A day after the departure of Alcatel Lucent's NZ CEO yesterday, Telecom has announced its Chief Transformation OfficeFrank Mount has resigned.

Inshort statement CEO Paul Reynolds says the resignation is effective immediately:“In the interests of ourcustomers, our team and New Zealand, I have regretfully accepted Frank’sresignation,” he says.

“I ampleased to announce that CIO David Havercroft will assume the responsibilityfor all network and IT operations from today and CFO Russ Houlden will carryinterim responsibility for our Shared Services operations and TechnologyStrategy.

“I want toacknowledge with personal gratitude Frank Mount's enormous contribution toTelecom over the past 18 months.  He has worked tirelessly and selflesslyfor our customers and for Telecom people. The successful delivery of Telecom'sCrown Undertakings schedule on Operational Separation represents one of themost significant operational and IT programmes in the company's history and isre-shaping the industry.  I wish Frank well for the future,” Reynoldssays.

Mount wasinstrumental in driving the changes inside the telco in the past two years. Hehas an indepth understanding on the evolution of mobile technology and why itwas necessary for telcos to evolve from 3G to LTE technology.

In the Octoberedition of Telecommunications Review he was judged by our expert panel to bethe 40th most influential person in New Zealand telecommunications.Here’s what the panel thought at the time:

“One of Paul Reynolds’ high-profileimports to his executive team, Frank Mount is the softly spoken American withdegrees in science, classical studies and mathematics. He has an internationalcontacts list and has used his influence to generate stronger links betweenTelecom and global telcos.”

Just last week Mount attended the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona on behalfof Telecom.