SYDNEY: Departing Telstra chief executive David Thodey, has said while talking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the industry’s biggest annual event that geographic expansion and constant reinvention were vital for Telstra’s success.
“You’ve got to put yourself at risk,” he said. “If you’re not really pushing out there you’re not going to win.
“That’s why we’ve always been at the forefront of technology, we’ve always adopted new technologies faster than many other operators around the world and we put ourselves at risk.”
Speaking at a keynote presentation with Ericsson chief executive Hans Vestberg, Mr Thodey also emphasised the importance of partnering with suppliers and customers who can give Telstra an edge.
“We like profit and we like market capitalisation growth but we look for shared values and secondly we look for capabilities,” he said. “People have got to be there through the hard times.
“Creating the future is important and to do that you’ve got to take risk, you’ve got to collaborate and when you innovate you’ve got to be willing to put money out there.”
Despite his comments, Mr Thodey has long been seen by insiders and industry analysts as a steady hand at Telstra who used careful investments and a friendly public persona to stabilise the telco giant after a combative period under his predecessor, Sol Trujillo.
Telstra’s incoming chief executive Andy Penn has signalled a renewed focus on investments and growth from Asia and other overseas markets.
