Jesper Hansen has had his interim role as CEO of Telenor Denmark made permanent as the telco looks to move forward after failing to merge with Telia Denmark. Telenor‘s group CEO has reiterated that it is looking at strategic options for its Danish unit.
Jesper Hansen has had his interim role as CEO of Telenor Denmark made permanent as the telco looks to move forward after failing to merge with Telia Denmark.
Hansen was made acting head of Telenor Denmark in June and charged with keeping the operator steady ahead of its integration with Telia, however, in September parents Telenor (OSE:TEL) and TeliaSonera (OMX:TLSN) aba
A 15-year Telenor veteran, Hansen took over from Marek Slacik who moved to Telenor Sweden on 1 August to become marketing director, after more than three years leading the Danish business.
Congratulating Hansen on his appointment in a statement, Telenor CEO Sigve Brekke reiterated that the Norwegian group was still looking at strategic alternatives for its Danish unit, noting the “intensely competitive” market it operates in.
Telenor is the second largest operator by subscribers in Denmark, trailing TDC but ahead of Telia and Three.
The European Commission was so concerned about Telenor and Telia’s Danish merger that it wanted them to create a new fourth operator to mitigate the negative impact is saw on competition – a price deemed too high by the companies.
Consolidation in Denmark’s mobile market is now off the table, and there is consensus in the industry that any future attempt at M&A in the country would have to involve fourth player Three. Whether a deal is pursued in the medium term will hinge on what stance the Commission takes on proposed four-to-three mergers in the UK and Italy, currently under review.