Telstra, consumer group MD and Foxtel board director David Moffatt who yesterday called it quits at Telstra has spoken out about life under his former boss Sol Trujillo.
In an interview with SmartHouse he said “I have an enormous amount for Sol he was tough, hard working and he drove change at Telstra. Changes that Sol left behind like the new billing system, the Next G Wireless network and our IP network is going to be around for 20 years or more years”. Moffatt said.
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“Sol was very focused on the commercial profit making side of the business and while he pushed Government aside he did deliver. He worked long hours, I know because every day I worked alongside him. He bought a lot of experience, knowledge and focus to Telstra which is going to be beneficial moving forward as new technology is introduced. He left behind a lot of good things”.
“When I started with Telstra Nine years ago a mobile phone was a brick. The Internet was just starting and content on a phone was a contacts list. I have seen off three CEO’s three Chairman two regulatory inquiries and 17 group Managing Directors”. he said.
Moffatt who as agreed to work on for up to six months while a successor is found, was non committal on whether he would be involved in choosing a successor “I cannot comment on that” he said.
The consumer boss w has admitted that Telstra is working on a new home Gateway and PVR is turning his back on a $3.6 million salary at Telstra and a directorship at Foxtel, leading to speculation that he may have a top job lined up elsewhere.
“I cannot comment on my future but I am looking for new challenges” he said.
Before joining Telstra, Moffatt was CEO of General Electric’s financial unit, GE Capital, in Australia. He later became chief executive of GE’s Australian and NZ business. He also worked in Chicago in the US for a steel mill before returning to Australia.
At Telstra he was initially chief financial officer and group MD for finance and administration. He moved into the consumer group role in October 2003 when incumbent Ted Pretty was moved to head up a technology division leaving Moffatt to cope with an ill-advised move into NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode platform, organised by Pretty. John Stanhope moved into the CFO’s chair.
Moffatt was overlooked as were Pretty, Stanhope and Thodey as a replacement for Ziggy Switkowski as CEO when Ziggy was shown the door in 2005, and the board eventually brought in Sol Trujillo. Ted Pretty departed soon after, re-emerging as chairman of Fujitsu Australia.
Overlooked again when Thodey replaced Sol Trujillo earlier this year, David Moffatt has now finally decided to move on.
Thodey paid handsome tribute to Moffatt in yesterday’s official announcement. “David has successfully played a major role at Telstra in building a world-leading, fully integrated, consumer retail business,” he said also noting that Moffatt was “the major force behind the creation of our dynamic, consumer retail experience T[life].”
