The CEO of New Zealand mobile operator 2degrees, Eric Hertz, has died in a private plane crash.
The Auckland-based operator issued a statement acknowledging the loss of Hertz and his wife Kathy following a plane crash off the North Island coast over the…
The CEO of New Zealand mobile operator 2degrees, Eric Hertz, has died in a private plane crash.
The Auckland-based operator issued a statement acknowledging the loss of Hertz and his wife Kathy following a plane crash off the North Island coast over the weekend.
The operator’s US-based chairman Stewart Sheriff has stepped in as interim CEO.
Hertz’s telecoms career spanned more than 30 years and six countries. He joined 2degrees in 2009 after heading US mobile app company Zumobi.
Sheriff, who arrived in New Zealand with fellow board member Brad Horowitz yesterday, described Hertz as “a veteran in the wireless industry”, saying “[h]e has built a great team and his passion for excellence and exceeding customers’ expectations has been instilled in the entire organisation”.
Sheriff became chairman of 2degrees in 2010. He is also senior vice president and CTO of the operator’s majority shareholder, US-based Trilogy International Partners, which invests in telcos internationally. Previously, he held a similar position at Trilogy’s precursor Western Wireless. From 2003-2005, he served as CEO of Irish mobile operator Meteor.
2degrees director of corporate affairs Mat Bolland said Sheriff and the board are working with management “to ensure business continuity”.
Launched in 2009, 2degrees is New Zealand’s newest mobile operator.
