Tim’s board co-opted Massimo Sarmi to the board. The manager, currently president of FiberCop, the company of Tim’s secondary network which covers the last mile from road lockers to end users, as well as number one of Asstel, the telecommunications sector association, takes the place of Frank Cadoret who sat on the board representing Vivendi and who resigned for personal reasons after leaving the leadership in France of Canal+, the satellite television of the group headed by Vincent Bolloré. Sarmi is a long-time manager and, among other things, he was Tim’s first general manager, when the brand only identified the mobile phone business. Then in 1997 he held the position of general manager of Telecom Italia.
His name, however, is linked to Poste Italiane, which he led from 2002 to 2014, developing a strategy of technological innovation, expansion of the range of services and entry into new business sectors. His name, supported by the main shareholder Vivendi (who owns Tim’s 23.75%), is also appreciated by various government officials: it is no secret that he took over the post office thanks to the consent of Gianfranco Fini, when he he was the number one of AN, at the same time enjoys the trust of the Minister of Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti. It is not for nothing that in recent days rumors have circulated about him as a possible candidate, in the near future, for the assumption of powers related to the execution of the plan on which the government is working to create a “wholesale only” national network company (i.e. disconnected from retail connected service provision) that the government is working towards.
In this regard, in the morning, a first technical round table met at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy in which Vivendi in the person of CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine and the Cdp (9 .8% of Tim), represented by the investment director (as well as CEO of Cdp equity) Francesco Mele. On behalf of the government, the heads of cabinet of the ministries concerned were present (Palazzo Chigi, Mimit and Mef), but the owner of the companies, Adolfo Urso, also greeted, who on several occasions underlined the importance of having a controlled network public and to safeguard employment levels. A new meeting should take place next Tuesday.