Zayo Hires Verizon Veteran to Lead Communications Amid AI…

Event summary

Zayo appoints Mariana Agathoklis Schlock as its first EVP and Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, reporting to CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath.
Agathoklis Schlock joins from Verizon, where she most recently served as Head of Communications for Verizon Consumer, a $100 billion annual revenue business unit.
She will lead Zayo's communications, marketing, and ESG functions to strengthen market presence and unify external messaging.
Zayo's network spans 32 million fiber miles and 224,000 route miles across North America, connecting over 400 markets globally.

The big picture

Zayo's appointment of a high-profile communications leader underscores the strategic importance of branding in the AI infrastructure race. As enterprises increasingly rely on robust networks to support AI workloads, Zayo aims to differentiate itself through targeted messaging and unified storytelling. The hire reflects a broader industry trend where digital infrastructure providers are investing in commercial visibility to attract cloud providers, data centers, and enterprises.

What we're watching

AI Infrastructure Demand: How Zayo's communications strategy will position it to capture AI-driven infrastructure growth.
Brand Differentiation: Whether Agathoklis Schlock can translate Verizon's consumer marketing success to Zayo's B2B focus.
ESG Integration: The pace at which Zayo integrates ESG messaging into its broader market narrative.