Gladys Berejiklian ‘puts herself forward’ to replace Kelly Bayer Rosmarin as Optus CEO… but Michael Venter and Pip Marlow could stand in her way

With Optus boss Kelly Bayer Rosmarin quitting after facing two major crises in just 13 months, the global search for her replacement has begun.

Announcing her resignation on Monday morning, Optus’ parent company Singtel said it would begin a recruitment process to find Ms Bayer Rosmarin’s replacement.

And a number of candidates have already emerged to take over the management of the controversial telecom provider.

Gladys Berejiklian

Internal candidates include former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has indicated she is interested in taking on the role of CEO.

Ms Berejiklian is the executive responsible for managing Optus’ business customers and was appointed to the role in early 2022.

However, an ICAC investigation into the conduct of Ms Berejiklian’s former partner Daryl Maguire, then MP for Wagga Wagga, which found she had engaged in serious corrupt conduct, said she could be considered a high-risk option, which put pressure on her candidacy. Ms Berejiklian is appealing the findings.

Michael Venter

Optus’ executive ranks include Michael Venter, the group’s Chief Financial Officer since 2021, who will take on the role of interim CEO while Singtel searches for a permanent replacement.

Like Ms Bayer Rosmarin, Mr Venter is a former director of the Commonwealth Bank and has overseen Optus’ healthy earnings performance in the competitive Australian telecoms market.

In May, the communications giant announced EBITDA growth of 4.5 percent to $2.1 billion after adding 425,000 mobile subscribers for the year to March 31.

Should he impress his Singaporean bosses as the company recruits a new CEO, Mr Venter could clinch the top spot. However, he is said to be considered a safe pair of hands while the company finds a permanent replacement.

Peter Kaliaropoulos

Accompanying the announcement that Ms Bayer Rosmarin had resigned was news that Peter Kaliaropoulos had joined Optus in the newly created position of Chief Operator Officer.

From 2003 to 2005, Mr. Kaliaropoulos was general manager of the telco’s business division. He headed Singaporean telecommunications conglomerate StarHub and later led the Saudi Arabian arm of Kuwaiti telecoms company Zain Group until 2020.

With a distinguished and proven career in the telecommunications sector, Mr Kaliaropoulos will now stand as a candidate within Optus to take over from Ms Bayer Rosmarin.

Accompanying the announcement that Ms Bayer Rosmarin had resigned was news that Peter Kaliaropoulos had joined Optus in the newly created position of Chief Operator Officer.

Beep Marlow

Pip Marlow, the outgoing CEO of Salesforce’s Australian and ASEAN operations, is an external candidate who could be considered for the vacant role as head of Optus.

Ms Marlow was hired at Suncorp in 2019 and is highly regarded as one of the country’s most respected business leaders. She led Salesforce’s aggressive local expansion into the government and public sector markets. Before that, she was a Microsoft manager for a long time.

Pip Marlow is an external candidate who could be considered for the vacant role as head of Optus

Singapore ring-in

Another option for Optus is to bring in a proven executive from the parent company’s operations in Singapore.

This move is not without precedent. From 2014 to 2019, Allan Lew was Optus boss, having held a series of senior roles at Singtel, including chief executive Group Digital Life, chief executive Singapore and chief operating officer Advanced Info Service, Singtel’s regional mobile division.

Since leaving the helm of Optus, Mr Lew has overseen Singtel’s operations in Thailand.