Ferri Abolhassan to join Deutsche Telekom board for T-Systems in 2024

At its meeting today, Deutsche Telekom’s Supervisory Board appointed Ferri Abolhassan (59) as new member of the Deutsche Telekom Board of Management for T-Systems. Abolhassan, who holds a doctorate in computer science, succeeds Adel Al-Saleh on January 1, 2024. He had asked for his contract to be terminated because he is to become the new CEO of Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES. Abolhassan was previously Managing Director Sales and Service and in this role was responsible for Telekom’s sales and service activities in Germany. A decision on his successor will be made soon.

Frank Appel, Chairman of Deutsche Telekom’s Supervisory Board, said: “We would like to thank Adel Al-Saleh for his successful work in the transformation of T-Systems. We wish him all the best and much success for his new career step. In Ferri Abolhassan, we have found a proven expert in digitization, cloud, security and AI for this challenging position. He knows T-Systems through his many years as Managing Director and – with over 20 years of experience in IT – brings the necessary expertise to successfully continue Adel Al-Saleh’s work.”

Tim Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom: “I would like to thank Adel for his work and commitment in mastering the difficult transformation of recent years. Today, T-Systems has a clear strategy and is well equipped for further growth. Ferri will build on this. He stands for continuity. We have found a strong internal successor for this challenging task. He knows how to operate in growth markets and to achieve long-term success. Over the past seven years, he has developed Deutsche Telekom’s service into the best service in Germany. The number of customer complaints dropped by over 90 percent since Ferri took over. He is a proven expert in the growth areas of IT: digitization, cloud, security and AI. He knows T-Systems and the industry extremely well. I have been working closely and trustfully with him for years. I am delighted to continue this collaboration with him in his new role. He is a reinforcement and enrichment for the Deutsche Telekom Board of Management team.”

Ferri Abolhassan: “I am looking forward to working with the T-Systems team and the tasks ahead. Adel and his team have done excellent work over the past six years, which we will continue together with the team. I leave the Sales and Service organization with a tear in my eye. I am proud of what the Sales and Service team has accomplished over the past few years. It is a great team. We have lived up to the Group’s claim to leadership and offer the best service. That’s also my aspiration for my new role at T-Systems.”

CT Bureau