GTT gets new, non-Guyanese CEO

Apr 14, 2021 News

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Kaieteur News – For more than two decades, locals have always sat at the helm of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), a subsidiary of US-based Atlantic Tele-Networks (ATN) Inc. That status quo changed yesterday after ATN announced that Damian Blackburn, “a veteran in the telecommunications sector,” would take over from Justin Nedd as GTT’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This move by ATN would come at a time where the country has placed the spotlight on the need for companies to increase local content by allowing Guyanese to serve in leadership positions.

In its announcement to the media yesterday, ATN noted that Nedd would move on to serve as Vice President of Strategic Programmes. ATN alluded that this position “was created” in light of the opportunities that would redound now that Guyana is an oil-producing State. Nedd will now focus his energies on cultivating additional ATN investments, including in Guyana.
With the newly liberalised environment forcing the company to deploy resources to survive in a competitive environment after years of monopoly and guaranteed revenues, ATN is hopeful that the new appointment would spur growth for GTT.
Speaking to Blackburn’s experience, the US-based company which holds an 80 percent stake in GTT disclosed that the knowledge of the non-Guyanese veteran spans over two decades which saw him leading major mobile, internet, and TV operations and technology start-ups in the competitive Caribbean, Americas and European markets.

Brad Martin, Chairman of GTT’s Board of Directors and ATN’s Executive Vice President of Business Operations said in a release yesterday, “Damian is a highly experienced telecoms leader who has the vision to grow GTT and deliver on the changing needs of our customers and the country.” Martin noted as well that Blackburn’s impressive career has included running companies, building and managing mobile networks, leading growth initiatives, and more. He added, “One of the most consistent themes of his work is that he’s been a customer service champion at every level. With a track record of operating highly reliable networks and improving customer experience, Damian will accelerate GTT’s customer-focused mission”
Kaieteur News understands that Blackburn most recently served as CEO of Aliv, a successful startup LTE network mobile operator in the Bahamas. Throughout his telecoms focused career, Blackburn has held key roles at Digicel as Regional CEO of the Eastern, Northern, and Dutch Caribbean markets and as CEO of Digicel’s largest market in Haiti and its operation in Honduras. He was also Group Business Development Director for Digicel and led its entry into the Cable TV market across multiple markets. In a brief missive to the press, Blackburn said his goal will be to listen to GTT’s customers and work with the company’s incredible team to make sure it delivers the country’s vision of exceptional technology and service to meet current and future needs.
The appointment of Blackburn would be seen as a crucial strategic move by ATN and its shareholders since there have been growing concerns about declining market share and revenue in a nation that was once its “cash cow.”
In ATN’s latest 10-K form, filed March 1, to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company said it expects carrier services revenue in its international telecom segment would decline if COVID-19 travel restrictions continue for an extended period of time or become more severe.
ATN said, “Also within our International Telecom segment, we expect that Carrier Services revenue from our international long-distance business in Guyana will continue to decrease as consumers seek to use alternative technology services to place calls.” In addition, ATN said such revenue might decline as the result of the implementation, by the Government of Guyana, of recently passed legislation, which terminates its right to be the exclusive provider of domestic fixed and international long-distance service in Guyana.
ATN said, “While the loss of our exclusive rights may cause an immediate reduction in our Carrier Services revenue, the complete impact of the new legislation to our operations will not be fully known until the Government of Guyana makes the terms and conditions of licences, issued to two of our competitors, available to us.”
Over the longer term, ATN is hopeful that such declines maybe offset by increased revenue from broadband services to consumers and enterprises in Guyana, an increase in regulated local calling rates in Guyana or possible economic growth within country.

 

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