Tarek Robbiati, CEO of CSL – Hong Kong’s first and largest mobile network operator – has taken a top job at the operator’s parent company, Telstra. From today Robbiati (pictured) has been appointed Group Managing Director of Telstra International, a new business unit unveiled yesterday by the group’s CEO, David Thodey, as part of a major restructuring. The unit encompasses the international assets of Telstra outside Australia and New Zealand and is based in Hong Kong. Robbiati’s new responsibilities will include CSL, Reach, Telstra’s businesses in China, and all international sales and business development. Robbiati will remain as CEO of CSL until the end of June next year when a successor will be appointed. “I will continue to be heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of CSL and from next year the new CEO will report to me as the Group Managing Director of Telstra International so my involvement with CSL will continue into the foreseeable future,” he noted in a statement.

Under Robbiati CSL has strengthened its dominance of the crowded Hong Kong mobile operator market. Earlier this year it launched the world’s first all-IP HSPA+ network and is preparing for a “2010-11” move to LTE. Last week it announced the opening of a technology centre in Kowloon Bay that it claims will enable the launch of Asia’s first commercial LTE trials. Last month Mobile Business Briefing’s editor, Justin Springham, interviewed Robbiati for the GSMA’s Mobile World Live portal. View the full interview here.