Ericsson Names Christophe Van de Weyer as Vonage CEO

Ericsson has announced that Christophe Van de Weyer will become the company's new Head of Business Area Global Communications Platform, as well as the new CEO of Vonage, a global cloud communications company that Ericsson purchased in 2022.

The appointment will also see Christophe join Ericsson’s executive team.

Examining the incoming chief executive

Christophe joined Vonage in 2025 to lead the business unit for Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

In this role, he has focused on using high-performance programmable networks to assist global enterprises with digital transformation.

He has also led efforts to drive profitable growth in Network APIs and Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS), which allows businesses to easily integrate communications capabilities into their own software.

Before his time at Vonage, Christophe held leadership roles including that of CEO at Telesign, a US-based subsidiary of the Proximus Group.

He also spent almost two decades at the global management consulting firm Bain & Company, working as a partner in the telecommunications and technology practice.

Historical leadership in North America

The current head of the business area and chief executive of Vonage, Niklas Heuveldop, has decided to step down from these roles on August 15 2026.

Niklas, who has been in his current position since February 1 2024, first joined the company in 1993 and has served on the executive team since 2016.

Niklas has held a wide range of senior positions during his long tenure at Ericsson, including Head of Market Area North America, Chief Strategy Officer, Head of Technology and Emerging Business and Chief Customer Officer.

While leading the North American business, he oversaw a major market share expansion that included a US$14bn network transformation contract with AT&T.

To ensure an orderly transition of leadership responsibilities to his successor, Niklas will remain available to support the business until December 31 2026.

Views from the executive team

“Christophe brings a deep understanding of the market for communication services and he has done a great job getting the Business Unit API at Vonage back to growth”, says Börje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson.

“I’m happy to welcome him to the Executive Team and to accelerate the turnaround efforts.

“This is another good example of a well-prepared and orderly succession for critical members of the leadership team.”

Christophe highlights the talent at both Ericsson and Vonage and how both companies are embracing the use of AI.

“I’m truly excited and deeply grateful for this opportunity”, says Christophe.

“Ericsson and Vonage are at the forefront of network-powered solutions combining AI, data, and API to transform enterprise workflows and deliver superior customer engagement.

“I’m looking forward to continuing our work and further accelerating our growth momentum alongside the exceptionally talented teams at Vonage and Ericsson.”

Building on momentum

Niklas reflects on his time at both Ericsson and Vonage and expresses his pride in being able to pass over his position to a worthy successor.

“It has been a life-changing experience to work at Ericsson for two periods, spanning over three decades, including six overseas assignments, experiencing periods of rapid growth, and multiple turnarounds across all business lines, globally”, says Niklas. 

“Ericsson is a fascinating global powerhouse leader and it has been a true privilege to work alongside the most amazing talent in one of the most complex and competitive industries in the world.

“Vonage’s turn-around continues to gain momentum, growth has been restored, investments [have] peaked and [the] strategy execution is solid.

“We have an exceptional team ready to continue building on our momentum, and in Christophe we have an incredibly talented and highly appreciated leader that I’m proud to hand over the reins to.

“[The] time has come for me to move on and pursue my next challenge.”

Börje highlights Niklas’s achievements, especially those in North America.

“Niklas has contributed immensely to Ericsson’s turnaround journey with his deep knowledge of our industry, outstanding customer focus, business acumen and visionary leadership”, says Börje.

“During his tenure, Vonage has been restructured and the business refocused, significantly strengthening its performance and restoring growth.

“Before that Niklas led our significant market share expansion in North America, including the US$14bn network transformation deal with AT&T.

“I’d like to extend my gratitude to Niklas for all his contributions to Ericsson and I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

The executive transition is expected to conclude when Niklas finishes his advisory role with Ericsson at the end of December 2026.