Networking giant AT&T has announced the appointment of Peter Thomson as General Manager for New Zealand, in a move they hope will drive sale opportunities across the region.

Thomson joins the company from systems-integration company IPConnect in Sydney, hoping to draw on his experiences in the telecommunications industry across the Asia-Pacific region.

Holding the position of sales and commercial director, Thomson was responsible for launching IPConnect’s cloud based offering, and launching the company into Pacific markets including the national broadband network for the Vanuatu Government.

AT&T currently operates 38 data centers around the world with around 40 staff in New Zealand since its presence in the country in 1999.

"We’re delighted to have Peter on board,” said Fred Girouard, AT&T Australia and New Zealand managing director.

"His strong track record in the industry speaks for itself. He brings knowledge, experience and strong leadership which will be key assets as we continue to build our business in New Zealand.”

"I’m thrilled to be joining the AT&T team. It is a great opportunity to be part of a large, global player with proven products and services, and a genuine focus on innovation,” Thomson said.

"I’m looking forward to working closely with our sales team and to further success as a strategic partner for our customers.”