Telecommunications group MTN has named Sérigne Dioum as its head of mobile financial services. Dioum was previously chief marketing officer at MTN’s operation in Cote d’Ivoire. He takes on the new role in September.
“Dioum’s appointment comes as MTN renews its focus on value-added services in line with the company’s strategic direction,” the group says in a statement. “MTN’s new vision and mission also place greater emphasis on digital offerings and driving sustainable growth through these services.”
In his new role, Dioum will be responsible for driving MTN Mobile Money and related mobile financial services products and services across the group’s 22-country footprint.
“The continued growth and innovation of our MTN Mobile Money service is at the heart of our digital strategy,” says group chief commercial officer Pieter Verkade in the statement.
Dioum has 14 years of experience in the telecoms industry and has a qualification in telecoms engineering from France’s ENST Bretagne. He has been the chief marketing officer of MTN in Cote d’Ivoire since 2009 and during this time has acted as GM of MTN Mobile Money for the West and Central Africa region. He oversaw the launch of the MTN Mobile Money service in the region.
Dioum’s key tasks as head of mobile financial services will include product and partner management of MTN Mobile Money. Based in Ghana, Dioum and his team will also handle demand and product management of international airtime.
MTN Mobile Money is currently available in 14 countries and has more than 10m customers. It allows customers to perform a range of financial transactions using their mobile phones, including buying airtime; paying for school fees, pay-television subscriptions and utility bills; buying goods and services; and doing money transfers.
Through a partnership with Western Union, MTN Mobile Money subscribers are now able to make transactions from 450 000 locations in 20 countries around the world. — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media
