Zayo (“the Company”), the leading digital infrastructure network provider, today announced a planned CEO transition, appointing former Verizon executive Sowmyanarayan Sampath as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective September 1, 2026. Sampath will succeed Steve Smith, who will retire as CEO following a transformative tenure that established Zayo as the foundational backbone of the AI economy. Smith will continue to serve as a member of Zayo’s Board of Directors.
Under Steve’s leadership, Zayo has evolved from an acquisition-built network operator into the largest independent digital infrastructure network provider and a powerhouse of connectivity serving AI companies and enterprises across the U.S. Sampath’s appointment provides long-term leadership and bolsters Zayo’s market-leading position.
Sampath brings more than two decades of large-scale digital infrastructure experience, most recently serving as CEO of Verizon Consumer, after previously leading Verizon Business and BCG’s global telecom practice for carriers across the world. His extensive background in leading multi-billion-dollar enterprise and wholesale businesses through transformation and rapid technology shifts positions him to accelerate Zayo’s commercial execution, scale for the demands of AI-driven growth, and meet rising demand for high-capacity connectivity.
“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Steve for his leadership and the important role he has played in strengthening Zayo’s market position,” said Kevin Turner, Chairman of Zayo’s Board of Directors. “Steve has sharpened Zayo’s strategy and positioned the Company for its next phase of growth. This planned transition reflects the strength of our business, the depth of our leadership team, and the Board’s confidence in the path ahead. Sampath’s track record of scaling complex networks and driving enterprise revenue makes him the right leader to maximize the potential from Zayo’s market-leading assets.”
“I have tremendous respect for what Steve and the entire Zayo team have built, including its extraordinary physical footprint at the precise moment the global economy demands uncompromised bandwidth,” said Sampath. “As AI workloads, distributed applications, dense GPU clusters, and hyperscale environments change where capacity is needed, and as large enterprises manage increasingly complex connectivity needs, the network is the ultimate constraint, and Zayo is built to solve this. We already connect more data centers in the U.S. than anyone else, and that is increasingly important as AI companies and large enterprises look for the scale, reach, and performance AI-driven infrastructure requires. I look forward to working with this team as we build on Zayo’s momentum, strengthen support for our customers and launch the next era of digital infrastructure growth.”
Under Smith’s leadership, Zayo strengthened its position as the network partner of choice for customers with complex, high-capacity connectivity needs. He advanced deeper integration, automation, internal AI adoption, network service excellence, and disciplined capital allocation while accelerating Zayo’s network expansion. During his tenure, the Company more than tripled its planned fiber expansion, with projects now spanning more than 15,000 route miles. He also completed the acquisition of Crown Castle’s Fiber Solutions Business, adding approximately 90,000 route miles and 40,000 on-net enterprise locations. In his role on the Board, Smith will draw on his decades of industry expertise to continue advising the Company.
“Leading Zayo has been a privilege, and I’m deeply proud of what our team has built as we prepare the Company for the next generation of digital infrastructure,” said Smith. “I’ve always encouraged my teams to play to be remembered, and this team has done exactly that by building a stronger, more focused Zayo. Sampath is a proven operator with the industry expertise, customer focus and experience leading at scale to build on that success. I am confident he is the right leader for Zayo’s next chapter, and I look forward to supporting him and the entire organization as a member of the Board.”
Smith will remain in his role until August 31, 2026. Sampath will assume the role of CEO on September 1, 2026. During the transition period, Smith and Sampath will work closely with Zayo’s Board of Directors and leadership team to ensure continuity for customers and stakeholders. For more information, visit https://www.zayo.com
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