(Telecompaper) Telecom Italia is considering the possibility of naming Elisabetta Ripa as the new CEO of Telecom Argentina, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg. The appointment would free up current Telecom Argentina CEO Oscar Cicchetti to steer Telecom Italia's wireless towers business in Italy toward an IPO or sale, said the sources. Ripa currently heads TI Sparkle, Telecom Italia's international wholesale and retail business arm. If she is confirmed as Telecom Argentina CEO, Ripa would be tasked with overseeing the sale of Telecom Italia's controlling stake in the operator to US-backed investment fund Fintech. The USD 960 million deal, first announced a year ago, has been held back by delays in securing regulatory approval but Telecom Italia recently said it expected the Argentine telecoms regulator SeCom to give the green light to the deal within the next two and a half years.