US-based mobile network operator US Cellular’s strategic investments and partnerships team ceased operations last month, former business development manager Susan Bova has confirmed to Global Corporate Venturing.
The company’s strategic investments and partnerships division made equity investments, focusing on startups developing 5G networking, cloud services, data, mobile payments, internet-of-things agriculture, smart cities, artificial intelligence, blockchain and cybersecurity technology.
This year’s GCV Rising Star Mel Gaceta managed the unit between 2013 and 2016, and he has most recently helped packaged food and beverage producer Mondelēz International set up a corporate venturing arm.
Bova told GCV she has left US Cellular “to explore other options,” while Jeff Cologna, an executive that has concentrated on strategic investments and partnerships since 2007, was unable to comment on his next move.
The company restructured its management team in May, promoting Steven Campbell, its chief financial officer (CFO) and treasurer, to chief administrative officer. His new role will involve him retaining his executive vice-president role and overseeing financial planning for the company, supervising the new CFO.
Douglas Chambers, formerly senior vice-president of finance at US Cellular’s parent Telephone and Data Systems (TDS), and chief accounting officer at both TDS and US Cellular, took up a senior vice-president position and has taken on Campbell’s CFO and treasurer duties.
