Franz Paasche: What's the Story?

Franz Paasche is joining Verizon as Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs. Okay. The press release is full of the usual corporate buzzwords: "redefine," "lead our entire industry," "stakeholder engagement." Verizon CEO Dan Schulman, formerly of PayPal, is clearly betting on Paasche to shake things up. But what does the data actually tell us?

The Revolving Door

Paasche's resume is… diverse. Before landing at Verizon, he had a brief stint at PineGrove Advisors, nine months at Columbia University as EVP of Public Affairs and Communications (departing in April 2025), and before that, a longer stretch at PayPal. Schulman highlights Paasche's role in "defining PayPal’s mission and values and building the company’s reputation." He also worked at McKinsey and Fleishman Hillard.

Here's where I start to raise an eyebrow. Nine months at Columbia? That's not a tenure, that's a trial run. And the Spectator article notes he stepped down amid a "tumultuous period" for the university. The official line is that he was a "trusted advisor," but you don't need a data model to see that something wasn't clicking. It begs the question: What happened there? Details on the specific reasons for his departure are scarce, but the timing is… noteworthy.

It is worth noting that Paasche's quick exit from Columbia followed a period of intense scrutiny for the university, including clashes with the Trump administration over federal funding. Franz Paasche to exit Columbia University amid Trump crackdown on Ivy League

PayPal's Golden Era?

Schulman emphasizes PayPal's reputation during Paasche's time there, noting they were on Fortune’s "World’s Most Admired Companies" list every year from 2017 to 2023. That's a seven-year streak. Impressive, right? Well, let's dig a little deeper. Being on the "Most Admired" list is great PR, but does it correlate with actual financial performance or stakeholder value?

Correlation doesn't equal causation, of course. But I've looked at enough of these annual lists to know that they often reflect marketing spend and media buzz as much as genuine operational excellence. PayPal's stock performance during that period was certainly solid. But were Paasche's efforts the driving force? Or was he simply riding the wave of a booming fintech sector?

And this is the part of the report that I find genuinely puzzling. The claim that Paasche "redefined" PayPal's mission and values is difficult to quantify. What metrics did they use to measure this "redefinition"? Employee surveys? Brand perception studies? The press release doesn't say. I'd like to see some hard numbers to back up this assertion.

The Verizon Restructuring

The core of Paasche's new role is consolidating several teams: Global Communications, Responsible Business, and Public Policy and Government Affairs. The stated goal is to "elevate stakeholder engagement and connect Verizon’s value proposition and purpose." This sounds like a classic corporate restructuring designed to streamline messaging and improve public perception.

Verizon's Q3 2025 results showed a slight revenue increase (1.5%) but a decline in Verizon Business revenue (down 2.8%). A unified corporate affairs function could, theoretically, help turn that business revenue decline around. But the real question is: how? Will Paasche focus on lobbying for favorable regulations? Crafting feel-good CSR campaigns? Or will he tackle the underlying issues of competitiveness and customer satisfaction?

The success of this restructuring hinges on Paasche's ability to integrate these disparate teams and create a cohesive, data-driven strategy. It's a tall order, especially given the complexities of the telecommunications industry and the increasing scrutiny of big tech companies.

Is This More Than Just Corporate Jargon?

The appointment of Franz Paasche is being framed as a strategic move to transform Verizon's image and impact. But a closer look at his background reveals a mixed bag of successes and short-lived tenures. The key question is whether he can translate his experience into tangible results for Verizon. I'm not entirely convinced.