Vodafone Egypt chief Ahmed Essam to lead Vodafone Europe

Vodafone Egypt CEO Ahmed Essam has been named the new CEO of Vodafone’s European markets, which consist of Albania, the Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Romania. The decision will come into effect on September 1st.

Essam will also represent Vodafone’s half of the Netherlands joint venture at group level. He will succeed Rob Shuter, who is leaving Vodafone to become CEO of South Africa-based MTN.

Essam is the first Egyptian to hold such post. He was appointed CEO of Vodafone Egypt in July 2014. He was previously the Commercial Director for Vodafone’s Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific region and has held a number of senior roles within Vodafone’s Group Commercial function. He joined Vodafone Egypt in 1999 and served in a number of local market senior leadership roles including Consumer Business Director and Customer Care Director.

“Ahmed has an outstanding track record in one of Vodafone’s most complex and challenging emerging markets businesses as well as in a number of senior commercial roles at group level. I am delighted to welcome him to his new role,” Vodafone Group Chief Executive, Vittorio Colao said.

Earlier in June, Vodafone Group announced that Stefano Gestaut, CEO of Vodafone’s Partner Markets Business, had become the new CEO of Vodafone Egypt succeeding Essam.