Maxis hires former DiGi chief Johan Dennelind as new CEO

Dennelind left DiGi in May 2010.

PETALING JAYA: Maxis Bhd has hired rival DiGi.Com Bhd's former head Johan Dennelind as its new CEO, taking over from Sandip Das who will remain on the telco's board as non-executive director.

It said in a statement that Dennelind, who will report to the chairman and be appointed to the board as an executive director, starts work on July 1 next year.

“The board would like to thank Sandip for his valuable contributions to the company over the past six years. Since its listing in 2009, Maxis has successfully maintained its leadership position in revenue market share and subscriber base in a highly competitive market.

“As a non-executive director, Sandip will be on hand to provide assistance to Johan and the board,” chairman Raja Tan Sri Datuk Sri Arshad Uda said.

Sandip in a reply to StarBizWeek query, said he will remain with holding company Maxis Communications Bhd (MCB). “I will continue as Group CEO of MCB but spend (more) time on Aircel, (the Indian operations) and as board member of the Malaysian and the Sri Lanka units.”

Dennelind was DiGi's CFO and chief marketing officer between 2004 and 2007 before assuming the CEO post in 2008.

He was previously a CFO and deputy CEO at Telenor AB, DiGi's Norway-based parent, as well as a director at Nextra, a subsidiary of Telenor.

He left DiGi in May 2010 to be replaced by its current CEO Henrik Clausen.

It was unclear at the time of his exit why he was leaving or where he was headed.

According to the statement from Maxis, Dennelind is currently CEO of Vodacom International, a South Africa-based telco controlled by British multinational Vodafone.

In his present role, Dennelind oversees all Vodacom sub-Saharan activities outside South Africa serving some 20 million customers.

The business reported strong growth and improved margins during his tenure, Maxis said.

He is also a member of Vodafone's CEO Senior Leadership Team.

Dennelind, who holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from University of Orebro, Sweden, has been in the telco industry for the past 13 years in various countries.  DIGI :  [Stock Watch]  [News]