WASHINGTON-Andrew Sukawaty, president and chief operating officer of Sprint PCS and recently installed chairman of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, said Friday he is leaving the nationwide mobile-phone carrier to pursue a new, unnamed opportunity.
“This is the fourth start-up venture in which I’ve been involved and it definitely has been one of my most rewarding experiences … I especially want to thank the outstanding team at Sprint PCS that has helped make it the most successful wireless company start-up in history,” Sukawaty said in a statement released by the company.
Sukawaty has led Sprint PCS through six consecutive record-breaking quarters and six quarters of leading the wireless industry in subscriber growth. The company boasted 6.5 million customers as of March 31, making it the fourth-largest carrier in the United States.
The announcement shocked CTIA, whose board voted Sukawaty its chairman the previous day. CTIA President Thomas E. Wheeler said CTIA is “trying to assess” what this means for the leadership of the wireless trade association. There are no rules for this type of event and it has never happened before, Wheeler said. He added that since Sukawaty had only been chairman for several hours before the announcement, the association has more flexibility in deciding the right course of action.
Sukawaty has not resigned as chair of the association, and if he went to another wireless carrier, presumably, he could stay as chairman. However, if his new position takes him outside the industry, the association may not want him as its top spokesman.
Since chairman of the CTIA board is a person (not a company) position, Ronald T. LeMay, president and chief operating officer of Sprint Corp. and Sukawaty’s interim replacement, cannot step into the CTIA role, Wheeler said.
Sukawaty’s leadership was praised all around. “He is unique leader. He is both humble and has the respect of his colleagues,” commented Richard Siber, director of worldwide wireless consulting practice at Andersen Consulting. Siber added that Sukawaty is a great thinker.
Sukawaty is expected to serve as a consultant to LeMay for the next month to help smooth the transition.
The 44-year-old Sukawaty became Sprint PCS president and COO in December 1998, after Sprint obtained financial and management control of the wireless carrier from Tele-Communications Inc., Comcast Corp. and Cox Communications Inc. He had been serving as chief executive officer since 1996. He joined Sprint from NTL in Winchester, England, where he served as CEO of the diversified broadcast transmission and communications company since 1994. Prior to NTL, he was COO of Mercury One 2 One in London.
LeMay has been associated with Sprint since 1985, except for a brief 1997 stint when he served as chairman and CEO of Oak Brook, Ill.-based Waste Management Inc. He was CEO of Sprint Spectrum L.P. in March 1995, and remained in that position until September 1996. He was named president and COO of Sprint in February 1996.
