Cable operator Liberty Global PLC appointed Baptiest Coopmans as the new CEO of its Swiss unit UPC Schweiz.

Coopmans is Liberty Global's senior vice president of operations. He will join Liberty Global's executive team while also overseeing the company's operations in Poland and Slovakia.

The new appointee will replace Severina Pascu, who is joining another Liberty Global unit, Virgin Media, as CFO and deputy CEO, effective Feb. 1. Pascu will also take charge of Virgin Media's customer service and field operations, while remaining on Liberty Global's executive team.

Liberty Global earlier ended discussions over a supposed CHF6.3 billion merger of UPC Schweiz with fellow Swiss operator Sunrise Communications Group AG. A majority of Sunrise's investors, led by German telecom group freenet AG, were against the deal's terms.