VimpelCom has announced the departure of chief operating officer (COO) Rene Schuster less than seven months after he took on the role.
In a brief statement, the Russia-focused telco said Schuster is leaving the company “to pursue other business…
VimpelCom has announced the departure of chief operating officer (COO) Rene Schuster less than seven months after he took on the role.
In a brief statement, the Russia-focused telco said Schuster is leaving the company “to pursue other business interests” but did not elaborate.
Group CEO Jo Lunder will temporarily take on COO duties.
Schuster joined Amsterdam-based VimpelCom in July 2014, having previously served as CEO of Telefonica Deutschland for five years. He left the German telco in a surprise move in January that year as it awaited regulatory clearance for its acquisition of local mobile operator E-Plus.
Separately, VimpelCom has promoted Andrey Patoka, currently chief infrastructure officer of the Russian business, OJSC Vimpelcom, to head of the CIS business unit.
Acting CIS head Mikhail Gerchuk will continue as group chief commercial and strategy officer.
VimpelCom is Russia’s third-largest mobile operator behind MTS and MegaFon.
