Infrastructure company Cellnex appointed former GSMA director general Anne Bouverot (pictured) as its non-executive chair, as the company continues a search for its next CEO ahead of the departure of Tobias Martinez in June.

Bouverot has been an independent director at Cellnex since May 2018 and replaces Bertrand Kan, who steps down after a two-year stint at the helm of the board.

Kan remains a director at the company.

Bouverot spent four years as director general of the GSMA until mid-2015, when she departed for a role with identity and biometrics specialist Morpho. Prior to her stint with the trade association, she held various positions at Orange, including EVP mobile and devices.

The executive currently holds a number of advisory and board positions outside of Cellnex.

Citing a strategy revamp announced by Cellnex’ outgoing CEO in November 2022, Bouverot said: “The company is at the beginning of a new chapter, focussed on organic growth and strengthening of its balance sheet.”

She added the board was fully supportive of the new strategy and identified replacing Martinez as a key priority for the business moving forward.

Having made a number of tower acquisitions in recent years, Cellnex expects to manage a portfolio of 135,000 sites by 2030, including active locations and those yet to be deployed.

Current markets comprise: Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, France, Switzerland, the UK, Republic of Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Poland.