Russell to head Vocus

VOCUS shares have been given a boost by the appointment of former Optus boss Kevin Russell as managing director and chief executive.

Mr Russell, who has also been Telstra’s retail group executive and led UK provider Hutchison Three through a successful turnaround, will take charge next week.

His appointment comes three months after Geoff Horth quit the broadband provider in the wake of an earnings warning. Shares in Vocus, which owns the iPrimus and Dodo brands, lost about 75 per cent of their value over two years, but rallied up 10●, or 4.2 per cent, to close at $2.46 after news of Mr Russell’s appointment.