NEW YORK —Verizon Communications has named Allstate’s Stacy Sharpe as its next chief communications officer.

Starting March 4, Sharpe will oversee global communications for the telecommunications conglomerate. As an executive VP, she will be responsible for leading all facets of Verizon's global comms strategy, spanning corporate, consumer, and business.

Sharpe will join Verizon's executive leadership team and report directly to chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg. She succeeds Jim Gerace, who has been with the company for 37 years.

Sharpe will be joining Verizon after 20 years at Allstate, where she most recently served as senior VP of corporate relations. Before that, she held a number of roles at the insurance company including field VP and VP of federal legislative and regulatory affairs.

"Verizon is one of the most recognizable and admired brands in the world. We have world-class assets that give us an incredibly compelling growth story to tell and a strong brand to evangelize and defend. Stacy brings unparalleled experience and credibility to do just that,” Vestberg said.