JSE-listed technology group Altech has lost two of its most senior executives.

James Rutherfoord, Altech’s group executive for telecommunications, has left to head up Nokia in West Africa.

And chief technology officer Ashraff Paruk has also quit, TechCentral has learnt.

Paruk could not be reached for comment on Wednesday afternoon, and all an Altech spokesman would say about Paruk when asked for comment is that the group “cannot comment on market speculation”.

The departure of the two executives follows the resignation earlier this year of chief operating officer Andy Baker, who was recently named as CEO of one of Autopage Cellular’s biggest rivals, Reunert subsidiary Nashua Mobile, where he replaced Chris Scoble.

Boyd Chislett is the new MD of Altech Autopage Cellular

Rutherfoord has relocated to Nigeria, where he’s been appointed to head up Nokia’s operations in the region. He’s no stranger to West Africa, having worked previously for MTN in Nigeria for five years.

Rutherfoord was most recently MD of Autopage Cellular, Altech’s largest subsidiary, where he took over from Stephen Blewitt, who is now a senior executive at Telkom.

Autopage Cellular remains a crucial subsidiary of Altech’s. It contributed more than 60% of Altech’s revenue of R9,3bn in the 2010 financial year.

Altech, led by CEO Craig Venter, has appointed former MTN Service Provider Company GM Boyd Chislett as the new MD of Autopage Cellular. Chislett has 15 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral