Alumnus Dials in the Dollars in Senior Role at T-Mobile

Blending Finance and Engineering for Telecom Success

Combining engineering with capital markets experience propelled Johannes Thorsteinsson, MS ENGR ’05, MBA ’07, to a senior leadership role at one of the world’s largest telecom companies. As senior vice president of finance and treasurer of T-Mobile, he’s responsible for the company’s long-term financial strategy and stewardship of its extensive balance sheet.

Thorsteinsson’s journey to Smith crossed thousands of miles. He was born in Iceland, then his family moved to Germany. When he was 10, they returned to Iceland, where Thorsteinsson lived until he came to Maryland for graduate school. 

After earning a Master of Science in electrical engineering at UMD’s A. James Clark School of Engineering, he came to the Smith School for his MBA in finance and strategy. He chose Smith because of the MBA program’s strong academic rigor and community. “An added benefit was that my wife was also a full-time graduate student at the University of Maryland.” The couple welcomed their first child during Thorsteinsson’s first year in the MBA program. “Being on our grad school journey together and becoming parents made the experience even more meaningful.”

He received a Dean’s Scholarship from Smith through the UMD Dean’s Fellowship program for outstanding students. That support deepened his desire to pay it forward. “Others invested in my development, and their commitment and generosity are a significant part of my success. Staying connected to the school and supporting the next generation is one way I honor that investment.”

Thorsteinsson is on the Smith Finance Advisory Council and the board of The Robert H. Smith School of Business Foundation. The foundation oversees the school’s three student-run investment funds – Mayer, Senbet and Global Equity. He gained investment experience by working on the Mayer Fund and says senior lecturer Sarah Kroncke shaped his understanding of investment discipline. “Sarah gave us the best foundational and technical skills, and combined that with real-world practicality. She raised the bar for everyone.”

Through the Smith alumni network, he secured a summer internship at Deutsche Bank, then progressed from associate to managing director there. He moved on to T-Mobile in 2020.

Thorsteinsson’s time at Smith and the arc of his career reflect themes he considers central to long-term success: curiosity, resilience and relationships. “Curiosity keeps you learning.  Resilience keeps you moving forward. And, relationships built on trust, consistency and integrity will sustain your career and outlast any single deal or fiscal quarter.”