Former Microsoft South Africa MD Mteto Nyati has been appointed as the new CEO of MTN South Africa, a spokesman for the telecommunications operator said on Monday.

Nyati, who was appointed as MTN’s group chief enterprise officer in October 2014, is replacing Ahmad Farroukh, who has been MTN’s South African CEO for the past year. Farroukh is joining Etihad Etisalat, the second largest telecommunications operator in Saudi Arabia.

Nyati takes on the role with immediate effect, despite an earlier statement by MTN that Farroukh would stay on until 31 July.

In a statement, MTN’s group CEO, Sifiso Dabengwa, said: “We believe the appointment of a leader of Nyati’s calibre and competencies will greatly enhance our efforts to strengthen the confidence of our customers and reinvigorate our people.”

Nyati is taking over at a difficult time in MTN South Africa’s history. Not only is it struggling to end industrial action which began nearly two months ago, but it has also come under significant competitive pressure in recent years.

The appointment of Nyati is an interesting one given that the previous roles he has been involved in have not been consumer facing. Before Microsoft, Nyati spent 12 years at IBM, where he held a number of senior executive roles.

He has a BSc degree in mechanical engineering. In 2004, he was named a Yale University World Fellow.

During his time at Microsoft, Nyati played a big role in the development and implementation of Microsoft’s 4Afrika Initiative, a programme to use technology to improve Africa’s competitiveness. — (c) 2015 NewsCentral Media