Jonathan Marchbank has been appointed as Virgin Mobile SA’s new CEO. This follows the news last month that the group has sold a stake in its SA operation to Middle Eastern mobile virtual network operator Friendi Group.

Marchbank will fill the position left vacant when Steve Bailey resigned in May. Bailey left to take up the position of chief commercial officer at Glo Mobile, the second largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria, a position he has since left over a salary dispute.

Marchbank previously headed up Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa Group’s activities in Asia. Before that he was Virgin Mobile USA’s chief operating officer. He has also served as CEO of Virgin Mobile in Australia and Asia.

Before joining Virgin Mobile, Marchbank was the MD of Australian operator Telstra’s mobile business. Marchbank also spend a decade as the MD at Nokia and Philips in Asia and Australia.

Virgin Mobile SA, which piggybacks on Cell C’s network, has had a hard time winning market share in the saturated SA market. In its announcement of Marchbank’s appointment, the company suggests he has been brought in to reinvigorate and rejuvenate it’s SA business.

“I will spend the remainder of the year leading the planning and execution of our new go-to-market strategy, a process that is already well underway and which will re-energise the Virgin Mobile business and brand in SA with a view to strongly accelerating growth over the next few years,” Marchbank says. — (c) 2012 NewsCentral Media