Telstra chair John Mullen to depart

Telstra has announced board chairman John Mullen will retire in October this year, with current board director Craig Dunn named as his successor.

Mullen will finish his 15-year board stint - including seven as chairman - after the telco’s annual general meeting (AGM) to be held on 17 October 2023.

“We have a strong leadership team in place, the company has undergone a successful transformation through T22 and is now growing again, and our strategy is set out to 2025,” Mullen said.

“I have worked closely with Craig Dunn since he joined the board seven years ago and I am confident he is the right person to lead the board. The board unanimously supported his appointment.”

Mullen added that with Dunn as chairman and the recently updated executive team in place, Telstra would continue to play a vital and strategic role in building Australia’s digital future.

“It has been an absolute privilege to be a part of the Telstra team and all we have delivered in my time with the company,” he said.

Successor Dunn lauded Mullen: “John’s time on the board saw Telstra successfully navigate through significant upheaval, including the two negotiations with NBN Co and the government and the subsequent rollout of the NBN and its impact on Telstra’s business.”

“The period also saw Telstra announce and execute on its transformative T22 Strategy, continue its investment to build and maintain its world class mobile network, rolling out 4G and 5G and expanding its coverage to be around one million square kilometres greater than its competition,” Dunn said.

Dunn added Telstra is leaner and more agile and strongly positioned to grow, supported by its workforce, network and infrastructure assets that would help underpin Australia’s digital economy for decades to come.

Dunn joined Telstra’s board in April 2016 and was reelected as a director in last year’s AGM.

He currently chairs Telstra’s Audit & Risk Committee and is also a member of the Nomination Committee.

Dunn is known for his stint as CEO and managing director of financial services firm AMP from 2008 to 2013 to conclude a 13-year stint with the company.

He also worked at Colonial Mutual Group from 1991 to 2000.

Dunn also holds board seats at MLC Life Insurance, Lion Pty Ltd and Lion Global Craft Beverages.

He was also a non-executive director at Westpac from 2015 to 2021.