Sprint Nextel Names New President for Its CDMA Business

Sprint Nextel announced on Monday that it had named Robert H. (Bob) Johnson as the president of its CDMA business unit. According to the company, Johnson, formerly a senior marketing, sales and customer service executive with AT&T Wireless, will join the company on Wednesday, May 20.

“Bob is the perfect leader for Sprint’s largest business unit,” said Sprint Chief Executive Officer Dan Hesse. “He is a seasoned wireless veteran and I have seen how effective Bob can be in leading marketing, sales, retail and customer service operations. Bob is a great leader of people and a true team player. I am confident he will make a big impact here.”

The CDMA business unit of Sprint includes the wireless carrier's postpaid consumer marketing and sales, as well as acquisition, growth and base marketing programs, in addition to the company's 11,000 retail sales touchpoints. In addition, the company also stated that it had another executive with a similar name, Robert L. (Bob) Johnson, who was serving as Chief Service Officer.

“I am excited about joining the Sprint team,” Johnson noted. “I look forward to helping the talented group of people, already in place, continue to build on the momentum that is underway at the company.”

Sprint’s CDMA business unit has Keith Cowan currently as its interim president, and he will continue to serve the company as president of Strategy and Corporate Development, being in charge with Sprint’s overall strategic planning. “I cannot thank Keith enough for stepping in over the last six months and leading both the CDMA business along with our strategy and development team,” Hesse commented.

Robert H. (Bob) Johnson, 55, has been a key executive at AT&T Wireless for 16 years, where it served as executive vice president of the company’s marketing, sales and customer service functions. Before AT&T, he worked with communications companies like McCaw Cellular, Daniels and Associates, and PageAmerica, Inc. According to Sprint Nextel, he will be based at the company’s headquarters in Overland Park, Kan.