3 chief exec Fuller to retire

3 UK, the third-generation mobile phone operator, has confirmed that chief executive Bob Fuller is stepping down after four years, as first predicted in Marketing Week at the end of last year (MW December 14, 2006). He will be replaced by deputy chief executive Kevin Russell.

Former Orange veteran Fuller is retiring at the end of June after his 60th birthday. Russell had been widely tipped to replace him after joining the UK business from 3 Australia in January.

3 UK chairman Canning Fok, who is also the chief executive of 3’s parent group Hutchison Whampoa, says: “In Russell we have a great successor to Fuller and someone who I believe will be able to meet the challenges faced by our rapidly growing 3G telecoms business.”

Fuller joined Hutchison in 1982 and became chief operating officer of Orange in 1997. He rejoined Hutchison in 2001 after Orange was sold and was appointed chief executive of 3 UK in May 2003.