HARARE - Telecel Zimbabwe (Telecel)’s chief commercial officer Ashraf Elguindy has resigned.
His sudden resignation, in yet unclear circumstances, comes on the back of the group’s former chief executive Francis Mawindi’s controversial dismissal last year.
“Mr Elguindy is no longer in the employ of Telecel Zimbabwe and has decided to pursue other interests back home in Egypt where his family is also based,” Telecel’s communications director Obert Mandimika told Business Live, adding that Elguindy is already back in Cairo.
He said the group — Zimbabwe’s second largest mobile network, with over 2,5 million subscribers — has not yet decided on Elguindy’s successor.
In the meantime, mobile financial services director Nkosinathi Ncube is the acting chief commercial officer.
Elguindy’s resignation comes at a time Telecel is in the process of expanding its network capacity by installing high capacity base stations in new areas where previously there was no network coverage, particularly in the rural areas or where it is unsatisfactory.
Meanwhile, three more insurance companies — Old Mutual, Zimnat and Nyaradzo — have signed agreements with Telecel for the payment of insurance premiums using Telecash, Telecel’s mobile electronic wallet service.
Telecash subscribers were already able to make payments to Eagle Insurance and First Mutual Life. TelOne and the City of Bulawayo also recently signed agreements with Telecel for the payment of telephone bills and municipal bills with Telecash.