Earning a reputation as Mr Trujillo's external head-kicker almost as soon as he arrived in July 2005, he will be best remembered for his remark in late 2005 that he would not recommend Telstra shares to his mother. The quip wiped more than $4 billion off Telstra's market value in just a week, although Telstra's public policy chief later revealed that his mother had in fact bought some Telstra shares. His sudden departure will fuel speculation that more of Mr Trujillo's confidants could be about to leave, including chief operating officer Greg Winn and marketing boss Bill Stewart. Last week Mr Trujillo dismissed suggestions he was about to quit.