Supervisory Board sets up Telefónica's leadership in Germany for the future

At its meeting on 30 March 2026, the Supervisory Board of Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG set the course for the telecommunications provider’s strategic direction. In an environment where digital infrastructure is increasingly becoming the foundation for economic performance, social participation and technological sovereignty, the company is shaping its leadership for the next phase of development. Telefónica Deutschland’s aim is to set new standards for connectivity, digital experiences and technological progress, and to develop the company into an even more customer-focused provider. The future Executive Board team consists of CEO Santiago Argelich Hesse and the Executive Board members Mallik Rao (Chief Operating Officer), Markus Rolle (Chief Financial Officer), Valentina Daiber (Chief Officer Legal & Corporate Affairs), Nicole Gerhardt (Chief Organizational Development & People Officer) and Jörg Kablitz (Chief Wholesale & Partner Officer). With this change, the number of Executive Board members is reduced from seven to six. The newly constituted Executive Board team is focusing on growth in the core business and adjacent areas, as well as on simplifying the organisation. Within the new structure and with clear lines of responsibility, the company aims to become more innovative, agile and even more customer-focused in a challenging market environment. These objectives are derived, among other things, from the Telefónica Group’s strategic plan, which the telecommunications group presented last November under the motto “Transform & Grow”. “I am convinced that our newly formed Executive Board team will provide the necessary impetus to lead Telefónica Deutschland back to sustainable growth with renewed strength,” says Santiago Argelich Hesse, CEO of Telefónica Deutschland. “The reorganisation of the Executive Board marks the start of the transformation during a crucial phase in the company’s history. It will enable us to actively address the technological and macroeconomic changes in our markets.”

With the regular expiry of its current term of office, Executive Board member Alfons Lösing will leave the company on 31 March 2026. During his career, Lösing has developed the partner business into a key growth driver for Telefónica Deutschland, established value-adding partnerships and expanded new business areas. Furthermore, due to the structural reorganisation of the division, Andreas Laukenmann, the Executive Board member responsible for the consumer business, has decided not to renew his Executive Board contract, which ends on 31 August 2026, and to leave the company of his own accord. Over the past three years, he has strengthened the residential business, consistently expanding the fixed-line and convergence sectors alongside growth in mobile communications.

Santiago Argelich Hesse, who has served as Chief Executive Officer since January 2026, will assume expanded leadership responsibilities. In addition to the Citizens and Partners market units, the Enterprises market unit will in future also report directly to the CEO. Mallik Rao, a member of the Executive Board since October 2019, will, as Chief Operating Officer, assume responsibility for the Customer Service and Sales (CSS) and Omnichannel (OC) divisions in addition to technological matters relating to network and IT infrastructure by the second quarter at the latest. Rao is currently Chief Technology & Enterprise Officer. His contract was extended at the end of 2024 and currently runs until November 2028. The consolidation of Market Units and Operational Units within the CEO and COO portfolios is intended to simplify business processes and thereby make the organisation more efficient and adaptable.

At its meeting, the Supervisory Board also extended the Executive Board contracts of three long-standing Executive Board members, with their responsibilities remaining unchanged. Markus Rolle will continue to lead the Finance division as Chief Financial Officer, Executive Board member Valentina Daiber will continue to head the Legal & Corporate Affairs division, and Nicole Gerhardt will remain responsible for the Organisational Development & People division. All three have been members of the Executive Board since August 2017 and have been awarded new three-year contracts running until the end of July 2029. At its meeting in October 2025, the Supervisory Board had already decided on and announced a succession plan for the “Wholesale & Partner” division. Jörg Kablitz will succeed Alfons Lösing as “Chief Wholesale & Partner Officer” on 1 April 2026, whose contract is due to end on 31 March 2026 as scheduled. In this Executive Board divison, the telecommunications company brings together business with partners such as mobile retail brands, mobile virtual network operators and service providers, as well as innovative business models. “I wish the Executive Board members every success and energy in their new and existing roles, working with their teams to further develop the company. My thanks go to the Executive Board members who will no longer be part of the management team in future,” says CEO Santiago Argelich Hesse. “Over three decades, Alfons Lösing has shaped the German mobile communications landscape with business model innovations, developed the partner business into a unique and central growth driver for Telefónica Deutschland, and thereby had an impact on the entire industry. We deeply regret Andreas Laukenmann’s decision. He has sharpened the positioning of our core brand O₂ and set new standards in the telecommunications industry with customer-friendly solutions. We are pleased that Andreas will continue to lead the consumer business in the coming months until his departure. We remain committed to a very good and consistently trusting working relationship.” The CEO sees the company as strengthened by the new structure: “I look forward to working with a strong Executive Board team. Telefónica has established itself as the leading provider of digital infrastructure and services for consumers and businesses in Germany. We enable society and the economy to succeed in a digital world – by offering the best possible access to digital technologies. Together, we will help the company achieve new strength and further success in this context. I am counting on a strong, ambitious team that is ready to deliver outstanding performance even in challenging situations,” says Santiago Argelich Hesse.