Deutsche Telekom appointed former Proximus CEO Dominique Leroy (pictured) as its new board member for Europe, a year after the executive’s move to KPN was scuppered by an investigation into alleged insider trading.

In a statement, Deutsche Telekom said Leroy would take responsibility for its Europe segment at the start of November, replacing Srini Gopalan who is changing remit to cover its home market of Germany.

CEO Timotheus Hottges said in addition to bringing 30 years experience in consumer goods and telecoms, Leroy will provide the operator “with very good support in our political and regulatory work”.

Leroy spent five years at the helm of Proximus, having also worked in a number of other roles at the Belgian incumbent. Previously she worked at consumer goods giant Unilever.

She had been set to take over at the helm of KPN in December 2019, having already announced her departure from Proximus.

However, following a well-publicised insider trading investigation by Belgium’s stock market, authority KPN cancelled the move citing “uncertainty”.

The case against Leroy was eventually dropped in July, after she agreed to pay a €107,841 settlement with the Financial Services and Markets Authority.