Controversy trails Steven Evans exit as Etisalat CEO

 ITRealms:

The last may not have been heard over the recent resignation saga of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Steve Evans and the former Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Mr. Wael Ammar.

ITRealms reports that on one account, Messrs Evans and Ammar were said to have resigned due to the expiration of their five-year tenure. While on another account, there could be more than meets the eyes in the report and unceremonial exit of these two.

Also, ITRealms recalls that Steven Evans purportedly resigned as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian subsidiary of Emirates Telecommunications Corporation operating as Etisalat Nigeria.

Investigations showed that Mr. Ammar may have exhausted his contract of five years, Mr. Evans is yet to coupled with the purported use of ‘resign’ by official of Etisalat to justify Evans exit from Nigeria.

On the other hand, some reports have it that the chief financial officer (CFO) Etisalat Nigeria is currently incharge whereas some indicated that the chief commercial officer, Matthew Willsher is in the acting capacity of the CEO.

Confirming the exit of Mr. Evans to ITRealms, the Director, Brand Communications at Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Enitan Deloye said “Yes, Steven resigned to join his family back in the United Kingdom.”

Although, Deloye did not give further details on the issue of who is in-charge after Evans resignation, he promised to revert to ITRealms with details.

Meanwhile, however, Bloomberg report that Evans resigned last month and returned home to the United Kingdom after leading the company for most of its five years in existence.

The Chief Commercial Officer, Matthew Willsher, was named in acting capacity for CEO in his place.

Willsher did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comments and Evans’ Etisalat e-mail bounced back, according to Bloomberg.

Abu Dhabi-based parent Etisalat didn’t immediately respond to calls and e-mails seeking comments.

Evans was appointed in December 2008, two months after Etisalat began full commercial operations in Nigeria, according to the company’s website.

Prior to that, he was the Chief Executive Officer of the London-based BT Group Plc (BT/A)’s mobile unit.

Etisalat is the fourth largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria.

The company had 15.3 million subscribers as of June 2013, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission.

*Remmy Nweke with agency reports

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*Steven Evans (top) and Wael Ammar (down left)