FORNEBU, Norway, May 12, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Christian Albech (55) has temporarily been appointed CEO of Canal Digital AS, the biggest television distribution company in the Nordic countries. Mr. Albech is deputy managing director of Telenor Broadcast and he has broad experience of Telenor's (Nasdaq:TELN) television operations. Christian Albech is taking over from Terje Tandberg (47) who has been Canal Digital's CEO since early 2002. Mr. Tandberg is leaving his employment at his own request, for personal and health reasons.
"I respect Terje Tandberg's decision. He has done an extremely good job for Canal Digital. The company has become market leader in television-distribution in the Nordic countries. It is now essential to continue developing his good work," said Stig Eide Sivertsen, CEO of Telenor Broadcast and chairman of the board of Canal Digital AS.
Canal Digital distributes TV-signals to more than three million households in the Nordic countries and is the biggest television distribution company in those countries. When Canal Digital last summer became a wholly owned subsidiary of Telenor, it was only natural to gather Telenor's television operations in the Nordic countries under the brand name of Canal Digital. All television distribution, both by cable, satellite and SMATV, has been gathered in one common organisation.
Christian Albech has temporarily been appointed CEO of the holding company Canal Digital. The holding company owns both Zonavi, which is the major player in the development of interactive television in the Nordic countries, and the national companies Canal Digital Norge, Canal Digital Sverige, Canal Digital Danmark and Canal Digital Finland. This means that the television distribution in the individual countries has now been gathered in one organisation under the same management. Canal Digital is an important part of the business area Telenor Broadcast.
Christian Albech has been with Telenor for many years. He started out as CEO of the cable television company Telenor Avidi in 1991. Telenor Avidi is today part of Canal Digital's operations. Mr. Albech held the position of CEO of CTV, Canal Digital's predecessor, from 1994. In 1998, he became deputy managing director of Telenor Plus, in charge of Broadcast.
For further information, please contact:
Stig Eide Sivertsen, CEO, Telenor Broadcast, tel. 90955767