Bell Atlantic taps Giancarlo Ferrero as Vice President Corporate Development and Communications-Europe

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Bell Atlantic International Wireless today announced Giancarlo Ferrero as Vice President Corporate Development and Communications-Europe. Ferrero is responsible for representing one of the world's largest wireless portfolios with potential partners, key stakeholders, and the media in Europe.

 

Before joining Bell Atlantic International Wireless, Ferrero was Country President of Bell Atlantic's land-based investments in Italy and was responsible for developing strategic business alliances and stakeholder relationships to position Bell Atlantic as a leader in the Italian telecommunications market. He will continue to perform those duties in his new role. Ferrero came to Bell Atlantic in September 1990 as Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Bell Atlantic International Italia, S.r.l. Among his accomplishments at Bell Atlantic, Mr. Ferrero helped establish one of the world's fastest growing wireless businesses, Omnitel Pronto Italia. Mr. Ferrero has held the post of Vice Chairman of INFOSTRADA since 1995, a partnership with Olivetti developed to compete with Telecom Italia as Italy's second landline service provider. Mr. Ferrero is a board member of SODALIA, a telecommunications software joint venture between Bell Atlantic and Telecom Italia.

 

"Giancarlo's nearly 30 years of business experience and knowledge of European markets will be an asset in helping Bell Atlantic uncover the right opportunities with the right partners in Europe," said Tom Bartlett, president and CEO of Bell Atlantic International Wireless. "Giancarlo's new role also signals an even deeper commitment by Bell Atlantic to developing our interests, and our relationships, in the fast-growing Italian wireless and wired telecommunications market."

 

Prior to joining Bell Atlantic, Mr. Ferrero held numerous sales, marketing, planning, and operational positions for multi-national high-tech companies, last serving as head of IBM's Southern European Telecommunications Division.

 

The new Bell Atlantic - formed through the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX - is at the forefront of the new communications, information and entertainment industry. With 40 million telephone access lines and 5.8 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 21 countries.