Thomas Kohler appointed as new CEO of Viaccess-Orca

Viaccess-Orca has announced that Thomas Kohler has been appointed as CEO of the company, replacing Philippe Léonetti, who is retiring.

Kohler is an established expert in business development, innovation, and company transformations, with over 20 years of international experience in senior management roles at Orange, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators.

“Over the course of his career, Thomas has demonstrated that he is a natural leader, guiding Orange through several business challenges,” said Koen Vermeulen, Chairman of the Board of Viaccess-Orca and Senior Vice President of Orange Innovation IT and Services. “Thomas’ leadership, technology know-how, and comprehensive understanding of the B2B industry will ensure VO is well-equipped to handle the future evolutions of the market. I’d like to warmly thank Philippe for his vision and management over the past four years.”

Kohler was previously chief operating officer at TOTEM, the Orange TowerCo subsidiary, where he led the company’s business development and operational efficiency. Before that, he was with BuyIn, the procurement joint venture of Orange and Deutsche Telekom, where he was responsible for devices and service platform procurement (including TV services, routers, and STBs), digitalization, and business development. Prior to BuyIn, Thomas managed a series of transformational projects for the Orange Group in London and Paris. He started his career at Orange as chief commercial officer at Orange Switzerland after being a management consultant in Germany.

“VO has a strong history in technology and service offerings for video content providers. The company’s solutions are meant to address the inherent challenges involved with providing the best TV and OTT experience in a very dynamic and competitive area,” said Kohler. “I look forward to leading the company forward and driving growth in collaboration with a strong team of experts.”