Morten Lundal takes over as new DiGi CEO

MORTEN Lundal has been appointed chief executive officer of DiGi.com Bhd and DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd, succeeding Tore Johnsen who has been seconded to Telenor's new mobile operation in Pakistan as chief executive officer.  

Telenor owns a 61% stake in DiGi.com Bhd. 

Arve Johansen, Telenor's deputy chief executive officer and head of international mobile, said in a statement yesterday that the group was sure that under the management of Lundal, DiGi would continue to be at the forefront of the Malaysian mobile industry. 

Lundal, 39, a Norwegian citizen, takes over on July 26.  

He has been senior vice-president for strategy and business development in Telenor since January last year.  

Prior to this, he was responsible for all Telenor's activities in the business market as chief executive officer of Telenor Business Solutions.  

From 1997 to 2001, Lundal was the chief executive officer of Telenor's internet business area. 

Lundal also had wide management consulting experience in both the Norwegian and international markets prior to joining Telenor in 1997. 

Johansen noted Johnsen's cont-ribution to DiGi's success.  

In the first quarter this year, the company delivered the best results in its history.  

“With Johnsen at the helm of DiGi, we have seen the company grow its market share from 16% to 21% with a strong financial performance,” he added. 

Johansen said Johnsen and his management team had successfully built DiGi into a great provider of mobile products and services, and he hoped to continue to position DiGi as the most exciting provider of high-quality mobile services in Malaysia. 

Johnsen, 56, started his telecommunications career with Telenor in 1974 and has held various managerial positions within the company, including four years as head of Telenor Broadcast. He began his career in DiGi as senior advisor in 2000 and was appointed chief operating officer in February 2001. He has been CEO of DiGi.com and DiGi Telecomunications since January this year.