Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) is gearing up to strengthen its 5G leadership with the appointment of Katherine Ainley as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the UK and Ireland, effective February 1, 2021.
Ainley will join Ericsson from BT where he has held a number of senior executive positions since 2007, including recent roles as Managing Director of Ventures in Enterprise and CEO of Tikit, BT’s wholly owned subsidiary. He replaces John Griffin, who has been acting since October. Griffin will return to his permanent role as Country Manager for Ericsson Ireland and continues as a highly valued member of the unit’s leadership team.
Ainley’s appointment came because 5G technology provided the UK and Ireland with an important opportunity to do so build back better keep up with the impact of COVID-19 and the increasing demand for digital connectivity and transformation. As the only 5G vendor in the UK to have commercial agreements with all four major mobile network operators, Ericsson will upgrade 20,000 network sites by 2024 to enhance UK connectivity. recently announced creation of 800 jobs to support accelerated 5G rollout.
Commenting on his appointment, Ainley said: “Ericsson is at the forefront of the worldwide deployment of 5G, playing a very important role here in the UK and Ireland where technology is critical to the two countries’ economic ambitions. I am honored and excited to join as CEO in February and look forward to leading Ericsson’s accelerated network deployment and opening up 5G as an exciting innovation platform for the future in partnership with all mobile network operators. “
Arun Bansal, President and Head of Ericsson Europe and Latin America said, “I am very pleased that Katherine Ainley is joining Ericsson as our new CEO for the UK and Ireland. With 5G poised to bring social benefits to the UK as well as around £ 15 billion in additional economic growth from industries such as manufacturing, construction and agriculture, Katherine will be an important part of our 5G journey, bringing a wealth of industry experience to that role. . I look forward to welcoming him to our team as we establish our leading position in England. “