Snap created a new management role looking after partnerships with global operators, hiring former Google MD Anne Laurenson to run a strategy pushing 5G and AR services.

In a statement, the Snapchat owner explained Laurenson was appointed as the first MD of global carrier partnerships at the company and her responsibilities will include overseeing tie-ups in the US and the regions of Latin America, EMEA and APAC.

The company will aim to build collaborations with operators to create “mutual business value and enable people all over the world to use Snapchat and benefit from the potential of AR”.

Efforts will be placed around service level collaboration for improved Snapchat accessibility, digital skills acceleration, investments into content creation and leveraging 5G features.

Laurenson’s experience in the tech and the telecoms sector spans more than 20 years, and she most recently served as the MD of Android partnerships in EMEA focused on the adoption of Android ecosystem and Google services.

She expressed commitment to support Snap’s “mission of empowering people to express themselves and discover the world combining what they see in the real world with a digital experience through AR”.

Last month, Snap launched Arcadia global studio for creating advertising content enabled by AR.