Richard Zieseniss to Head O2 Czech Republic: Leadership Change at the Country's Biggest Telecom Operator

O2 Czech Republic, the country's largest telecom operator, has announced a change at the top: starting September 1, the company will be led by Richard Zieseniss, who previously headed its commercial division. He succeeds Jindřich Fremut, who is stepping down after nine years at the helm of O2 to take on a new role at parent investment group PPF focused on artificial intelligence.

Zieseniss is no newcomer to the company — he has worked at O2 since 2012 and has been part of its top management for the past nine years. As Chief Commercial Officer, he was responsible for the product portfolio, marketing, sales strategy and customer experience across all business segments. His close, long-running collaboration with Fremut and their joint work on key transformations at the company were cited as the main reasons behind his appointment as the new head of O2.

Fremut, meanwhile, isn't leaving the O2 orbit entirely — he will remain chairman of the company's board of directors. His new role within PPF has been given the title Chief AI Transformation Officer, and he will be responsible for rolling out and developing artificial intelligence tools across the entire group.

The handover comes on the back of impressive results: since 2016, O2's operating figures have grown by more than 50%, and the company itself has transformed from a classic internet provider into a full-fledged technology player, now offering ICT services, cybersecurity, and TV content through its Oneplay platform.

"O2 is in really good shape today — we've managed to secure long-term growth while significantly transforming the company into a technology leader and pioneer in the use of AI. Richard was involved in every key step along the way and played a crucial role in making it happen," said outgoing CEO Jindřich Fremut.

Zieseniss himself stresses that he's taking over a company with a strong team of professionals, and plans to keep developing O2 further, with a particular focus on customer experience, service quality, and technological innovation.