Spark New Zealand has appointed Aliza Beckett, a corporate development expert, to the newly formed position of strategy director, as part of a strategy to boost the company’s growth focus and lead a push into digital services.

According to CEO Jolie Hodson, the role will help Spark transition from traditional telecoms to a broader range of digital services.

Hodson explained that the move is part of efforts to build a set of differentiated core capabilities and “grow the top line in both our established markets and those that we see playing a bigger role in our future,” including “capitalize on the significant investments we are making in emerging technologies like 5G, IoT, and AI.”

Beckett, who has more than 20 years of experience in strategy and corporate development, will join the company’s executive team in June. She formerly served as Liberty Global’s vice president of strategy and corporate development, as well as key positions at Amazon Studios, YouTube, and McKinsey and Company.