Top 10: CEOs in Telecoms

According to data from Deloitte's 2026 Global Telecommunications Industry Outlook, while many sectors are affected by unprecedented events and inflation, the same doesn't apply to the Telecoms industry.

The report calls telecoms a "mature industry", adding that it has taken advantage of AI, B2B services like IoT and cybersecurity and is subsequently likely to be well positioned for new growth.

Global telecoms revenue hit US$1.55tn in 2025, up roughly 1.7% in the year prior. By market cap, the sector is worth approximately US$3.1tn globally and will likely continue that growth trajectory for the remainder of 2026.

In this list, we look at 10 global CEOs in the telecoms industry who are taking advantage of new technologies, stabilising their businesses despite disruptions and who are driving growth potential for their respective companies.

10. Masood M. Sharif Mahmood

Company: Etisalat

Revenue: US$19.85bn

Founded: 1975

First appointed as Etisalat’s CEO in 2021, Masood holds more than 20 years of experience in the technology and telecoms industry.

He has been instrumental in managing high-performance teams, transforming operations and accelerating change across e& and Yahsat, where he served as CEO for eight years.

In addition to his experience in telecoms, Masood is a serving board member of the UAE Space Agency.

9. Masayoshi Son

Company: SoftBank

Revenue: US$41.84bn

Founded: 1985

As CEO and also as SoftBank’s founder, Masayoshi has held the leadership reins for more than 40 years, making him one of the world’s longest serving CEOs.

Under his watch, SoftBank has grown to become a global technology company that covers a wide range of services, such as AI, smart robotics, IoT products and clean energy.

Alongside Masayoshi’s leadership of the firm, he also founded the Renewable Energy Council and the Great East Japan Earthquake Recovery Initiatives Foundation.

8. Margherita Della Valle

Company: Vodafone

Revenue: US$45.05bn

Founded: 1984

With more than 30 years in the telecoms industry, Margherita first began as an employee for Omnitel in 1994, which later became Vodafone Italy.

Margherita held multiple roles across consumer marketing, digitisation, operations and finance during her company tenure and was instrumental in the placement of the first network towers across Italy.

7. Christel Heydemann

Company: Orange

Revenue: US$45.96bn

Founded: 1988

Christel was first named Orange’s CEO in 2022 and has served on the company’s board since 2017.

She began her career in the telecoms industry in 1999 with Alcatel where she undertook numerous roles that informed her technology and leadership experience.

With a passion for innovation, Christel is committed to connecting people sustainably and addressing rising issues for Orange’s global consumer base.

6. Daniel Hajj Aboumrad

Company: América Móvil

Revenue: US$58.19bn

Founded: 2000

As CEO of the largest telecoms company in Latin America and one of the largest in the world, Daniel has played a key role in establishing América Móvil’s global success.

With his extensive experience in business leadership – serving as CEO for BIMEX, Dulces y Chocolates LUXUS and Euskadi General Tire – Daniel has used that knowledge to effectively market the firm towards lower income customers, resulting in a global subscriber base of more than 300 million.

5. Akira Shimada

Company: NTT

Revenue: US$84.79bn

Founded: 1985

First joining NTT in 1981, Akira has spent more than 40 years working across integral company segments, including enterprise sales, global network service development, finance and accounting and corporate strategy planning.​

He previously served as CFO in 2018 and was later appointed as President and CEO in 2022.

Akira is determined to continuously implement company-wide transformations to position the company for success in the future.

4. Michael J. Cavanagh

Company: Comcast

Revenue: US$123.7bn

Founded: 1963

Serving as Co-CEO with Brian L. Roberts, Michael was first appointed to the role at the beginning of 2026 and has since played an instrumental role in furthering the company’s reach globally, supporting its 170,000-employee base and upholding its status as one of the most profitable companies in the US.

Michael has extensive leadership and financial management experience, working for major companies like JPMorgan Chase and The Carlyle Group and is well-versed in managing billion-dollar investments.

3. John Stankey

Company: AT&T

Revenue: US$125.67bn

Founded: 1983

Since his appointment as CEO in 2020, John’s leadership has prioritised the continuous transformation and adaptability of AT&T’s technologies.

He holds nearly 40 years of leadership experience across almost every segment of the AT&T business and has served in numerous roles, including COO, Chief Technology Officer and CEO of several different branches of the firm.

As one of the globally-leading firms in the telecoms industry, John is responsible for overseeing more than 10 million customers and 2.5 million businesses across the US.

2. Timotheus Höttges

Company: Deutsche Telekom

Revenue: US$135.7bn

Founded: 1995

Timotheus joined Deutsche Telekom in 2000, first serving as Managing Director responsible for Finance and Controlling before later becoming Chairman of the managing board for T Mobile Deutschland.

During his tenure, he has overseen major developments such as the creation of the company’s independent cyber security unit T-Security, the company’s ventures into television and cloud offerings, and the roll out of 5G and fibre-optics.

As leader, Timotheus says curiosity and openness are two of the most important factors for successful leadership and that those qualities are integral to how to approach new technologies.

1. Dan Schulman

Company: Verizon

Revenue: US$138.2bn

Founded: 1983

A CEO with extensive tenure in transformational success at large companies, Dan’s industry expertise is informed by his time working across several financial and operational roles throughout the telecoms, technology and financial industries.

Before joining Verizon, Dan served as President and CEO at PayPal, where he transformed the platform, tripling the company’s revenue to US$30bn and attracting hundreds of millions of customers across the globe.

He also held key leadership roles at several leading public companies including AT&T, Virgin Mobile UA and American Express, furthering each brand’s revenue and technology strategies.

Dan has received acclaim for his leadership throughout his professional career, appearing on Fortune’s list of the World’s Greatest Leaders and consecutively named three times on Fortune’s  list of the Top 20 Businesspersons of the Year.