Nigeria’s telecoms industry has been awash with commendations for the MTN Group, for finally finding a prophet worthy at home, favour of Michael Ikpoki, who became the first chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria recently. REMMY NWEKE writes, it’s now left for Nigerians to support their own to excel beyond what they did in the last 11 years, so as to take the company to the next level.
Excerpts:
All hail MTN:
Recent appointment of Mr. Michael Ikpoki as the new chief
executive officer of MTN Nigeria has been commended by industry leaderships,
saying that the appointment of a Nigerian to lead the largest mobile network
operator in the land which is transforming to a holistic Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) company is a welcome development in the history
of telecommunications in the country.
Ikpoki is MTN Nigeria CEO
DigitalSENSE Business News recalls that Mr. Ikpoki was
appointed CEO of MTN Ghana in April 2011 after he successfully managed the MTN
Nigeria’s Sales and Distribution channel as its Executive from 2006. He joined
MTN in 2001 as a Regulatory Advisor after a six-year stint with the Nigerian
Communications Commission’s legal division.
Also, a veteran business executive, Michael Ikpoki is
well read, with an academic profile that includes General Management Programme
at Harvard Business School; Sales from INSEAD Business School; Finance and
Analytics, from Lagos Business School and LLB from Rivers State University of
Science and Technology.
Other appointments announced by MTN Group alongside
Ikpoki’s included Serame Taukobong, the erstwhile Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
of MTN SA, who is the new CEO of MTN Ghana. Brian Gouldie, Chief Customer
Sales, Service and Distribution Officer at MTN SA, is the new CMO of MTN SA.
Farhad Khan, Executive for the Group Enterprise Business Unit, takes over from
Gouldie as Chief Customer Sales, Service and Distribution Officer at MTN SA.
Philisiwe Sibiya, Executive in Group Finance, is the new Chief Financial
Officer of MTN SA.
The MTN Group President and CEO, Mr. Sifiso Dabengwa, who
was a former CEO of MTN Nigeria, said the group has a strong leadership bench
strength, stressing that as part of its talent management and leadership
development, MTN invests significantly towards building a sustainable supply of
quality leaders.
“We are therefore pleased to make these announcements
drawn from our leadership succession pool,” he declared.
Mike Ikpoki we know:
Responding to this appointment, Chief Executive Officer,
Telecom Answers Associates, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, told DigitalSENSE Business News exclusively that certainly the naming of a Nigerian the CEO of MTN Nigeria,
though much awaited was not coming late and gave MTN Group kudos for realizing
the resourcefulness in Nigerian professionals.
“In fact, it is to the credit of the MTN Group if we
consider that the company came into this market barely 11 years ago and started
drawing locals into its net. If in 11 years, one has risen to the top post not
only in Nigeria but also in other smaller networks as far back as a few years,
I think it is commendable,” he said.
In addition, Omo-Ettu said that the Mike Ikpoki whom the
industry knows also deserves this appointment all-round; known to be suave,
very calculating, unassuming and imagining he must have been goal-getting to
have risen to this position a few years ago, when he was named the CEO of MTN
Ghana. He recalled that when Ikpoki moved from NCC, his capabilities could be
attested to at such tender positions.
“We should begin to see an improving labour relation in
that sector especially now that the locals there know that sky is their limit.
It is also good for the entire industry as it becomes clear that other
operators cannot claim that good materials are far from this shore. Of course,
there are several other materials we know who are also deserving of
appointments like this in virtually everywhere in the industry.
Congratulating Mr. Ikpoki, Omo-Ettu advised “It is easier
to get to the top than it is to remain there.”
Better late than never:
Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, Group Chief Executive, Teledom Group
International while congratulating Mike Ikpoki on this latest appointment
pointed out that it is part of the industry clamour for Nigerian content
development and patronage.
“As I always say, local content include software,
hardware, physical structures, integrated technology to deliver specific
solutions and last, but not the least, Nigerian expertise and competencies,” he
said.
MTN, Ekuwem said, has demonstrated support for Nigerian
content by appointing a Nigerian as CEO of MTN Nigeria in furtherance of this
last component of Nigerian content development and patronage.
He told DigitalSENSE Business News that whether it has
come or not come too late, adding that what is important now in the
heart-warming development is that it has come. “It is better late than never,”
he declared.
Appointment timely:
Lanre Ajayi, president, Association of Telecommunication
Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) told DigitalSENSE Business News that appointment
of Michael Ikpoki as CEO, MTN Nigeria came at the right time. Pointing out that
at the early stage of the introduction of GSM technology in Nigeria, very few
Nigerians probably had the capacity to manage such a big technology company.
“I believe a good number of Nigerians are sufficiently
empowered now to take on such responsibilities. The appointment also came when
there is a need to combine good management skill with knowledge of local
terrain.
On his expectations from Ikpoki, ATCON president looks
forward for him to deliver value to the people who appointed him and to the
Nigerian consumers. By this, Ajayi said, other similar companies will have the
confidence to trust Nigerians with such a huge responsibility.
Credence to MTN’s talent development:
The Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr.
Akinwale Goodluck, in his reaction declared that the first appointment of a
Nigerian, Mr. Michael Ikpoki as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN
Nigeria lends credence to the company’s resolve to build local talent.
He told DigitalSENSE Business News this “Underscores the
strength of our leadership development strategy and leadership succession
pool,” recalling that Michael Ikpoki is the first Nigerian CEO of the company.
Ikpoki is an experienced lawyer, seasoned business executive and golf enthusiast
and was until his recent appointment, the CEO of MTN Ghana.
He replaced Brett Goschen, who has been redeployed to the
role of MTN Group Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director on the Group
Board.
“This is indeed a strong reflection of the MTN talent
management creed; Management’s commitment to it and the quality and abundance
of talent in MTN Nigeria, having regard to the status of MTN Nigeria as the
biggest operating company within the MTN Group,” Goodluck said.
He reiterated that the new CEO started his career in
telecoms with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and after six years
with the NCC joined MTN Nigeria as a Regulatory Advisor in 2001 and rose
through the ranks accompanied with quality training, capacity building and exposure
that are inherent in the company’s employee value proposition.
Later, he said, Ikpoki became the General Manager,
Regulatory Affairs in 2004. Two years later, in 2006, he was appointed General
Manager, Sales and Distribution and in 2007, the Sales and Distribution
Executive for MTN Nigeria.
His appointment as CEO of MTN Ghana in April 2011 made
him the first Nigerian in the MTN Group to attain this height, but as of today,
he is however, not the only one, as indeed, only a few months after Ikpoki was
appointed CEO of MTN Ghana, another Nigerian, Mr. Karl Toriola, was also
appointed CEO of MTN Cameroun. Just as several other Nigerians have since gone
on to hold strategic positions across various MTN operations.
Last line:
It is good that a Nigerian has been promoted to the post
of CEO, MTN Nigeria and one who has proved himself over the years, but as could
be obtained in some major offices, he needs the support of all Nigerians in MTN
Group and those in MTN Nigeria particularly so as to avoid any banana peel
capable of stalling the progress made so far in repositioning one of the
Nigerian brands for the world to see, while he must shun any form of confusion
and remain focus and gracious as confessed by those who know him.
DigitalSENSE Business News joins Nigerians in
congratulating Mike Ikpoki with a prayer for a successful tenure as the chief
executive officer of MTN Nigeria.
Although its often said that prophets are not worthy of recognition in their country, but with the favour MTN Group found in Michael Ikpoki, it is important that Nigerians should also accord him same, for his dream of leading the ever-growing mobile company to the next level of growth.
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!
No comments:
Post a Comment