He will be the German group’s senior vice president for IoT from 1 April, the company announced this morning.
Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of Deutsche Telekom’s enterprise unit T-Systems, said: “He has the proven attributes needed to build, drive and lead a business, from a financial, technical, as well as sales and marketing perspective.”
Avidan (pictured) had been with Stockholm-based Tele2 since 2013, having joined to start up the company’s machine-to-machine (M2M) and IoT business. He left the company last September, to be replaced by Ingrid Wistrand. Days later Tele2 completed its merger with cable operator Com Hem, and Tele2 CEO Allison Kirkby also left: she is now CEO of Denmark’s TDC, and a non-exec director of BT.
“I am very pleased that Rami Avidan has decided to join T-Systems,” said Al-Saleh. “He has the proven attributes needed to build, drive and lead a business, from a financial, technical, as well as sales and marketing perspective.”
Avidan replaces Ingo Hofacker, who started the new IoT business division at T-Systems two years ago. He is leaving the company at his own request, said Deutsche Telekom. Al-Saleh said: “The strategy Ingo and the team developed has laid the foundation for our future growth in IoT.”
He hinted on a new security focus under the new leadership: “With security solutions in particular, Rami Avidan can take our IoT business to the next level,” said Al-Saleh. An American executive, Al-Saleh moved to T-Systems to run the company just a year ago and two months ago he sold part of the business to IBM, for a reported €860 million.
Avidan commented: “The internet of things is one of the biggest digitization drivers worldwide and has reached almost all industries. The challenges are complex. Only concrete experiences and real-world technologies create value.”
He added: “We advise, build the networks, manage the devices and ensure security.”
