Prime Highlights-
- Telefónica Spain launches a dedicated Hardware and Devices Division within its B2C business.
- Alberto Ruano departs Lenovo to lead the new unit starting October 1.
Key Facts-
- Movistar sold 900,000 devices between January and August 2026, up 10 percent year on year.
- Non-smartphone categories account for 42 percent of device sales this year.
Background-
Telefónica Spain has created a new Hardware and Devices Division within its B2C business and named Alberto Ruano to lead it. Ruano joins from Lenovo, where he served as General Manager for Spain and Portugal since 2016, and starts his new role on October 1, when he will also join Telefónica Spain’s Executive Committee, reporting to Chief Revenue Officer Óscar Candiles.
The new division will manage Telefónica’s entire devices business, spanning portfolio management, vendor relationships, offer design, commercial strategy, logistics and supply chain operations.
The unit arrives as the business gains momentum. Movistar sold 900,000 devices between January and August 2026, marking a 10 percent increase over the same period last year.
Devices outside the smartphone category account for 42 percent of overall sales now, a six-point jump from last year, led by strong gains in smartwatches, tablets, televisions and home appliances.
Chairman and CEO Borja Ochoa said customers increasingly turn to Movistar for televisions, tablets, laptops and smartwatches rather than phones alone, a shift he said the new unit aims to capture.
Ruano brings more than 25 years of experience, having led Toshiba Spain as CEO from 2006 to 2013 before moving to Lenovo. He said his goal is to make Movistar’s relationship with millions of households the strongest gateway to technology available.
