MTN makes senior appointments

MTN group executive chairman Phuthuma Nhleko. File picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/Independent Media

MTN group executive chairman Phuthuma Nhleko. File picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/Independent Media

Published Dec 7, 2016

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Johannesburg - MTN, which recently made several appointments, has bulked up its executive with a new COO, and head of Business Enterprise.

The company, Africa's largest cellular carrier by subscriber numbers, said on Wednesday that Jens

Schulte-Bockum will assume the position of group COO from January 16 as Jyoti Desai retires.

MTN notes Schulte-Bockum's last senior role in the telecoms sector was as CEO of Vodafone Germany between

2012 and 2015. It did not provide additional information, but noted "we expect Jens to bring extensive experience in the consumer business, as well

as the area of large scale transformation in a convergent operation".

 In addition, Oliver Fortuin

will assume the position of executive head of Business Enterprise, from next March.

Fortuin is

currently the CEO of BT Global Services sub-Saharan Africa, having previously

held many senior roles

at IBM, HP and Lenovo. As head of BT Global Services, he was engaged in     the development

and sale of enterprise solutions to many multinationals across the African continent.

"Oliver

will greatly enhance MTN’s strategy in this area."

Read also:  MTN in management shakeup

The listed company also said Bernice Samuels

has re-joined MTN as group executive of marketing. She was previously Chief Marketing Officer in MTN SA, prior to assuming a similar role

at FNB.

She subsequently

assumed the position of Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development at

SABMiller in South Africa. "Bernice will greatly assist in lifting and

repositioning product

development and uplifting the MTN brand to maintain its pre-eminent position in

Africa and the Middle East,

whilst adapting to a rapidly evolving sector."

Chairman Phuthuma Nhleko  says the "senior management appointments bring to finality the management aspect of a large scale

transformation and operational review process which I am confident will place the group in good stead to

capitalise on its many prospects and reach its full potential in a rapidly transforming and exciting sector. We

have attracted individuals of high calibre and wide, relevant experience, to further enhance the existing

management team, consistent with the anticipated trajectory of the group."

The appointments also follows a Bloomberg report, citing sources, in October that Felleng Sekha had been hired into the newly created position of head of regulatory affairs, as part of a management shakeup at the wireless carrier. This followed a record $1 billion fine in Nigeria and the appointment of Vodafone Group’s Rob Shuter as incoming chief executive officer. Stephen van Coller has joined from Barclays Africa Group as head of strategy and mergers and acquisitions.

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