“We have always operated with competitors, we respect them and we are not afraid of them,” said the outgoing president and CEO. from OTEMichalis Tsamaz, responding to a question from a shareholder regarding PPC’s entry into Telecommunications.
For Chamaz, yesterday’s OTE annual general meeting was the last, as from Monday his position as head of the Group will be taken over by Kostas Nebis, however, he was asked to answer shareholders’ questions with the most interesting ones about PPC.
The day before yesterday, PPC’s general meeting was preceded by the company’s president and CEO, George Stasis, speaking, among other things, about “PPC’s clear commitment to bringing Greece’s telecommunications services into a new era”.
However, OTE has an additional “weapon” in the competitive battle with PPC. The wholesale volume discount agreement for FTTH (fiber to the home and business) service will be signed with Vodafone and Nova.
The agreement was submitted by the National Telecommunications and Postal Commission (EETT) for approval to the European Commission with the response, which is expected to be positive, scheduled for July.
OTE: End of an era for Michalis Chamaz – Kostas Nebi is the new boss
Asked to comment on the agreement on volume discounts, Mr. Chamaz noted that OTE’s goal is to increase utilization of the FTTH network, although generally he noted that this will help reduce prices. According to him, OTE’s FTTH network reached around 1.5 million homes and businesses, but its usage penetration is around 30%.
Starting Monday, OTE will be headed by Kostas Nebis. He has 20 years of experience in managing fixed and mobile telephony organizations. To take the reins of OTE, he will step down from his position as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hrvatski Telekom, a listed subsidiary of the Telekom Group (Deutsche Telekom) in Croatia, a position he has held since April 2019. Prior to Hrvatski Telekom, he held the position of Commercial Director of the Consumer Segment of OTE Group, while he was Chief Marketing Officer of Cosmote.
“The Company I am handing over is in excellent operational and financial condition. I am sure that Kostas Nebi will lead OTE even higher. I know that I am leaving the company in good hands”, noted Chamaz, concluding his speech yesterday.