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John Legere reportedly won’t become WeWork’s next CEO

John Legere reportedly won’t become WeWork’s next CEO

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He has no plans to leave T-Mobile

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Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

Turning around the mess that is WeWork isn’t going to be up to John Legere. According to CNBC, the current T-Mobile CEO does not intend to take the chief executive role, despite rumors earlier this week that WeWork was strongly pursuing him. 

Legere “has no plans” to depart T-Mobile as it nears completion of its merger with Sprint, CNBC says. Both the Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission have greenlit the combined mega-carrier, but it still faces one final challenge: numerous state attorneys general are attempting to block the deal with a lawsuit. 

Through his brash presentation style and a series of “Uncarrier” customer initiatives, Legere is credited for helming T-Mobile’s impressive comeback from a stagnant fourth place position among US carriers into a company that continues to see strong growth. Though T-Mobile is the third-largest carrier right now, it will become far more powerful when it adds Sprint’s customers to its ranks.

Earlier this month, T-Mobile announced the first programs it will launch if and when the Sprint deal successfully goes through, including free 5G service for first responders and “Project 10Million,” an effort to bring free internet to 10 million under-connected homes. Both are fairly blatant goodwill moves meant to drum up support for the merger.

Had Legere shifted over to WeWork, it would’ve raised some eyebrows. Softbank, which now controls WeWork, is also the majority owner of Sprint — until T-Mobile’s acquisition of the company is complete, at least. And Marcelo Claure, who campaigned for the industry-changing merger beside Legere, was recently elected executive chairman of WeWork.