Orange has appointed Usman Javaid as its new Chief AI Officer, effective September 1, 2026, as the operator accelerates the deployment of artificial intelligence across its global operations. Reporting directly to Bruno Zerbib, Javaid will lead the company’s AI strategy, focusing on embedding AI and agentic AI across network operations, customer service, enterprise offerings, and internal business processes.
The appointment supports Orange’s “Trust the Future” strategic plan, unveiled in February 2026, which positions AI as a central pillar of the company’s transformation strategy. Orange aims to generate more than €600 million in value from AI initiatives by 2028 through improvements in operational efficiency, customer experience, service quality, and new revenue opportunities. The company emphasized that its AI strategy continues to focus on trusted, responsible, and differentiated AI deployments.
Javaid succeeds Steve Jarrett, who established Orange’s AI organization and technology foundations. Since joining Orange Business as Chief Product and Marketing Officer in April 2023, Javaid has overseen product strategy, portfolio development, marketing, and data and AI transformation. Prior to Orange Business, he held senior leadership roles at Amazon Web Services, managing Cloud Services across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and previously spent more than a decade at Vodafone leading initiatives spanning 4G deployment, IoT, cloud services, network strategy, and enterprise technologies. He began his career at France Télécom (now Orange) in research and innovation, holds a PhD from the University of Bordeaux in mobile technologies and IoT, and is the author of multiple patents.
• Appointment effective September 1, 2026.
• Reports to Orange CTO & Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Bruno Zerbib.
• Responsible for accelerating AI and agentic AI deployment across the Group.
• AI initiatives will span network operations, customer engagement, enterprise services, and internal operations.
• Orange targets more than €600 million in AI-generated value by 2028.
• Previously served as Chief Product and Marketing Officer at Orange Business.
• Earlier leadership experience includes Amazon Web Services and Vodafone.
• Holds a Master’s degree in Networks and Telecommunications and a PhD focused on mobile technologies and IoT.
• Named inventor on multiple technology patents.
“With its Trust the Future strategy, Orange has made artificial intelligence a major driver of value creation, serving quality of service, operational excellence, customer experience and the development of new growth opportunities.”
🌐 Analysis
Orange’s decision to appoint a dedicated Chief AI Officer reflects a broader trend among global telecommunications operators to elevate AI leadership to the executive level as generative AI and agentic AI move from experimentation into production. Rather than treating AI as an isolated research function, major operators increasingly view AI as a horizontal capability spanning autonomous network operations, customer support, enterprise services, and workforce productivity.
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