UK MVNO The People’s Operator (TPO) has named Jimmy Wales as executive chairman following the death of co-founder and chairman Andrew Rosenfeld on Sunday.
Wales, who founded Wikipedia, is already an investor in TPO and has been working with the…
UK MVNO The People’s Operator (TPO) has named Jimmy Wales as executive chairman following the death of co-founder and chairman Andrew Rosenfeld on Sunday.
Wales, who founded Wikipedia, is already an investor in TPO and has been working with the company on an advisory basis.
TPO has also appointed non-executive director Gary Hughes, who is an operating executive at Apax Partners, as non-executive deputy chairman with immediate effect.
In a statement, TPO CEO Mark Epstein said: “Andrew was a great chairman, a great friend, and we will all miss him.”
“I am delighted that Jimmy Wales has agreed to chair the company. The combination of Jimmy’s unrivalled expertise in building global cause-driven communities and TPO’s proven business model leaves us well positioned to continue our expansion plans.”
Wales said his thoughts were with Rosenfeld’s family, and added: “We are determined to build the company so that it can fulfil the vision that Andrew had for it – a successful mobile phone business that contributes to the causes that its customers care about.”
TPO, which piggybacks on EE’s network, positions itself as an ethical brand and gives 10% of its customers’ bills to a cause of their choice, while 25% of the MVNO’s profits will go to a foundation.
TPO raised £20m (US$31m) in its IPO on AIM, London’s junior market, last November, valuing the business at £100m (US$157m).
