Verizon Communications has announced several management moves in the wake of last week’s announcement by vice chairman Larry Babbio that he will retire at the end of the first quarter of 2007. Most notable among the changes is the naming of Verizon Wireless President Denny Strigl to the new position of president and chief operating officer of the parent company.

Strigl will begin reporting in his new role to Verizon Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg, effective Jan. 1. According to a company statement, Strigl will have responsibility for the operations of all of Verizon's network-based businesses - Verizon Wireless, Verizon Telecom and Verizon Business - as well as Verizon Services Operations, which provides financial, real estate and other functional services to all of the company's operations. He also will remain a member of the Verizon Wireless Board of Directors.

Lowell McAdam, currently executive vice president and COO at Verizon Wireless, will succeed Strigl as president and CEO of Verizon Wireless.

Verizon also separately elevated two executives from the wireless group to have broader responsibilities through the entire company. John Stratton, currently vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless, was named to the newly created position of executive vice president and CMO, responsible for the marketing and brand initiatives of all Verizon's business units. Shaygan Kheradpir, currently chief information officer for Verizon Telecom, has been named to the newly created position of executive vice president and CIO, responsible for the information technology initiatives of all Verizon's business units. McAdam, Stratton and Kheradpir will report to Strigl, and all of the positions are effective Jan. 1, the statement said.

Also reporting to Strigl will be John F. Killian, president of Verizon Business; Daniel S. Mead, president of Verizon Services Operations; and Virginia P. Ruesterholz, president of Verizon Telecom.

The revised management structure would seem to bring some high-level strategic integration across Verizon’s business units at a time when wireless services and revenue continue to out-pace wireline, and networks are beginning to evolve to common-core IP multimedia subsystems. Still, Verizon Wireless, Verizon Business and Verizon Telecom will continue as subsidiary organizations executing their own marketing and sales efforts in their specific markets, the company said.

Seidenberg added in the statement, "This is a logical and effective evolution of our leadership structure, which recognizes the outstanding management talent and depth inherent in our businesses, as well as the rapidly changing dynamics of our markets. Denny Strigl, who has led Verizon Wireless, one of the nation's most successful high-technology companies and the largest wireless carrier by revenue, will be in a position to build partnerships that will develop the growth of our entire business, identify and take advantage of additional opportunities for synergies, and leverage Verizon's operational assets. Denny is a proven operational leader. He and his new team will focus on maximizing the full growth potential of Verizon's businesses."

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