Alan Knott-Craig has stepped down as CEO of Cell C following the stroke he suffered in November last year. Jose Dos Santos, who had been running the company in an acting capacity in Knott-Craig’s absence, will take the reins at the company on a permanent basis with immediate effect.
Knott-Craig is not lost to Cell C, however. In a statement, the company’s chairman, Mohammed Hariri, says he has agreed to stay on as an executive director. In his new role, he will consult to and advise Cell C on matters not only related to Cell C, but also to parent company Oger Telecom.
“Alan has made a remarkable recovery since he suffered a stroke in November last year and has officially been back at the company since 5 May 2014,” Hariri says. “I am very pleased that Alan has agreed to take up this new role, as his wealth of experience in the telecommunications industry is an invaluable asset for the group at large.”
Knott-Craig joined Cell C on 1 April 2012 and set about shaking up the company – and the industry – with a series of product changes and price cuts that led to a price war in South Africa’s mobile industry. “Without his visionary leadership, Cell C would not have been the strong competitor that it is today,” Hariri says in the statement.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Jose Dos Santos and the entire management team of Cell C for their incredible leadership and support during Alan’s absence and for ensuring the company stays on track during a time that has seen considerable changes in the South African mobile industry,” he adds. — (c) 2014 NewsCentral Media