Vodafone Group and Liberty Global Name Stephen van Rooyen as CEO of VodafoneZiggo

Vodafone Group and Liberty Global have appointed Stephen van Rooyen as Chief Executive Officer of VodafoneZiggo, effective September 2024. Until van Rooyen assumes his position in September, VodafoneZiggo’s Chief Financial Officer, Ritchy Drost, will serve as interim CEO. He will be based at the company’s headquarters in Utrecht. Van Rooyen’s appointment follows the retirement of former CEO Jeroen Hoencamp.

Van Rooyen expressed his excitement about joining VodafoneZiggo, looking forward to the new experience of living and working in The Netherlands. Van Rooyen, formerly the CEO of Sky UK & Ireland and Chief Commercial Officer for the Sky Group, brings over 17 years of telecom and media experience to his new role, having worked in multiple European countries.

At Sky, van Rooyen played a pivotal role in driving consistent growth, product diversification, and innovation. He was instrumental in launching major products such as Sky Mobile, Sky Broadband, and NOW TV and in evolving Sky’s TV platforms, including Sky Q, Sky Glass, and Sky Stream. Additionally, he led Sky’s content and programming initiatives, overseeing Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, and all Sky channels.

Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries highlighted van Rooyen’s exceptional talent and extensive experience in driving growth and innovation, noting his deep expertise in brand, products, and innovation. Fries also expressed gratitude to Hoencamp for his years of service and wished him well in his future endeavors.

Vodafone Group Chief Executive Margherita Della Valle echoed these sentiments, emphasizing van Rooyen’s significant expertise in both the telecom and media sectors in Europe. She extended her thanks to Hoencamp for expertly steering VodafoneZiggo over the past eight years and expressed confidence in Drost’s leadership during the interim period.

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