In a major leadership overhaul, Optus revealed the scheduled exits of two top managers—Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Michael Venter and Chief Information Officer (CIO) Mark Potter—in March 2026. The developments follow a mass emergency services blackout which interrupted Triple Zero (000) calls in multiple Australian states, prompting public outcry and political backlash.
The Triple-Zero Outage: A Crisis in Communication
On 18 September 2025, Optus had a network outage after a firewall update accidentally blocked Triple Zero calls in South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and New South Wales. An estimated 600 emergency calls were blocked, and at least four deaths were attributed to the failure. The company came under intense scrutiny for its slow response, such as not swiftly informing emergency services and government agencies. The episode led to a Senate investigation and mass public outcry.
Executive Exits: Holding People to Account and Handover
Optus CEO Stephen Rue labelled the executive reshuffle as a consequence of “open and long-term discussions,” highlighting the firm’s desire to ensure a smooth leadership handover amid this time of significant change.
Michael Venter has been CFO and board director since 2021 and had a brief stint as interim CEO after Kelly Bayer Rosmarin resigned in December 2023. Venter will retire in April 2026 and has already become a director on fintech firm Airwallex’s board. His replacement, Andy Giles Knopp, now a CFO at Aussie Broadband, is likely to bring excellent experience in shaping high-performing teams during times of accelerated change.
Mark Potter has spent four years at Optus, managing the firm’s digital transformation programs. He will leave in March 2026, to be replaced by John McInerney, ex-CIO at OneNZ and NBN Co. McInerney has a reputation for being able to handle large-scale IT upgrades as well as business resilience.
Broader Implications and Industry Reactions
The executive shake-ups at Optus are part of a wider attempt to regain public confidence and prove accountability. The firm has been under intense examination from regulators, lawmakers, and the public regarding its performance during the outage. Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells called the failure “incredibly serious and completely unacceptable,” while Western Australia Premier Roger Cook said the government would “stop at nothing” to make Optus accountable ([Wikipedia][1]).
Optus’ parent company, Singtel, has expressed support for CEO Stephen Rue and emphasized its continued financial commitment to Optus, having invested over $9.3 billion in the company over the past five years.
Looking Ahead
While Optus sets its sights on the next Senate inquiry, Optus is in leadership continuity and operational improvement mode. The intended executive changes are designed to get Optus set for a stronger future, with new leaders introducing new ideas and experience to help navigate the challenges that lie ahead.
The Triple Zero blackout highlights the vital necessity of having strong emergency communications and the necessity for telecommunications companies to uphold the highest level of reliability and responsiveness.
