Allison Kirkby
Courtesy of Telia
- TitleCEO and President
- AffiliationTelia
- 2020 Rank28
- CountrySweden
Kirkby took charge at the Swedish telecom, which operates in Nordic and Baltic countries, last May. The company recorded 24.3 million subscriptions and $9.7 billion in sales last year, but despite the pandemic’s demand for all things digital, Telia’s services business—mainly roaming and advertising—flagged in 2020. Conditions have improved markedly in 2021, especially for Telia’s TV and media unit, and Kirkby is focused on further cost-cutting and the rollout of 5G in its markets. The company also inked major enterprise deals earlier this year, including contracts with the Norwegian postal service—its largest ever in the country—and the broadcaster NRK.
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