William E. Kennard to replace Randall Stephenson as AT&T chairman

Nov. 9, 2020

Kennard is a former chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) who has served on AT&T’s board since 2014.

Stephen Hardy

William E. Kennard will replace the retiring Randall Stephenson as chairman of the board of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) effective January 2021. Kennard is a former chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) who has served on AT&T’s board since 2014.

Kennard currently serves on the board’s corporate governance and nominating committee and the public policy and corporate reputation committee. He joined AT&T’s board after serving as U.S. Ambassador to the European Union from 2009 to 2013. His work at the FCC began in 1993 when he was named general counsel, a position he held until he was appointed chairman in 1997. Kennard also has worked at asset management firm The Carlyle Group as well as at the law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand (now DLA Piper), where he was a partner and member of the board of directors. He also serves on the boards of Duke Energy Corp., Ford Motor Co., and MetLife, Inc. He is also co-founder of private-equity firm Astra Capital Management.

“Bill’s deep knowledge of communications, media and technology, proven leadership and broad experience across capital markets and government uniquely positions him to serve as AT&T’s new chairman,” commented Stephenson (see "Randall Stephenson to give up AT&T CEO role in July"). “He is an outstanding choice to lead our board of talented directors who possess diverse expertise and experience.”

“It’s an honor to be selected to serve as chairman of AT&T’s board of directors,” Kennard said. “On behalf of the board, I want to thank Randall for his outstanding leadership and countless contributions as chairman. We wish him all the best. I look forward to working with our CEO and fellow board member John Stankey and the entire board to continue creating long-term value for all stakeholders – investors, customers, employees and the communities we serve.”

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.