Burgess: transforming Telstra ‘a privilege’

Dr Phil Burgess today announced that he would leave his position as Telstra’s public policy chief at the end of August to return to the United States.

Dr Burgess will return to his home in Annapolis, Maryland, in early September to support his wife, Mary Sue, whose mother is seriously ill, and to be near his children as they commence their professional careers.

Dr Burgess has been Group Managing Director, Public Policy & Communications, since July 2005. He has been responsible for regulatory affairs, government relations, communications and the $5.5 million Telstra Foundation.

"The last three years have been enormously satisfying with the full privatisation of Telstra, construction of the world's largest wireless broadband network and the transformation of Telstra into the world's first next-generation, fully-integrated telco," Dr Burgess said.

"My time in Australia and with Telstra has been a privilege and one of the most memorable and satisfying experiences of my life, both personally and professionally. I came here expected to stay for three months. Three years later, Mary Sue and I leave having been privileged guests in this wonderful country.”

Dr Burgess said he was proud to have increased the capacity of Telstra to represent customer and shareholder interests, put high-speed broadband on the agenda three years ago, and transformed the way the company communicated both internally and externally.

"It was hard for some to give up the idea that Telstra is community property, and the cultural change required by privatisation was sometimes difficult both inside Telstra and in our relationship with the government," Dr Burgess said.

"Though we were criticised by some, our new approach has achieved results including safeguarding new investments like NextGTM and ADSL2+ from value-destroying regulation, winding back regulation on more tha
four million copper telephone lines and the reversal of a $1 billion taxpayer gift to SingTel-Optus," he said.

Telstra’s Chief Executive Officer, Sol Trujillo, thanked Dr Burgess for his enormous contribution to Telstra over the past three years.

"I have always valued Phil's advice and principled approach to public policy. Phil has great integrity and has not been afraid to show leadership, often speaking the truth even when it was inconvenient for established interests to hear it,” Mr Trujillo said.

"Phil has consistently spoken out with great passion and courage, articulating how a national high-speed broadband network would produce enormous benefits for communities and the national economy.

"Phil has made a very large positive difference to the culture and success of Telstra, and like all employees I am grateful to him for the leadership he showed.”

Mr Trujillo announced that the new Group Managing Director, Public Policy & Communications, would be David Quilty, who has been Telstra's Director of Government Relations since January 2006.

"Phil Burgess has prosecuted Telstra's interests passionately and with great effectiveness since his arrival three years ago, and I pay tribute to his extraordinary leadership and commitment," Mr Quilty said.

"Telstra will continue to strongly advocate the interests of its customers and shareholders, both publicly and in our dealings with all stakeholders.”

Media Contact:
Andrew Butcher – 0400 841 088