Celcom appoints Shazalli as regional CEO

PETALING JAYA: Celcom Axiata Bhd chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly has been appointed regional CEO and corporate EVP for Axiata Group Bhd’s South-East Asia operations, effective Sept 1, 2016.

According to a Bursa Malaysia filing yesterday, Shazalli’s current tenure, which expires by year-end, will be extended for three more years.

Shazalli has been with Celcom for the past 11 years.

“Shazalli will now be responsible for all South-East Asia operations and will continue to be a member of the Celcom board.

“He will also be appointed to three other boards of Axiata’s operating companies,” it said.

The organisational and top leadership changes are in line with Axiata’s strategy to refresh the management teams, execute its succession plan, strengthen the corporate headquarters to manage an entity that is more than twice its size since its formation, and accelerate Axiata’s transformation into a regional digital company.

As part of the group-wide transformation, among others, Axiata will accelerate its digitisation programmes, development of innovative technologies or business models, industry consolidation and merger integration, cost restructuring as well as support the operating companies’ turnaround programmes.

Michael Kuehner, who was the CEO of Robi Axiata Ltd from 2009 until 2013, will succeed Shazalli as the new CEO of Celcom effective Sept 1.

He was until recently the chairman of the edotco group executive committee.

Kuehner, an international telecommunications leader with more than 30 years experience, was with Nokia and Siemens prior to joining Axiata in September 2009. He had key roles in multiple countries in Asia-Pacific, including India, Japan and Malaysia.

Complementing Kuehner are two deputy CEOs, Azwan Khan Osman Khan and Mohamed Adlan Ahmad Tajudin.

They have had significant roles in Celcom previously and had been assigned to other operating companies for the last few years.

Meanwhile, deputy chief financial officer (CFO) Jennifer Wong will be promoted to CFO.

She will replace Chris Tiffin, who will take on a new strategic project at Celcom.