Digi.Com Berhad (Digi) announced that its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Albern Murty (picture) will join Telenor Group’s Executive Management team as Executive Vice President (EVP) for the Developed Asia cluster. Albern will continue to serve as Digi CEO and will now additionally oversee Telenor’s operations in Thailand (dtac) and Malaysia. The appointment takes effect on 1 August 2018.
The cluster role means Albern as Digi CEO will be represented in the Group Executive Management of Telenor, speaking on behalf of the Developed Asia cluster – Thailand and Malaysia. Telenor said that Albern’s main priority will continue to be the performance and value creation of Digi, but he will work closely with the dtac team to develop initiatives of common value and interest, aligned with the business archetype shared by the two business units.
Albern Murty has spent the last 13 years in a variety of senior executive roles in Digi. In January 2014, Albern became the Digi’s COO after serving as Chief Marketing Officer for a number of years. He is the first Malaysian to be appointed as the CEO of Digi. Before Digi, his previous experience includes business and commercial management roles in Lucent Technologies across the Asian region. Albern holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, and Bachelor of Science in Advertising Management from Portland State University, Oregon, USA.
“I am pleased to have Albern rejoin the Group Executive Management team to head up the Developed Asia cluster. Digi is a frontrunner in many ways in Telenor Group, home to many of the most digitally savvy customers and employees in the company. Albern brings this expertise to our table,” said Sigve Brekke, President and CEO of Telenor Group.
The Board of Directors of Total Access Communication PLC (dtac) has appointed Alexandra Reich as new CEO, replacing Lars Åke Norling who has already accepted a position outside Telenor Group. Lars-Åke Norling, who was also Telenor’s Cluster Head for Developed Asia, resigned back in March 2018. Alexandra Reich joined Telenor Group in November 2016, and currently serves as CEO of Telenor Hungary and Head of Telenor Group’s Central Eastern Europe cluster. She will report to Albern Murty.
At the end of 1Q18, dtac’s total subscriber base stood at 21.8 million.
Among other management changes include the appointment of Sharad Mehrotra as CEO of Telenor Myanmar, Wenche Agerup as head of Telenor Group Holdings, which will be responsible for Telenor’s investments in digital growth areas, telco-adjacent businesses and other areas like real estate and global wholesale.
Telenor Group’s Financial Services and Health sector operations, active in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar, will change reporting lines to the Emerging Asia cluster. Siri Birgitte Bang Berge has been appointed Telenor’s General Counsel who will report directly to the President & CEO.
