Bemobile, Papua New Guinea’s second-largest mobile operator, has appointed Raj Deo as acting CEO. The company’s chairman, Syd Yates, told local reporters that Deo started his new role on Monday (12 August). Previously Vodafone Fiji chief technology…
Bemobile, Papua New Guinea’s second-largest mobile operator, has appointed Raj Deo as acting CEO. The company’s chairman, Syd Yates, told local reporters that Deo started his new role on Monday (12 August).
Previously Vodafone Fiji chief technology officer, Deo replaces Pradeep Lal, who left the company following the termination of a management partnership agreement between Bemobile and Vodafone Fiji.
In late April, Lal, the CFO and COO of Vodafone Fiji, had also been appointed at the head of Bemobile after the Fijian telco agreed to take over the management of the PNG operator.
But a few days ago, Vodafone Fiji decided to exit Papua New Guinea because of issues between the two companies related to the use of a contractor to roll out Bemobile’s infrastructure, according to local reports.
At the same time, Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) withdrew its investment proposal, which would have seen it acquire a 40% stake in Bemobile.
Yesterday the chairman of Bemobile said that the company is in talks with state-owned Independent Public Business Corporation of PNG (IPBC) to increase the latter’s stake in the carrier from 51% at the moment.
The remaining shares are held by small local shareholders and reports recently suggested that Bemobile might try to attract new investors to help revive the company along with state bodies.
