Mike Sievert
{{short description|American business executive}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Mike Sievert
|image =Mike Sievert.jpg
|caption = Sievert in 2021
|alt = Mike Sievert, president and CEO of T-Mobile US
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|05|10}}{{Cite web |title=Family tree of Mike SIEVERT |url=https://en.geneastar.org/genealogy/sievertgary/mike-sievert |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Geneanet |language=en}}{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/mikesievert/status/730106719641047041 |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Twitter |language=en|title=Mike Sievert on Twitter: "Today's my birthday. I'm celebrating by sitting in a 6-hour @TMobile senior leadership meeting! #tuesdaysamiright ?!"}}{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/mikesievert/status/1125966308229537792 |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Twitter |language=en| title=Mike Sievert on Twitter: "After 50 years, it's official: I've made it! That's what getting your own bobblehead...}}
|website = {{Twitter|MikeSievert|Mike Sievert}}
|birth_place = Canton, Ohio, U.S.
|boards = Starbucks{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Joey |title=Starbucks appoints T-Mobile and YouTube CEOs to its board |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2024/01/10/starbucks-board-additions.html |access-date=13 January 2024 |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |date=10 January 2024}}
|education = University of Pennsylvania (BA)
|employer = T-Mobile US
|title = Chief executive officer (CEO)
|term = April 1, 2020 – present
}}
Michael Sievert is an American business executive, currently the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of T-Mobile US, and a member of the company's board of directors.{{cite news |last1=FitzGerald |first1=Drew |title=T-Mobile CEO John Legere to Step Down Next Year |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/t-mobile-executive-mike-sievert-to-take-top-job-in-may-11574086352 |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=18 November 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Pritchard |first1=Edd |title=T-Mobile's next CEO, Mike Sievert, is a Canton native |url=https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20191129/t-mobilersquos-next-ceo-mike-sievert-is-canton-native |accessdate=9 December 2019 |work=CantonRep |publisher=Gannett |date=29 November 2019}} In November 2019, T-Mobile announced that Sievert would be promoted from chief operating officer (COO) to CEO in May 2020 when John Legere stepped down. Sievert took control a month earlier than planned, on April 1, 2020, the same day T-Mobile closed its merger with Sprint.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Edmund |title=T-Mobile Closes Merger With Sprint, and a Wireless Giant Is Born |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/business/media/tmobile-closes-sprint-merger.html |accessdate=25 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=1 April 2020}}
Early life and education
Sievert was born in Canton, Ohio. At age 10, he became a paper carrier for The Repository, using his earnings to buy a Radio Shack TRS-80 and, later, a Commodore 64. He graduated from GlenOak High School in 1987 and received a bachelor's degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1991.{{cite news |last1=Menear |first1=Harry |title=The top 10 telecom CEOs worldwide - Mike Sievert |url=https://www.mobile-magazine.com/top10/top-10-telecom-ceos-worldwide/mike-sievert-t-mobile |access-date=3 March 2021 |work=Mobile Magazine |date=3 March 2021 |language=en |archive-date=5 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905185803/https://mobile-magazine.com/top10/top-10-telecom-ceos-worldwide/mike-sievert-t-mobile |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Allen |title=20 Things You Didn't Know About Mike Sievert |url=https://moneyinc.com/mike-sievert/ |work=Money Inc |date=27 November 2019}}
Career
Sievert started his career at Procter & Gamble, where he oversaw brands such as Pepto-Bismol and Crest.{{cite news |last1=Pressman |first1=Aaron |title=T-Mobile's new CEO answers the call |url=https://fortune.com/2021/02/05/t-mobile-ceo-mike-sievert-john-legere-replacement/ |access-date=3 March 2021 |work=Fortune |date=5 February 2021 |language=en}} He subsequently worked at IBM and Clearwire.{{cite news |last1=Frank |first1=Blair Hanley |title=T-Mobile names Mike Sievert Chief Operating Officer |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2015/t-mobile-names-mike-sievert-chief-operating-officer/ |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=GeekWire |date=18 February 2015}} He was also executive vice president (EVP) and chief global marketing and sales officer at E-Trade{{cite news |last1=Brooks |first1=Khristopher J. |title=John Legere, colorful CEO of T-Mobile, to step down next year |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-legere-tmobile-ceo-stepping-down-and-making-way-for-mike-sievert/ |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=CBS News |date=18 November 2019}} and CEO of tablet gaming company Discovery Bay Games.{{cite news |last1=McDermott |first1=John |title=T-Mobile Names Tech-Marketing Veteran as CMO |url=https://adage.com/article/digital/t-mobile-names-tech-marketing-veteran-cmo/238398 |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=AdAge |date=20 November 2012 |url-access=registration}} From 2002 to 2005, Sievert was EVP and CMO of AT&T Wireless. He joined Microsoft's Global Windows Group as corporate vice president of product management in 2005, leading preparations for the release of Longhorn (later called Windows Vista).{{cite news |last1=Orlowski |first1=Andrew |title=New Microsoft Longhorn chief is indigestion expert |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/18/microsoft_longhorn_indigestion/ |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=The Register |date=18 March 2005}}{{cite news |last1=Rohde |first1=Laura |title=Microsoft hires AT&T executive to manage Windows |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2318884/microsoft-hires-at-t-executive-to-manage-windows.html |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=Network World |date=1 March 2005}} In 2008 he co-founded Switchbox Labs,{{cite news |last1=DeGrasse |first1=Martha |title=T-Mobile promotes Mike Sievert to president |url=https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/t-mobile-promotes-mike-sievert-to-president |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=FierceWireless |date=15 June 2018}} a startup acquired by Lenovo in 2009.{{cite news |last1=Shah |first1=Agam |title=Lenovo buys mystery start-up company |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2530611/lenovo-buys-mystery-start-up-company.html |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=Computerworld |date=28 January 2009}} In 2012, John Legere, T-Mobile's then-new CEO, hired Sievert as CMO.{{cite news |last1=Manskar |first1=Noah |title=T-Mobile CEO John Legere is stepping down |url=https://nypost.com/2019/11/18/t-mobile-ceo-john-legere-is-stepping-down/ |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=New York Post |date=18 November 2019}}
Sievert became COO of T-Mobile in 2015,{{cite news |last1=Fried |first1=Ina |title=T-Mobile Promotes Mike Sievert to COO, Andrew Sherrard to Marketing Chief |url=https://www.vox.com/2015/2/18/11559202/t-mobile-promotes-mike-sievert-to-coo-andrew-sherrard-to-marketing |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=Vox |date=18 February 2015}} then became the company's president in 2018.{{cite news |last1=Levy |first1=Nat |title=T-Mobile promotes Mike Sievert to president as Sprint acquisition process continues |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2018/t-mobile-promotes-mike-sievert-president-sprint-acquisition-process-continues/ |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=GeekWire |date=14 June 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Kastrenakes |first1=Jacob |title=John Legere will step down as T-Mobile CEO next year |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/18/20970391/tmobile-john-legere-leaving-as-ceo-2020-mike-sievert |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=The Verge |date=18 November 2019}} During this time, Sievert oversaw the "Un-carrier" marketing campaign, which sought to rebrand T-Mobile's public image{{cite news |last1=Bergen |first1=Mark |title=Pretty in Pink: How the CMO and the Un-CEO Roused T-Mobile |url=https://adage.com/article/digital/cmo-ceo-roused-t-mobile/294513 |accessdate=26 November 2019 |work=AdAge |date=11 August 2014 |url-access=subscription}} with a focus on no overage charges, no contracts, unlimited data, and other offerings.{{cite news |last1=Moritz |first1=Scott |title=T-Mobile Taps Sievert to Succeed Turnaround CEO John Legere |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-18/t-mobile-names-mike-sievert-to-succeed-john-legere-as-ceo |accessdate=26 August 2020 |work=Bloomberg |date=18 November 2019 |quote=In his seven years at T-Mobile, the 49-year-old executive ran the “uncarrier” campaign, which featured no contracts, unlimited data plans and free taco Tuesdays.}} In April 2020, Sievert succeeded Legere as CEO of T-Mobile. Under Sievert's leadership, T-Mobile surpassed 100 million total customers,{{cite news |last1=Bishop |first1=Todd |title=T-Mobile tops 100M customers, posts $1.3B in quarterly profit six months after Sprint merger |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2020/t-mobile-tops-100m-customers-posts-1-3b-quarterly-profit-six-months-sprint-merger/ |access-date=3 March 2021 |work=GeekWire |date=5 November 2020}} and created the first nationwide standalone 5G network in the U.S.{{cite news |last1=Horwitz |first1=Jeremy |title=T-Mobile launches world's first nationwide standalone 5G network |url=https://venturebeat.com/2020/08/04/t-mobile-launches-worlds-first-nationwide-standalone-5g-network/ |access-date=3 March 2021 |work=VentureBeat |date=4 August 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Jasinski |first1=Nicholas |title=T-Mobile Is 'Way Out in Front for the 5G Era,' Says Its CEO. Wall Street Agrees. |url=https://www.barrons.com/articles/t-mobile-is-way-out-in-front-for-the-5g-era-says-its-ceo-wall-street-agrees-51600358672 |access-date=3 March 2021 |work=Barron's |date=17 September 2020}} Sievert has declared his strategy of focusing on dominating in 5G, saying “We’re making the rules for the 5G era because we’re way ahead — and I mean miles ahead."{{Cite web|last=Clifford|first=Tyler|date=2021-06-07|title=T-Mobile CEO says company is poised to dominate 5G for the next decade|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/07/t-mobile-ceo-says-company-is-poised-to-dominate-5g-for-the-next-decade.html|access-date=2021-06-08|website=CNBC|language=en}}
In October 2017, he joined the board of Canadian company Shaw Communications.{{cite news |last1=Aycock |first1=Jason |title=Shaw adds to wireless focus, adding T-Mobile's Sievert to board |url=https://seekingalpha.com/news/3305013-shaw-adds-to-wireless-focus-adding-t-mobiles-sievert-to-board |accessdate=8 December 2019 |work=Seeking Alpha |date=26 October 2017}}
In 2023, Sievert and Mint Mobile owner Ryan Reynolds announced T-Mobile's plans to acquire both Ultra Mobile and Mint Mobile.{{cite news |title=Ryan Reynolds explains sale of Mint Mobile to T-Mobile |url=https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/03/15/ryan-reynolds-explains-sale-of-mint-mobile-to-t-mobile.html |access-date=26 April 2023 |work=CNBC |date=15 March 2023 |language=en}}
In 2023, Sievert's total compensation at T-Mobile was $37.5 million, up 29% from the previous year and representing a CEO-to-median worker pay ratio of 521-to-1.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-07 |title=Equilar 100: CEO Pay at the Largest Companies by Revenue |url=https://www.equilar.com/reports/111-table-equilar-new-york-times-top-100-highest-paid-ceos-2024.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815195403/https://www.equilar.com/reports/111-table-equilar-new-york-times-top-100-highest-paid-ceos-2024.html |archive-date=2024-08-15 |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=Equilar |language=en}}
In January 2024, Starbucks added Sievert to its board of directors. He also delivered the commencement speech at the Wharton School Master of Business Administration graduation ceremony in May 2024.{{cite news |last1=Burleigh |first1=Emma |title=T-Mobile's CEO shares the mindset shift that vaulted his company from a $6B to $195B giant |url=https://fortune.com/2024/06/21/t-mobile-ceo-shares-leadership-advice-to-wharton-business-school-graduates/ |access-date=25 June 2024 |work=Fortune |date=21 June 2024 |language=en}}
Political issues
In June 2020, Sievert decided to pull all T-Mobile advertisements from Tucker Carlson Tonight because of rhetoric that criticized the Black Lives Matter movement. When announcing the move, Sievert tweeted, "Bye-bye, Tucker Carlson!"{{cite tweet |last=Sievert |first=Mike |user=MikeSievert |number=1270551871183155200 |date=9 June 2020 |title=Same. We aren't running ads on that show and we won't be running ads on that show in the future. Bye-bye, Tucker Carlson! |link=https://twitter.com/MikeSievert/status/1270551871183155200 |access-date=12 June 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Gibson |first1=Kate |title="Bye-bye Tucker Carlson!" T-Mobile CEO says as advertisers drop Fox News show |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tucker-carlson-advertisers-leave-fox-news-show/ |accessdate=12 June 2020 |work=CBS News |date=12 June 2020}} Sievert also published an open letter about T-Mobile's diversity, equity and inclusion programs.{{cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=Alex |title=T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert commits to 'significant changes' to increase diversity |url=https://www.tmonews.com/2020/06/t-mobile-ceo-mike-sievert-commits-significant-changes-increase-diversity/ |accessdate=25 August 2020 |work=TmoNews |date=10 June 2020}}
Personal life
Sievert is married{{cite news |last1=Moritz |first1=Scott |title=No More 'Dumb and Dumber': T-Mobile Is Done Taunting Its Rivals |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-29/no-more-dumb-and-dumber-t-mobile-is-done-taunting-its-rivals |access-date=26 April 2023 |work=Bloomberg |date=29 July 2021 |language=en}} and has two adult sons. He lives in Kirkland, Washington.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Twitter|MikeSievert}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sievert, Michael}}
Category:American business executives
Category:Directors of Starbucks
Category:People from Canton, Ohio
Category:American technology chief executives