Zegona consolidates influence over Euskaltel with Samuelson appointment

Cable and telecom investor Zegona Communications has consolidated its control of the direction of Spanish regional cable operator Euskaltel by securing the reappointment of Zegona’s chief operating officer Robert Samuelson as its second proprietary director on the Euskaltel board.

A Euskaltel shareholders’ extraordinary general meeting also ratified the earlier appointments of Eamonn O’Hare, Zegona’s chairman and CEO to the Euskaltel board and José Miguel Garcia as the new CEO of the northern Spanish operator.

The appointment of Samuelson means that Euskaltel’s board now numbers 13 rather than the earlier 12.

Euskaltel has endorsed a strategy based around six pillars – the creation of a new organisational structure based around an experienced team, a strong homogenous product offering, the maintaining of three regional broands that can be extended to all opportunities in local and national markets, a commercial strategy based on best-practice, a consolidation of infrastructure with a unified systems, network and operations and expansion to secure growth.

Zegona has expressed a desire to gear up the company’s plans for expansion outside its core markets of the Basque Country, Asturias and Galicia to become a national operator, tapping the potential of the Virgin brand.

“For me it is an honour and, at the same time, a great responsibility to lead this project, which I am taking on with enthusiasm. I have full confidence in our great team of people and in the strength and rootedness of our brands. With these assets we have quickly put our hands to work to strengthen even further our position in our natural markets and to take on the opportunities that arise in the national market,” said García.