Sprint names Solé to run operations, with direct report to Claure
Sprint looks to increase its focus on the hotly contested Hispanic market by announcing the creation of a new business unit focused on the demographic. Sprint said the unit will be headed by Roger Solé, who will also serve as SVP of innovation and report directly to Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure.
Sprint noted in the new division announcement that it sees the Hispanic market as one the fastest-growing segments of the population and “an area where the company can gain leadership.” In addition to his role as SVP of Sprint’s Hispanic business, Solé was also named president of Sprint Puerto Rico, which will be the “hub” for Sprint’s “Latin creativity and innovation.”
As for the innovation business, Solé will oversee Sprint’s Pinsight Media operation that is focused on mobile advertising and the Sprint Accelerator program focused on health care startups. Kevin McGinnis was named VP of Pinsight Media and executive sponsor for Sprint Accelerator and will report to Solé.
Solé had previously worked as CMO for TIM Brasil, and prior to that at Brazilian operator Vivo.
“Sprint is committed to being a market leader in the Hispanic segment,” Claure said in a statement. “Attracting world-class talent like Roger to lead this newly created business unit shows our commitment to this effort. This is a critically important position for Sprint, and I believe we have hired the right person for the job.”
In his previous role as founder and CEO at Brightstar, Claure partnered with Verizon Wireless and Jennifer Lopez to launch the Viva Móvil brand to target the Hispanic market. That offering has since been most notable for its absence, with the getviva.com website now a dead link.
Claure recently got into a Twitter spat that involved racist overtones linked to his South American background.
The Hispanic market has always been a challenge for domestic carriers looking to tap into a growing customer base through either self-branded efforts or with mobile virtual network operator partners.
Sprint’s Boost Mobile division earlier this month announced a new rate plan that includes a bucket of calling and unlimited messaging from the U.S. to Cuba. The Cuba Monthly Connect plan is currently limited to Boost Mobile dealers in the Miami area.
AT&T earlier this year closed on its acquisition of Mexican mobile operator Iusacell, which proceeded its announced acquisition of Nextel Mexico. The deals were valued at more than $4 billion combined, with AT&T touting plans to offer up what it called the first-ever North American mobile service area tapping into its own U.S.-based network and the combined Mexico operations that it said would cover more than 400 million potential customers.
T-Mobile US and Univision Communications last year launched a mobile virtual network operator service targeting the Hispanic community. The offering includes content from media giant Univision running across T-Mobile US’ network.
TracFone Wireless, which resells wireless services running across various domestic carriers, has a strong history of tapping into the Hispanic market through ties to its parent company América Móvil.
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