurence, who headed Vodaphone UK until he was hired for the top position at Rogers in late 2013.

Since then, Laurence has embarked on a number of initiatives at Rogers, one of Canada’s three dominant wireless carriers.

Under a strategy announced last May, the company’s consumer business unit was headed on an interim basis by Rob Bruce, who agreed to remain through a transitional period.