Verizon has appointed a familiar figure to steer the company into its next chapter.
On Monday, Dan Schulman officially stepped in as the new CEO of Verizon. He has been a member of Verizon’s Board of Directors since 2018 and served as Lead Independent Director beginning December 2024.
Schulman succeeds Hans Vestberg, who has held the CEO position since 2018, coinciding with Schulman’s board tenure. In a memo addressed to employees on his inaugural day, Schulman expressed gratitude to Vestberg for establishing “an unparalleled network and an innovative culture.”
Bringing with him an extensive background in telecommunications, Schulman has dedicated 25 years to the industry. His previous roles include CEO of Virgin Mobile and president positions at AT&T’s consumer division and Sprint Nextel’s prepaid group.
Schulman is perhaps best recognized for his impactful leadership at PayPal, where he served as CEO from 2015 to 2023. Under his guidance, the company’s revenue soared from $8 billion to an impressive $30 billion following its separation from eBay.
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In his message, Schulman noted that the “energy and potential” he observed at Verizon brought back memories of his tenure at PayPal. Throughout his career, he has also held key positions at Priceline.com and American Express.
As he started his new role, Schulman shared the following in his memo to employees:
It is a true privilege to be appointed as Verizon’s CEO, and I am thrilled to embark on this journey.
Having worked alongside Hans for seven years on the Board, I witnessed his remarkable accomplishments in building a top-tier network and fostering an innovative culture. He has made game-changing investments, from securing C-Band spectrum for our 5G leadership to the upcoming acquisition of Frontier Communications, vital to our broadband expansion strategy. On behalf of the Board and the entire company, I extend my gratitude for Hans’s exceptional leadership, passion, and transformative impact over the past eight years at Verizon.
In my most recent role, my almost decade-long stint as CEO of PayPal allowed us to evolve from a payment processor into a platform that granted access to financial services for millions globally. The lessons I cherish most are rooted not in technology or scale, but in culture, attentiveness to customer needs, and empowering teams for meaningful change. The vibrant energy I observe at Verizon reminds me of my days at PayPal.
Having started my career as an Assistant Account Executive at NJ Bell, returning to telecom feels like coming home for me.
We are at a pivotal moment—swift and bold actions are essential for us to excel in both mobility and broadband. My vision is to recapture leadership by expanding market share across all segments and ensuring we consistently delight our customers, while also achieving financial results that surpass current expectations. Our commitment to our shareholders is paramount.
Our greatest asset lies in our team. Every day, we must prioritize what truly matters to our customers, earning their trust, affection, and loyalty.
I look forward to collaborating with all of you to finish Q4 strongly and build momentum for 2026. Thank you for your support; I am excited to be part of this next phase of growth.
Go Verizon!
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### Hustle Verdict
Our take is that Dan Schulman’s appointment as CEO marks a strategic shift at Verizon, signaling a commitment to innovation and customer-centric practices. We believe his extensive experience in both telecommunications and financial services will help Verizon leverage its existing network and capabilities effectively, setting the stage for significant business growth. The bottom line is that this leadership change could catalyze a new era of competitive advantage for Verizon in an increasingly crowded market.
