MTN has appointed a Rob Shuter, a major executive from Vodafone, as its new CEO.
Having successfully resolved its dispute with the Nigerian regulator, the African operator is looking to move past the high-profile case and begin a new chapter with Shuter at the helm. The executive currently leads Vodafone’s European cluster but will begin at MTN “as soon as it is practically possible from 2017”.
Shuter first has to deliver on his contractual obligations to Vodafone but will start at MTN before July 1st next year. MTN has also added Vodacom’s Godfrey Motsa to its executive team, who will serve at its VP of south and east Africa. The operator is also in the process of naming a new VP of M&A and strategy.
MTN released a statement saying: “The MTN group board advises that following the successful resolution of the Nigerian dispute, it has completed the review of its governance and management structures in accordance with its undertaking to do so.”
The operator finally agreed to pay almost $1.7 billion to settle its continued dispute with the Nigerian regulator, which had issued the firm with a colossal fine for failing to disconnect unregistered SIM cards. The case resulted in the group’s CEO Sifiso Dabengwa resigning along with a number of high ranking executives.
Dabengwa was replaced on a temporary basis by previous CEO Phutuma Nhleko, who will resume his position of executive chairman once Shuter has come on board.
