Summary
1. It was practically inevitable that Clearwire’s Chief Network Architect would be “moving away from the day-to-day operations in the company.” 2. His new position reflects the type of work he has been mainly doing all along – public relations. 3. All of the new appointments appear to be well seasoned.
Analysis
At Clearwire, the transition process to a more realistic execution strategy continues to happen. Essentially, Barry West has been pushed aside and is now playing a relatively minor role at the company. It would not be surprising if he decides to retire in the next several months. West’s replacement on “network responsibilities” has been there from the beginning and will know where any skeletons may be buried.
It also may not be a coincidence that the COO “stepping down” had executive positions at Nextel (as did West). The new Chief Commercial Officer’s extensive experience in brand development will be sorely needed for a company that has suffered a substantial amount of negative criticism. The new CIO seems to have a good track record in doing makeovers of IT organizations to substantially reduce costs. Also, while the title of “Chief People Officer” may sound a little sophomoric, the CEO is putting a heavy importance on effectively recruiting more talented people.
