Second analyst hops fence to join Chorus

UPDATE Dec 15: New Zealand's number of experienced telecommunications market analysts* has dropped from two to zero.

IDC's Rosemary Spragg is following her colleague Rosalie Nelson to Chorus, where she will start January 30.

Ms Nelson - formerly the go-to-analysts on the threat posed to Chorus by mobile substitution - is moving to Chorus as  strategy and insight manager.

Ms Spragg will work as a strategy analyst in the market strategy and insight team led by Ms Nelson.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of a direct industry role after working on the edges for the past four years, first as a policy analyst at MED and then as an independent market analyst at IDC," Ms Nelson told NBR this morning.

"Chorus has some pretty significant and unprecedented challenges ahead and I'm excited to be a part of that"

* That is, research company rather than equity analysts

Nov 22: One of the most-quoted market analysts is hopping the fence to join Chorus.

IDC research director Rosalie Nelson told NBR she will join Chorus as strategy and insight manager.

Ms Nelson - quoted in NBR's print edition recently on the threat posed by 4G/LTE and other mobile technologies to landline-focused Chorus - said she was recruited by Chorus general manager of marketing and sales Victoria Crone (herself a relatively new edition, and formerly GM of marketing and sales for Telecom).

"Managing the market strategy team in a new company whose role in the telecommunications market has no exact precedent will be a challenge," Ms Nelson told NBR.

"I don't have rosy-coloured glasses about the issues that will be faced. But it's also a great opportunity to work with the industry and the Chorus team to really define and act on what will drive fibre demand and adoption, drawing on international best practice and experience."

Chorus will formally separate from Telecom on November 30.

Ms Nelson, a one-time Fair Go reporter and press secretary to former finance minister Roger Douglas, starts her new role December 14.

Chorus shares began trading on a deferred settlement basis on the ASX yesterday, and debut on the NZX (also on a deferred settlement basis) tomorrow. Regular NZX trading begins Friday.