Telstra unveils strategic update

Telstra Corporation (TLS) has announces changes to its organisational structure as it pushes forward with a strategic push into Asia.

In a presentation to investors today, Telstra said it had refined a long-term strategy that aligned senior leaders to growth opportunities in Australia and overseas.

Chief executive officer David Thodey said the telco's previous four pillars had evolved into a simpler three pillar approach: improve customer advocacy; drive value from the core; and build new growth businesses.

"Our strategy is simpler and more impactful. It makes our ambitions clearer and shows where shareholders can expect us to continue building value," Mr Thodey said.

"We must serve our global customers at international scale, leveraging our expertise into Asia and other regions, while seeking to deliver outstanding customer service every day in every home, street and business around Australia."

A number of staffing appointments were announced as part of the strategic shift including the appointment of Brendon Riley as group executive of a new $5 billion revenue business unit operating as a global scale, industry-based services and solutions business. 

Kate McKenzie has been appointed chief operations officer, in an expanded role that will have her overseeing the chief technology office and innovation portfolios to better integrate technology development and implementation. 

Meanwhile, Gordon Ballantyne has been group executive in a role that will bring together key retail-facing segments including Telstra consumer and Telstra business, products, national broadband network product, sales and marketing, Telstra Country Wide and the chief marketing office.

Mr Thodey flagged the Asian push at the telco's annual general meeting last week, saying the rise of Asia’s middle class will create an enormous appetite for quality goods and services in the region.