T-Mobile US CEO Mike Sievert Expected to Step Down Early, COO Srini Gopalan Poised to Succeed

Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile US — the fast-growing and profitable U.S. arm of Germany’s Deutsche Telekom — is reportedly set to leave his post before the end of his current contract, according to German newspaper Handelsblatt on Monday.

Sievert, who has led the company since 2020 and was originally expected to remain CEO until 2028, is said to want to take a break. Handelsblatt identified Chief Operating Officer Srini Gopalan, formerly head of Deutsche Telekom’s Germany business, as the leading candidate to succeed him.

The CEO transition is expected to take place sometime this year or next. A T-Mobile US spokesperson declined to comment on the reports, noting Sievert’s passion for his job and highlighting the excitement over Gopalan’s recent appointment as COO to leverage his experience in the U.S. market.

Deutsche Telekom had not yet responded to requests for comment.

Despite earlier challenges, T-Mobile US has become a key revenue and profit engine for Deutsche Telekom, prompting the parent company to raise earnings targets multiple times. However, early 2025 saw slower-than-expected customer growth amid intensified price competition. The subsidiary still targets adding between 5.5 and 6 million new customers by the end of 2025.

Sievert originally joined T-Mobile in 2012 as head of marketing before ascending to CEO.