T-Mobile Promotes Mike Sievert to Replace John Legere as CEO

Current T-Mobile president and chief operating officer Mike Sievert will take over starting May 1, 2020. Legere will remain a member of the telecom company’s board of directors.

Legere joined T-Mobile in 2012, overseeing the company as it surpassed Sprint to become the third-largest carrier in the country. During his tenure, Legere has gained a reputation for making waves in the wireless industry in a customer-focused campaign to create an “un-carrier” and to “end customer service hell” in his signature hot pink T-Mobile T-shirt and leather jacket, unafraid to trash talk his competitors to reporters and on Twitter.

His successor, Sievert, was hired by Legere in 2012 as executive vice president and chief marketing officer. He was promoted to chief operating officer in 2015 and took on the title of president last year, which was seen as an indicator that he’d be taking the reins from Legere after the merger with Sprint.

“In the months ahead, my focus will be on ensuring a smooth leadership transition and continuing to work closely with the board and Mike to complete the Sprint transaction,” Legere said in a statement. “This merger will create the New T-Mobile—a company that is uniquely positioned to continue disrupting the wireless category and beyond.”

In a call with reporters this morning, Legere refuted rumors that he was headed to WeWork, denying that he was ever in talks with the beleaguered company.

The shift in leadership comes as T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint is still pending. Last month, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission narrowly approved the merger, which still faces a lawsuit led by a group of state attorneys general who argue that the merger could hurt consumers.