Mallik Rao becomes new CTO on the Board of Telefónica Deutschland

Mallik Rao (Yelamate Mallikarjuna Rao) will be the future new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Telefónica Germany. As a member of the Management Board, he will then be responsible for the company's mobile and fixed-network operations. Mallik Rao is to follow Cayetano Carbajo Martin from mid-October, who will take on a new role at the Spanish parent company following the successful completion of key milestones in the further development and improvement of Telefónica Deutschland's network infrastructure. Mallik Rao has more than 25 years of experience in the international telecommunications industry. He began his professional career in 1993 at TATA Telecom, followed by positions at ERICSSON and Nortel Networks. For the first time, Mallik Rao assumed a leading management position with the Indian mobile communications provider Aircel. He then joined the Vodafone Group in 2012, where he initially held the role of Chief Technology & Information Officer (CTIO) for Vodafone Netherlands. Since September 2015, he has been responsible for Vodafone Turkey in the same function. "Mallik Rao has a deep understanding of the telecommunications sector and brings many years of experience in IT, network and innovation to Telefónica Germany”, says Laura Abasolo García de Baquedano, Chairperson of the Supervisory Board, Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG. "The Supervisory Board looks forward to working with Mallik Rao. At the same time we would like to express our sincere thanks for the great commitment of Cayetano Carbajo Martin. He has made a key contribution to ensuring that Telefónica Deutschland now has the most modern network in Germany and is thus fit for the future.”

"After successfully completing the largest network integration in Europe, I would like to thank Cayetano Carbajo on behalf of the entire Management Board for his extraordinary commitment," said Markus Haas, CEO of Telefónica Germany. "I am very pleased to welcome Mallik Rao to the Board of Directors. With him, we will consistently push ahead the network expansion with the goal of creating the largest and most modern mobile network in Germany." Cayetano Carbajo Martin and his team managed the merger of the O₂ mobile network with that of the E-Plus Group. At the same time, the Spaniard led the company's successful participation in the 5G auction, at which Telefónica Germany was able to secure valuable frequency spectrum. At the same time, the massive expansion of the LTE area is continuing. In the current year alone, Telefónica Deutschland implement more than 10,000 LTE base stations - a figure that is without comparison throughout Europe. Telefónica Germany is thus well on the way to achieving the goal of being a Mobile Customer & Digital Champion for its customers.