Renowned telecom executive Ahmad Faroukh, known for his leadership roles at MTN Nigeria and other top telecom firms, has unexpectedly resigned from Globacom just a month after joining. Although the company has not issued an official statement, a senior executive has confirmed his departure, leaving industry insiders speculating on the reasons behind this surprising exit.
Ahmad Farroukh is a highly experienced telecommunications executive with over 20 years of leadership in the industry. He has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive growth, improve operations, and deliver results in competitive and challenging markets across Africa and the Middle East. At MTN Nigeria, he played a pivotal role in driving subscriber growth and expanding the company’s market share in one of Africa’s most competitive telecom landscapes. Farroukh spearheaded initiatives to improve network quality and rollout, helping MTN become the dominant player in Nigeria with tens of millions of active subscribers.
During his time at MTN South Africa, Farroukh successfully turned around the company’s operations, which had been struggling due to increased competition and operational inefficiencies. He introduced cost-cutting measures, enhanced customer experience, and implemented innovative marketing strategies that revived the company’s profitability and strengthened its foothold in the South African market.
At Airtel Africa, Farroukh’s influence focused on improving operational efficiency and enhancing network quality across multiple regions. He contributed to streamlining the company’s regional operations, enabling Airtel to better compete with market leaders in various countries. These achievements led to his recent appointment as the CEO of Globacom, which faced some inefficiencies in its operations. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)’s recent audit recently uncovered a shortfall in Globacom’s subscriber registration, which involved over 40 million inactive users. This has led to a sharp decline in Globacom’s market share, with subscriber count dropping to 19 million.
Despite high expectations for Ahmad Farouq to replicate his track record of success at Globacom and turn things around, sources close to the company suggest internal challenges may have prompted his abrupt departure. Insiders cite strategic misalignment with the company’s leadership as a potential factor. Farouq, known for his decisive and innovative approach, was reportedly keen on implementing sweeping operational reforms to transform Globacom’s competitiveness in the telecom sector. However, these plans may have faced resistance.
Globacom’s decision-making process relies heavily on input from the company’s founder, Mike Adenuga. This approach limited the autonomy typically afforded to CEOs in large telecom organizations, creating friction between Farroukh’s leadership methods and the company’s established practices. Additionally, speculation surrounds potential disagreements over resource allocation and the pace of change. Farouq’s vision for Globacom likely included leveraging his expertise in market penetration and cost optimization, yet achieving consensus in such a large, multifaceted organization often proves challenging.
The industry is now abuzz with questions about the broader implications of this departure, whether it signals deeper structural issues within Globacom or simply a misalignment between the executive and the company’s strategic direction. Farouq’s resignation is undoubtedly a significant development, leaving stakeholders and competitors watching closely to see how Globacom navigates this sudden leadership vacuum.
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Abisola Ige is a seasoned content writer with experience in crafting engaging and quality articles across various niches. She is passionate about creating impactful content that informs and inspires readers.
