Axiata Group has made structural changes across the Group, with the appointments of two corporate EVP/Regional CEOs, three CEOs and several senior appointments. This is in line with the Group’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 the Group’s transformation into a regional digital company.
Following an earlier announcement of Hans Wijayasuriya as the Regional CEO for South Asia operations, a similar unit is now being set up to oversee its Southeast Asia operations. Dato’ Sri Shazalli Ramly, currently CEO of Celcom, will move on to a new and larger regional role effective 1 September. Ramly has been with Celcom for the last 11 years. His current tenure, which expires by year-end, will be extended for another three years. Shazalli will now be responsible for all Southeast 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.
Axiata also plans to accelerate its digitisation programmes, development of innovative technologies/business models, industry consolidation and merger integration, costs restructuring as well as support OpCo turnaround programmes. To increase the bandwidth of Axiata HQ in achieving the above, the two Regional CEOs will assist the president and Group CEO in Group-wide responsibilities. As such, Ramly and Wijayasuriya will each carry the new title of Corporate EVP and Regional CEO.
Celcom will undertake a major organisational refresh with the setup of an Executive Committee (EXCO) and appointment of six new key senior positions – one from Celcom, three from the Group, one external hire and one to be announced. To oversee the transition, a Board Executive Committee will be established. Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim, who curetly serves as chairman of Celcom and president and Group CEO of Axiata, will chair the EXCO.
Michael Kuehner, who previously served as CEO of Robi (2009 – 2013), will be appointed as the new CEO of Celcom effective 1 September. Kuehner is a board member of three Axiata operating companies, namely Robi, Smart and edotco. He was until recently chairman of the edotco Executive Committee.
Complementing Kuehner are two deputy CEOs, Azwan Khan Osman Khan and Mohamed Adlan Ahmad Tajudin. Both of them have had significant roles in Celcom previously and have been assigned to other Axiata operating companies for the last few years.
Khan currently serves as COO of Dialog, and will now take up the role of Deputy CEO, Business Operations. This unit will be responsible for sales and marketing, product development, and all of Celcom’s commercial businesses. Tajudin is currently CFO of XL, and will assume the role of Deputy CEO, Infrastructure and Services. This unit will be responsible for all network and IT infrastructure as well as business support services.
Assisting the CEO and the two Deputy CEOs are three other key senior positions – Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO) and Chief Transformation & Digital Officer (CTDO).
Jennifer Wong, currently Deputy CFO will be promoted to the CFO position. She will replace Chris Tiffin, who will take on a new strategic project at Celcom. Azmi Ujang, an external hire, will take on the role of CHCO. He will replace Darke M Sani who will return to his Group Chief HR position fulltime effective the same date.
The sixth appointment, chief transformation and digital officer, will be announced soon, Axiata said.
