Telstra reshuffles execs

BigPond group MD Justin Milne

Justin Milne, who has led BigPond for three years as managing director is being bumped up to the rank of group managing director, while the carrier's deputy group managing director, public policy and communication, Kate McKenzie, has been appointed group managing director, Telstra Wholesale.

Both Milne and McKenzie will report directly to Telstra chief executive Sol Trujillo.

The promotion of both managers comes as the federal government last week released draft guidelines relating to the planned operational separation of Telstra's wholesale, retail and key network services divisions.

Under the requirements, the carrier must give equivalent levels of seniority to the management of its wholesale and retail -- BigPond -- divisions.

McKenzie's appointment -- effective 16 January -- follows the shift of previous Telstra wholesale boss Deena Shiff to a new role.

Shiff will move to a new business unit, small to medium enterprises, with staff drawn from Telstra's business and government unit, as well as consumer and marketing.

Another recent appointment by Telstra is a new head of its rural division, Geoff Booth, who replaced the long-serving Doug Campbell.

Milne is a former chief executive officer of OzEmail, formerly one of Australia's largest ISPs before it was acquired by iiNet early this year. Prior to his stint at OzEmail, Milne ran the Microsoft Network in Australia.

McKenzie, who joined Telstra in August 2004 as head of regulatory, is a former director-general of the NSW Department of Commerce and the NSW Department of Industrial Relations.