Wireless

Verizon Consumer Group CEO to Step Down

Sowmyanarayan Sampath had been considered a likely future CEO.

Jake Neenan

Feb 5, 2026 — 2 min read

Photo of Verizon Consumer Group CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath from the company. Sampath is stepping down at the end of the quarter.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2026 – Sowmyanarayan Sampath, CEO of Verizon’s consumer group, is stepping down at the end of the first quarter of 2026, the company announced Thursday.

The announcement comes days after the Financial Times reported Verizon was looking for potential replacements for Sampath, who was previously seen as a likely future CEO, as new Verizon CEO Dan Schulman seeks to shake up the wireless carrier.

Alfonso Villanueva, Verizon’s executive vice president and chief transformation officer, will take over for Sampath on an interim basis, the company said.

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