MTN appoints new group COO and South Africa boss

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Africa's biggest telecommunications operator MTN Group said on Thursday it had appointed Zunaid Bulbulia as its new group chief operating officer, adding that Ahmad Farroukh would replace him as head of the company's South African operations.

As CEO of MTN South Africa, Farroukh will face growing competition in the company's home market, which has been overtaken by Nigeria as the group's biggest revenue earner.

Bulbulia will help oversee the company's growth in other lucrative markets. MTN has operations in nearly two dozen countries across Africa and the Middle East.

Bulbulia is one of the founders of MTN, while Farroukh is former CEO of MTN Nigeria, and served in a similar role at MTN Ghana.