Mavenir Confirms Refocus Strategy on Mobile Core and AI Vision With Expanded Leadership Team to Accelerate AI-Native Network Strategy

RICHARDSON, Texas, Dec. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mavenir, the software company building AI-by-design mobile networks, today announced a strong leadership team to accelerate its vision for telco-first, cloud-native, AI-by-design networks. This transformation follows the company’s recent recapitalization and aligns with a refreshed product strategy focused on mobile core, AI-enabled automation, and cloud-native platforms.

New Operating Model Aligned to Strategic Priorities

Successful investment in AI will start with an AI-integrated approach, targeted deployments that solve specific problems with low risk, low disruption, and steady rewards. But it must go beyond using AI as a capability in isolation to augment existing processes. Crucially, it’s about building systems, from day one, to be part of a bigger AI vision of agentic, intent-driven operations, with intelligence everywhere.

Mavenir’s AI roadmap marks the transition from AI-integrated to AI-native networks, a shift that redefines how operators run and monetize their infrastructure. AI-integrated networks apply AI to specific functions, while AI-native networks embed intelligence into the core architecture, enabling full automation, real-time optimization, and industrial-scale monetization.

To streamline execution and advance its AI-integrated to AI-native network roadmap, Mavenir is realigning into two integrated business segments, both with a shared focus on AI automation:

• Packet core, messaging, security
• Voice, radio access technologies

Supported by platform & cloud technologies and business solutions.

This structure brings clearer accountability, sharper customer focus, and faster execution across product lines and R&D.

Strong Senior Leadership Team

As part of the new operating model, Mavenir is appointing several seasoned leaders to key roles effective immediately:

• Uli Dopfer,
  Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
  Brings over 20 years of financial leadership, most recently as CFO of ADTRAN Holdings. Uli will oversee corporate finance, financial operations, long-term strategic planning and Human Resources.
• Dejan Leskaroski,
  Executive Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
  Previously leading Mavenir’s strategic mobile core engagements and product lifecycle management. Dejan will define and drive Mavenir’s global revenue strategy and commercial growth.
• Michael Cooper,
  Executive Vice President & General Manager, Packet Core, Security & Messaging
  Building on Michael’s proven leadership in driving growth for the packet core business unit, his role now expands to encompass packet core, security, and messaging businesses, while also taking on additional responsibility for Mavenir’s Digital Enablement (MDE) R&D.
• Santhosh Kumar,
  Executive Vice President & General Manager, Platform & Cloud
  Following a tenure since 2008 marked by leadership in global IMS and messaging deployments and in platform engineering across the RAN and IMS portfolios. In this role, Santhosh will lead Platform Engineering, Center of Delivery (COD), and global product support with a mandate to advance platform consistency, accelerate cloud transformation, and scale operational efficiency across the company.
• Sachin Karkala,
  Executive Vice President & General Manager, IMS & RAN
  A Mavenir leader for over 18 years, Sachin has driven cloud‑native and AI transformations, advanced network solutions, and large‑scale Open RAN deployments while pioneering innovations in IMS/VoLTE and Wi‑Fi calling. He now assumes the role of EVP & General Manager, IMS & RAN, where he will lead voice and radio access technologies with a mandate to accelerate AI‑native evolution, strengthen R&D performance, and deliver next‑generation solutions for global operators.

• Sandeep Singh,
  Senior Vice President & General Manager, Business Solutions
  Sandeep will be responsible for product marketing across Mavenir’s entire product portfolio. In addition to this expanded role, Sandeep will retain his GM responsibilities for the Digital Enablement (MDE) Business Unit, continuing to drive innovation and growth in business support systems.

Mavenir’s senior leadership team remains strong and collaborative, with Pardeep Kohli (President & CEO), Bejoy Pankajakshan (EVP & Chief Technology & Strategy Officer), BG Kumar (President of Global Operations, Sales Operations & SCMP), Chuck Gilbert (EVP & Chief Legal Officer), Brandon Larson (SVP & GM, Cloud, AI & IMS Business Strategy), and Ilia Abramov (VP & GM, Security) continuing in their current roles. Their steadfast leadership and partnership will provide continuity and support as they work closely with the newly appointed executives to accelerate innovation, strengthen customer focus, and deliver Mavenir’s AI-native network vision.

Leadership Transitions

The company also announces that Terry Hungle, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Bahram Jalalizadeh, Executive Vice President and Head of Sales and Marketing; Ashok Khuntia, President of Core Networks; and Anup Mahajan, Senior Vice President of Engineering, will transition from their roles at the end of January 2026. The company extends heartfelt gratitude for their contributions, leadership, and dedication that have shaped Mavenir’s success. Terry will continue as Special Advisor to the Board, and Bahram will remain engaged as a consultant to support ongoing customer programs.

Accelerating Innovation and Customer Value

“Mavenir was the first to deliver cloud-native products and have over 300+ operators serving ~3.5B subscribers. As our customers embrace AI-native networks, we are evolving our operating model to respond with greater speed and clarity,” said Pardeep Kohli, President and CEO. “We are excited to welcome these exceptional leaders to Mavenir. With a strong team and sharper strategic focus, we are well-positioned to deliver innovation and exceptional value for our customers.”

“Mavenir’s commitment to delivering AI-by-design solutions goes hand-in-hand with strengthening relationships with our key customers in mobile core,” said Hubert de Pesquidoux, Executive Chairman and Executive Partner at Siris. “This expanded leadership team brings the expertise necessary to drive our profitable growth agenda and reinforce our position as an industry leader. We look forward to accelerating innovation and delivering sustainable value for all stakeholders.”

Looking Ahead

With a unified operating model, a renewed strategic roadmap, and expanded leadership capacity, Mavenir is positioning itself to lead the industry’s transition from AI-integrated to AI-native networks, delivering the automation, intelligence, and agility operators require in the next era of telecom evolution.

About Mavenir 

Mavenir is enabling intelligent, automated, programmable networks through the development of telco-first, cloud-native, AI-by-design software solutions for mobile operators. The company’s deep telco domain expertise has been proven through deployments with 300+ operators globally in over 120 countries, which together serve more than 50% of the world’s subscribers. Mavenir combines its deep telco experience with the cloud and IT expertise and data science skillsets essential to solving real customer challenges. Its proven software solutions are AI by design, delivering the AI-native future and operators’ evolution to TechCos.

For more information, please visit www.mavenir.com

Mavenir PR Contacts:

Emmanuela Spiteri
PR@mavenir.com