Four Sprint execs out in reorganization

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas (Reuters) - Four Sprint Nextel (S.N) executives are leaving in a corporate reshuffle at the No. 3 U.S. mobile provider involving the merger of sales and marketing for its business and consumer services operations, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said.

Hesse said, in a memo obtained by Reuters, that Paget Alves, head of its business operation will now also take responsibility for consumer sales, as chief sales officer. Bill Malloy will take on marketing for both business and consumer services.

Sprint said there would be more organizational changes in coming weeks but spokesman Scott Sloat said that the reshuffle was not part of a major round of layoffs.

Hesse said the move was an effort to simplify the company to reflect that companies are becoming more flexible about the kind of phones employees can use for work. Many consumers now use their personal phones for work and avail of employer-related contractual discounts for these phones.

"As the wireless market has evolved, the lines between consumers and businesses have blurred," Hesse told employees in the memo sent Friday morning.

As a result of the restructuring, Bob H. Johnson, head of customer services and John Carney, head of consumer marketing, will leave the company.

Danny Bowman, the president of integrated solutions, which includes machine-to-machine services, is also leaving. Matt Carter, the head of Sprint's wholesale business, will also take over the machine-to-machine business.

Chris Rogers, a senior executive who worked in corporate development and spectrum, is also leaving the company, according to the memo.

Sprint is making the changes as it embarks on a costly network upgrade project and as it faces hefty costs in coming years for its agreement to sell the Apple Inc (AAPL.O) iPhone.

The company, which has struggled in recent years to stem subscriber losses, recently raised $4 billion in debt markets and is looking to raise up to $3 billion more in vendor financing agreements.

Sprint shares closed down 2 percent at $2.19 on New York Stock Exchange on Friday.

(Additional reporting by Sinead Carew; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Bernard Orr)