Telenet has announced its CEO John Porter is stepping down after 13 years at the helm.
Porter joined Liberty Global in 1994, helping build Australian pay-TV operator Austar before becoming its CEO in 1999. After Austar was sold to Foxtel in 2012, Porter moved to Belgium to lead Telenet.
Porter will continue advising Telenet until the end of the year and remain chairman of Wyre.
Commenting on his departure, Porter said: “It has been a privilege to lead Telenet and work alongside talented colleagues who have helped transform the company while preserving the entrepreneurial spirit that has always defined us.
“As Telenet begins a new chapter as part of Ziggo Group, I feel the time is right to spend more time with my family in Australia.”
Succeeding him is Rocío Lorenzo, who starts her new role as CEO on 2 November 2026, and will report into Ziggo Group CEO Stephen van Rooyen.
She currently leads Cable & Wireless Panama and serves as Senior Vice President at Liberty Latin America.
She has more than 20 years of experience in telecoms and technology, including a previous role at Boston Consulting Group, where she worked with Porter on Telenet’s acquisition of BASE in 2016.
Lorenzo said: “I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to lead Telenet and work alongside such a talented team within the broader Liberty footprint. This is a company at the leading edge of innovation, with a tremendous opportunity to build on the strong foundation already in place and bring faster, better, and more reliable connectivity to even more people.
“I can’t wait to get started, spend time with our teams and customers, and work together to deliver great experiences and create value for all our stakeholders.”
Mike Fries, Chairman and CEO of Liberty Global, continued: “John has been a tremendous leader at Liberty Global and a great friend for more than three decades. At both Austar and Telenet he brought that rare combination of entrepreneurial drive and operational excellence.
“He leaves Telenet a strong digital-first business that is exceptionally well positioned for its future as part of Ziggo Group. We all wish John the best in whatever he does next, and I take great comfort in knowing that he will always remain a champion of Liberty Global and trusted friend and advisor.”
He concluded: “I am also delighted to welcome Rocío as the incoming CEO of Telenet. I have known and worked with Rocío for over a decade and as Chairman of Liberty Latin America I’ve watched her grow into a fantastic leader and CEO in the region. Rocío brings deep telecoms expertise, hands-on leadership and a track record of turning strategy into results. She is ideally placed to lead Telenet into its next chapter.”
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