New Mfone CEO in chair next month as business struggles

A new CEO would take the reins of Cambodian mobile operator Mfone in February, Atip Rittaporn, managing director of Mfone’s holding company Shenington Investments, said yesterday.

Suttisak Khndhikajana from Advanced Info Service, Thailand’s largest mobile operator by subscriber numbers, will take the position, Atip Rittaporn said via phone. AIS and are subsidiaries of Thai conglomerate Shin Corporation.

The appointment puts an end to questions concerning Mfone’s leadership. The telecom service provider’s previous CEO resigned at the end of October. Atip Rittaporn acted as interim CEO between November and January, he confirmed yesterday.

Mfone lost subscribers in 2011, according to data obtained yesterday by the Post. About 380,000 customers discontinued the mobile service between May and November last year, bringing subscriber numbers to about 690,000, maintaining it No. 5 among the Kingdom’s eight active service providers.

“I admit that happened due to the news that spread out which affected the market perception about the seriousness of Mfone,” Atip Rattaporn said.

Mfone is “refreshing” its business in the Kingdom and integrating services that could reduce the cost to its customers, Atip Rattaporn said. 

However, he would not comment on whether the company was still looking for potential buyers.

In October, he told the Post that Mfone was open to acquisition offers from Cambodian telecom operators Beeline and Hello. The company had previously held talks with Beeline and qb but they fell through, he said at the time.

The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications could not be reached yesterday for comment.  source

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