T-Systems has created a new Chief Sovereignty Officer role, appointing Christine Knackfuss-Nikolic to lead data sovereignty strategy. Andreas Schlegel joins as Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer. The appointments follow Deutsche Telekom’s cloud portfolio revamp in July.
In sum – what to know:
Data strategy – new sovereignty officer Christine Knackfuss-Nikolic will implement company-wide strategy whilst also retaining security oversight.
Change strategy – new transformation chief Andreas Schlegel has taken over portfolio strategy, market intelligence, and corporate transformation.
Cloud strategy – new T Cloud brand centralizes Deutsche Telekom and T-Systems enterprise cloud offerings for simplified, sovereign cloud solutions.
Not every day we cover exec appointments, but this one looks different: T-Systems, the integration division of Deutsche Telekom, has created a new senior-level management position to direct its strategy around data sovereignty. Christine Knackfuss-Nikolic, currently chief technology officer, has been appointed to the role as chief sovereignty officer. The appointment reflects a broader trend in the tech industry, where sovereignty over cloud infrastructure and data has become a strategic imperative for European enterprises wary of over-reliance on non-EU providers.
Knackfuss-Nikolic, in position since yesterday (September 1), will define and implement a “company-wide sovereignty strategy tailored to customer-specific, regulatory, and geopolitical requirements”, said Deutsche Telekom. She will focus in particular on developing differentiated value propositions across the entire portfolio to address the various sovereignty challenges faced by all customers. She will retain charge of T-Systems’ entire security business and remain part of the management team.
Meanwhile, T-Systems has also appointed Andreas Schlegel as chief strategy and transformation officer, taking over portfolio strategy and market intelligence from Knackfuss-Nikolic. His position also includes the development and implementation of a comprehensive corporate strategy, the company said. “This focuses in particular on innovation leadership, competitive differentiation, and lean portfolio management.” Schlegel was previously deputy head of group strategy and transformation at Deutsche Telekom.
Ferri Abolhassan, chief executive at T-Systems and member of the Deutsche Telekom board, stated: “The call for digital sovereignty is growing louder. Due to geopolitical uncertainties, more and more companies in Germany and Europe are demanding sovereign cloud solutions. They want to free themselves from dependence on hyperscalers and regain control over their own data… We take this need very seriously and are driving our efforts in this area with full commitment. Our aim is to become the leading provider of secure and sovereign cloud and AI solutions across Europe.”
In July, Deutsche Telekom consolidated its enterprise cloud operations under a new T Cloud brand. The move brings together the cloud portfolios of Deutsche Telekom and T-Systems, offering a centralized platform for enterprise clients. Lars Neumann will take over full responsibility for the integrated T Cloud division, overseeing strategy, sales, implementation, and development across the group’s cloud business. The firm said T Cloud will simplify access to cloud services by offering a broad portfolio including public and private cloud from a single provider.
Businesses can build tailored multi-cloud environments with varying levels of data sovereignty to meet regulatory and operational needs. The solutions are also delivered in line with European legal frameworks, it said.
