Telecom Italia Replaces Enterprise and Technology Chiefs

Telecom Italia appointed a new enterprise chief and a new chief technology officer effective 19 October, with both outgoing executives set to leave the company at the end of the year.

The moves reshape two of the most senior positions at the Italian operator in a single stroke. They also come at a moment when Telecom Italia's ownership has itself changed hands, a context that frames the appointments.

Who are the new appointments?

Mirko Mischiatti becomes chief enterprise and innovative solutions officer. He replaces Elio Schiavo, who held the role for more than four years.

Mischiatti joins from Poste Italiane, the postal services provider that secured a controlling stake in Telecom Italia after a shareholder buyout offer executed earlier this year. At Poste Italiane he held various positions, most recently as head of digital, technology and operations.

His arrival from the operator's new controlling shareholder is the most notable feature of the reshuffle. Mischiatti brings a background in digital transformation and operations rather than a long career inside Telecom Italia.

Claudio Ongaro becomes CTO. He was previously chief strategy, business development and wholebuy officer at the operator, making his an internal promotion.

He takes over from Leonardo de Carvalho Capdeville, who spent just over two years heading the technology office. Capdeville had a longer history with the group, having spent a decade in the equivalent role at its operation in Brazil.

What does this change for Telecom Italia?

In the immediate term, governance. Ongaro's former responsibilities covering strategy, business development and wholesale have been handed to CEO Pietro Labriola on an interim basis, consolidating additional strategic decision-making at the top of the company while a permanent arrangement is found.

For the enterprise business, the change puts a Poste Italiane executive in charge of a unit that has been led by Schiavo since before the change of control. Mischiatti's mandate spans enterprise services and what the operator terms innovative solutions.

For the technology office, the shift replaces a CTO with deep group experience, including the Brazil decade, with a leader whose portfolio until now sat on the commercial and strategy side of the business.

How did the company frame the departures?

In a short statement, Telecom Italia said the two departing employees were leaving voluntarily to "pursue new professional challenges." The company added it "expresses its gratitude" for what it called "their significant professional and managerial contributions."

Both Schiavo and Capdeville remain with the operator until the end of the year, allowing a transition period of roughly ten weeks from the 19 October effective date.

The reshuffle follows the completion of the Poste Italiane buyout earlier this year, which gave the postal group its controlling stake. Mischiatti's appointment is the clearest personnel link between that ownership change and the operator's executive structure to date.

Labriola now carries the combined weight of the chief executive role and the interim strategy, business development and wholesale portfolio. How quickly Telecom Italia names a permanent successor for those duties, and whether further appointments follow from the new shareholder, will shape the operator's leadership picture into next year.