As CEO since 2018 and Chairman since 2019, Hans is the architect of Verizon’s 5G network strategy, which powers and empowers how Verizon customers live, work and play. Under Hans’ leadership, Verizon was first in the world to 5G and 5G Mobile Edge Compute and has since expanded its 5G network nationally for mobility and home internet and business services, and worldwide with 5G private network solutions for enterprises, governments and other organizations.
With an eye towards serving customers, shareholders, employees and society, Hans’ strategic vision is to create the connections that matter most to our customers, from mobility and cloud services to the latest artificial intelligence applications. Hans has executed transformational investments that have set Verizon up for generational success, including the $53 billion purchase of C-Band spectrum, the largest such purchase in history. For customers, he has worked to deliver personalized services, choice and value through offerings like myPlan, the most customizable mobility plans in the U.S.
Prior to joining Verizon, Hans executed the successful transformation of Ericsson from a hardware-focused manufacturer to a software and services company. Over 25 years at Ericsson, Hans ran operations around the world, including leadership roles in Sweden, China, Brazil, Mexico and the U.S. before becoming CFO in 2007 and CEO in 2009, a position he held for 7 years.
As a leading industry voice in technology, global consumer businesses and the economy, as well as an advocate for global digital inclusion and equity, Hans has appears routinely on global stages including the Consumer Electronics Show, Mobile World Congress, The Economic Club of New York, The World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos and more. Alongside Apple CEO Tim Cook, Hans introduced the world’s first 5G iPhone, and with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, he unveiled the world’s first mobile edge computing public network at AWS re:Invent.
Hans is a board member of BlackRock, the UN Foundation, and the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative. He is Co-Chair of the New Jersey CEO Council, a coalition of leaders from the state’s largest companies. He is also the founder and Chairman of the the World Economic Forum’s EDISON Alliance for digital inclusion, which aims to impact 1 billion lives by 2025 by delivering affordable, accessible and digital solutions in education, healthcare and financial services. Hans is a member of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network, where he helped author the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
A former athlete and semi-professional Team Handball player in Sweden, Hans is founder of the Jan Vestberg Handball Academy, named after his father, who was his handball coach for most of his sports career. Hans is also past chairman of the Swedish Olympic Committee.
