At the same time EllaLink has also recruited Alberto Horcajo, who has held senior positions at Telefónica’s Telxius – most recently CEO.
Talotta (pictured), who left Sparkle in April 2018, told Capacity at that time that he was looking for a global role after leaving the Telecom Italia (TIM) international subsidiary.
Horcajo is currently running Red Colmena, a company specialising on developing shared mobile networks in Europe and South America.
Dublin-based EllaLink said Horcajo and Talotta will join the company on 1 July.
“We are delighted to welcome Alessandro and Alberto as new independent directors to the EllaLink Board. Their skills will greatly complement the current board’s expertise through the on-going construction phase of the project,” commented Michael Dedieu, chairman of the EllaLink board and managing partner at Marguerite, an infrastructure investment fund that is backing the project.
The subsea cable, which will be built by Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), will connect Sines in southern Portugal with Fortaleza in Brazil, via the islands of Madeira and Cabo Verde.
The company is also backing allied cables, CariLink, running from Cartagena in Colombia to Kourou in French Guiana, and GuyaLink, from Kourou to Fortaleza. EllaLink will have a branch to São Paolo in Brazil. Kourou, almost on the equator, is best known as the headquarters of Arianespace’s satellite launch operations.
Philippe Dumont, the former ASN CEO, who is now CEO of the EllaLink, said: “It is a real privilege for the EllaLink management team to welcome Alberto and Alessandro. We are looking forward to the value their knowledge brings and their industry insight which will be a great benefit to the EllaLink cable system, its customers and its shareholders.”
Last month EllaLink said ASN has finished its cable route study and mobilised the marine survey vessel for the system. The company added: “The survey will be performed over the coming months and permit acquisition continues in line with EllaLink’s plans to be ready for service by the end of 2020.”
EllaLink will be a 72Tbps, four fibre-pair system that will avoid the congestion of the North Atlantic by offering the first ever direct fibre pair between Europe and South America.
“We are delighted to have appointed Alcatel Submarine Networks to undertake the marine survey and permitting work for the EllaLink cable system,” said Dumont.
