Astound announced the appointment of Ettienne Brandt as chief executive officer, effective immediately, as the fiber-led provider accelerates its national expansion and advances a planned combination with GFiber (formerly Google Fiber).
Brandt brings more than 25 years in telecommunications across wireless and wireline platforms and most recently served as a commercial EVP at Frontier Communications, where he helped steer a major transformation that culminated in Frontier’s $20 billion sale to Verizon.
Under Brandt’s leadership, Astound will continue expanding its fiber footprint and move forward with the GFiber merger, following an agreement announced on March 11 to combine the two companies and create the largest independent fiber-based broadband provider in the United States.
In a statement, Brandt said, “Astound has built an enviable combination of fiber infrastructure and a heritage of delivering superior service to residential and commercial customers across the U.S. I’m excited to lead the company as we execute the next chapter, expand our footprint, and keep a customer-first approach.”
Andrew Thomas, senior managing director at Stonepeak, and Richard Brode, managing director at Stonepeak, welcomed Brandt’s appointment, noting that his proven leadership and ability to energize and scale organizations will be critical as Astound positions itself for long-term growth at this pivotal moment.
Around Astound, the company operates internet, Wi‑Fi, mobile, TV, landline and fiber-optic services across multiple markets, emphasizing flexibility, value, and community as it serves both residential and business customers.
