Charnley quits as MTN VP

Johannesburg, 20 Mar 2007

Irene Charnley, MTN VP for the Middle East and North and East Africa (MENEA), will leave the company at the beginning of July.

However, she will join the MTN Group board of directors next year and will retain a business relationship with MTN in her pursuit of opportunities in the telecommunications industry in Africa and the Middle East, says MTN.

Charnley's responsibilities as MENEA VP will be integrated into the new Middle East region under the management of Jamal Ramadan, a former Investcom executive.

Rwanda and Uganda, which also formed part of the MENEA region, will also be integrated into the southern region operations of the MTN Group with effect from 1 April. Group COO Sifiso Dabengwa manages MTN's southern region operations.

'Invaluable'

MTN president and CEO Phuthuma Nhleko says Charnley has been an integral part of the company's executive management team and played an invaluable role.

She joined the MTN Group on a full-time basis as commercial director in 2001. Charnley was instrumental in achieving MTN's entry into Zambia, Congo-Brazzaville, Cote d'Ivoire and Iran, the company says. She also played a leading role in negotiating the acquisition by management and staff of an 18% stake in MTN, it notes.

Charnley previously chaired M-Cell, a Johnnic Holdings company, for two years. M-Cell was the starting point of the MTN Group. She was also responsible for spearheading MTN's investment in Nigeria while she was executive director of Johnnic Holdings.