PARTNER
COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCES NEW
ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE AND LEADERSHIP TEAM
DESIGNED
TO SUPPORT COMPREHANSIVE COMMUNICATIONS
PROVIDER
STRATEGY
ROSH HA'AYIN,
Israel, February 18, 2010 - Partner Communications Company
Ltd. ("Partner" or "the Company") (NASDAQ and TASE: PTNR), a leading Israeli
mobile communications operator announces today a comprehensive
organizational change that is designed to accomplish its strategy of
transforming from a pure cellular player into a comprehensive communications
service provider, as well as strengthening Partner's customer-centric approach.
The change is mainly driven by the trend of convergence in communications
services and by the increasing complexity of products and customers'
needs.
The new
structure includes three modifications to the organizational
structure:
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The
establishment of Private and Business Customers Divisions - each of them
incorporates all aspects of customer care, including sales of a wide
variety of fixed and mobile products, customer services, technical support
and retention activities.
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The
amalgamation of the current Fixed Line Division into the new structure in
order to maximize the synergy between the fixed line and the mobile
services and also enlist existing sales channels to the new fixed services
sale efforts.
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The
consequent main changes in the leadership team, effective March 1st
2010, are as follows:
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Mr.
Erez Paz, who presently serves as V.P of Marketing and Content, will lead
the Private Customers Segment
Division;
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Mr.
Gil Rosenfeld, who presently serves as V.P of the Sales Division, will
lead the Business Customers Segment
Division.
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Mr.
Yacov Kedmi will be appointed as Head of Marketing, Content and Growth
Engines Division. Mr. Kedmi is an international strategic marketing expert
who also served as the first V.P Marketing, Media and Content at
Partner.
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Mr.
Eli Glickman, the Deputy CEO, will lead and oversee the cross-company
structural changes and the amalgamation of the fixed line division into
the new organizational structure.
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Mr. Chaim
Beker, V.P of Operation and Logistics who joined the Company in 1998, was part
of the founding team and orchestrated key processes throughout the years, has
decided to retire at the age of 65. Mr. Beker will continue to serve
as a V.P of Operation and Logistics until his successor assumes
responsibility.
Following
a highly successful tenure of seven years in the Company during which he served
as CTO and then started up and led the Fixed Line Division, Mr. Alon Berman has
decided to pursue other business and career opportunities. Mr. Berman will
continue to serve as V.P of the Fixed Line Division until the completion of the
division's amalgamation into the new organizational structure.
Mr. David
Avner, Partner's CEO, said today, "The new organizational structure as well as
the personnel changes mark the completion of the first phase of the Company's
strategic plan to become a comprehensive communications service provider that
was announced approximately 12 months ago and will better position the Company
to implement and achieve its new corporate strategy and financial goals. I am
certain that this talented, professional and seasoned management team will
continue to leverage and maximize Partner's value and assets created over the
years."
Mr. Avner
added: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues Mr. Chaim
Beker, who was part of the founding team, and Mr. Alon Berman, who served as a
CTO during the deployment of our 3G network and established our fixed line
business, for their enormous contribution to the unprecedented success of
Partner. I wish them success in their new endeavors. I would also like to
congratulate Mr. Kedmi for joining our leading team and also Mr. Rosenfeld and
Mr. Paz, for their new roles, wishing them a great success".
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section
27A of the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the US
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe harbor provisions of
the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as
"believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could",
"may", "project", "goal", "target" and similar expressions often identify
forward-looking statements but are not the only way we identify these
statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in
this press release regarding our future performance, plans to increase revenues
or margins or preserve or expand market share in existing or new markets, reduce
expenses and any statements regarding other future events or our future
prospects, are forward-looking statements.
We have
based these forward-looking statements on our current knowledge and our present
beliefs and expectations regarding possible future events. These forward-looking
statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Partner,
consumer habits and preferences in cellular telephone usage, trends in the
Israeli telecommunications industry in general, the impact of current global
economic conditions and possible regulatory and legal developments. For a
description of some of the risks we face, see "Item 3D. Key Information - Risk
Factors", "Item 4. - Information on the Company", "Item 5. - Operating and
Financial Review and Prospects", "Item 8A. - Consolidated Financial Statements
and Other Financial Information - Legal and Administrative Proceedings" and
"Item 11. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk" in the
form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 27, 2009. In light of these risks,
uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this
press release might not occur, and actual results may differ materially from the
results anticipated. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
About Partner
Communications
Partner
Communications Company Ltd. ("Partner") is a leading Israeli provider of
telecommunications services (cellular, fixed-line telephony and internet
services) under the orange™ brand. The Company provides mobile communications
services to over 3 million subscribers in Israel (as of December 31, 2009).
Partner’s ADSs are quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market™ and its shares are
traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (NASDAQ and TASE: PTNR).
Partner
is an approximately 45%-owned subsidiary of Scailex Corporation Ltd.
("Scailex"). Scailex's shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under
the symbol SCIX and are quoted on "Pink Quote" under the symbol SCIXF.PK.
Scailex currently operates in three major domains of activity: 1) the sole
import, distribution and maintenance of Samsung mobile handset and accessories
products primarily to the three major cellular operators in Israel; 2)
distribution and sale of various manufacturers' mobile handsets, accessories and
provision of maintenance services, through a chain of retail stores and booths
("Dynamic"), to end customers of Cellcom (as part of the acquisition of the
controlling stake in Partner, Scailex announced to Cellcom the termination of
the distribution agreement through Dynamic, effective July 1, 2010
and On Jan 17, 2010 Scailex announced the sale of Dymanic’s activity
to Cellcom) and; (3) management of its financial assets.
For more
information about Scailex, see http://www.scailex.com.
For more
information about Partner, see http://www.orange.co.il/investor_site.
Contacts:
Mr.
Emanuel Avner
Chief
Financial Officer
Tel: +972-54-7814951
Fax: +972-54-7815961
E-mail:
emanuel.avner@orange.co.il
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Mr.
Oded Degany
V.
P. Corporate Development, Strategy and IR
Tel:
+972-54-7814151
Fax:
+972-54 -7814161
E-mail:
oded.degany@orange.co.il
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this Current Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized.
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Partner
Communications Company Ltd.
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By:
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/s/ Emanuel
Avner |
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Name:
Emanuel Avner |
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Title:
Chief Financial Officer |
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