Philippe Leonetti in as CEO at Viaccess-Orca

OTT solutions provider Viaccess-Orca (VO) has announced the appointment of Orange’s Philippe Leonetti as its new CEO.

Leonetti replaces Paul Molinier, who held the position for five years and, like his successor, joined after a long spell at Orange. The operator has a long standing relationship with VO, and has partnered with the vendor in a number of countries including Spain, France and Poland.

The new CEO spent 12 years with the operator, most recently as its SVP strategic steering of innovation. Prior to that, he was the company’s VP of smart access for home and mobility, and previously led France Telecom’s IT and service platform security.

Mari-Noëlle Jégo-Laveissière, deputy CEO, technology and global Innovation at Orange and chair of the board of VO, said: “Over the course of his career, Philippe has shown that he is a leader, through and through, guiding Orange through major technological innovations, including the introduction of OTT services, implementation of IoT systems, and support for 5G.

“Philippe’s leadership, technology know-how, and comprehensive understanding of the industry, especially from the operator side, will drive VO to be a formidable force in the industry, well-equipped to handle the future evolutions of the market. I’d like to thank Paul for his vision and leadership over the years, which set VO on a path for success.”

The incoming Leonetti said: “VO has a strong history of innovation and solution offerings that solve the inherent security challenges involved with providing a smarter and safer digital TV and OTT experience. Stepping into this new role, I look forward to leading the company through current and future market transformations, with a focus on global business expansion.”