Kelton takes up the role on 1 July, while company founder Slattery will focus on strategic priorities for Superloop.
Superloop chairman Michael Malone said that Kelton “has a global perspective and significant understanding of ICT and telecommunications infrastructure”. He added: “His experience integrating acquisitions, developing new income streams, and incorporating technological change and disruption into industries and business models, will help drive Superloop through its next growth phase.”
A Scottish-born electronics engineer, Kelton has worked for companies such as Asia Global Crossing and Telstra. In 2010 he joined Bharti Airtel to run Airtel Business, and then moved to the US to have a similar role at T-Mobile US.
He’s been a director of Megaport, of which Slattery is chairman, since 2015. Megaport span off Superloop into a separate operation in 2014.
Slattery said of Kelton’s appointment: “I’m delighted that we’re now moving into the next phase of growth, with me stepping into an executive director’s role freeing me up to focus on driving strategy and having a great CEO like Drew join the team to drive the performance of the business.”
Malone said: “It was becoming increasingly clear to [Slattery] that his greatest value add was focusing on the strategic opportunities for Superloop. As the founder of Superloop, no one has invested as much expertise and time as Bevan to get the company to where it is today. Bevan continues to have a shareholding of approximately 26.8% in Superloop.”
Kelton commented: “The company has quickly built a strong reputation for disruptive innovation in designing, constructing and operating telecommunications networks and other critical infrastructure for wholesale carriers and global content providers that require infinitely scalable and reliable connectivity. The needs of these types of customers continually evolve over time. This requires solutions that not only work today, but can also scale into the future, so it’s an ideal fit for a ‘professional entrepreneur’ like me.”
Earlier in his career Kelton set up his own business, Saturn Global Networks, which was merged with Ixnet. The business was acquired in 2001 by Global Crossing, of which he was elected CEO for Asia Pacific.
