Smile Telecoms, has appointed former MTN CEO, Mr. Ahmad Farroukh as its new Group Chief Executive Officer. That is also as it announced Ms. Irene Charnley as Deputy Chairman.

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Their appointments will take effect June 01, 2019.

Smile described Farroukh as a seasoned and experienced telecoms executive with a distinguished record of commercial and operational successes who had served as the company’s Group Executive Director Operations.

It also said Charnley has led the company’s innovation and pioneering of Africa’s first 4G LTE network infrastructure, using low band spectrum in 800MHz band, thereby revolutionising the way people in Africa accessed high-speed internet.

After 12 years at the helm, Charnley will now serve as Deputy Chairman for the company and will play a strategic role.

The company’s Co-Chairman and Group CEO of Smile’s majority shareholder, Al Nahla Group of KSA, Mohammed Sharbatly, said Africa telecoms market is as dynamic as it is challenging. Farroukh is suited to lead Smile’s next exciting phase of growth, as the company has transitioned from a spectrum rich upstart to the fastest, most reliable data gigabyte factory in Sub-Sahara Africa. We are equally delighted that Irene will continue to serve the company she founded as Deputy Chair, and we look forward to her ongoing strategic direction and guidance.”

For Charnley, “the next phase for Smile will focus on delivering excellent operational returns, achieving profitability and creating value for all stakeholders and I believe that Ahmed is best suited to lead the company forward in this regard.”

Also Farroukh said: “Africa is experiencing explosive data growth, and I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead the operations of one of the continent’s best 4G LTE networks at this exciting time. It has also been a revelation after over 20 years in the industry to witness the power and versatility of Smile’s proprietary technology applications platform, which was developed in-house and provides a huge competitive and cost advantage,”