Christopher Lundh has been appointed as CEO of Africell in Angola, where the company intends to build a mobile network after landing an operator’s permit this year.

Lundh joins Africell after serving five years as Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer of Afghan Wireless. He has also worked for Telecel Congo, Africa Online, and Gateway Communications.

Africell Group CEO, Ziad Dalloul described Lundh’s appointment as a major milestone for Africell and that the company will tap into Lundh’s “knowledge and experience of running successful telecoms operations in Africa and beyond” which gives him “a unique appreciation of the opportunity Africell has” as it pursues its investment in the Angolan telecommunications industry.

“Christopher’s objective is to build on the success of Africell’s other operations in Africa and to focus at all times on affordability, reliability and innovation,” said Dalloul.

Lundh said: “I am delighted to be joining Africell as the company prepares to launch mobile services in Angola. Africell has a track record of raising network standards, reducing prices, and introducing technology innovation across Africa.”

The newly appointed CEO has already met with Angolan President, Joao Lourenco who has continued to push a liberalisation agenda in the Southern African country’s telecommunications industry.

The company, banking on a recent restatement of a US$100-million investment from US-based Development Finance Corporation, says it will recruit employees for the network to be developed and rolled out over the next five years.

“Africell intends to hire thousands of local employees in the next five years,” Dalloul confirmed.

Africell operates mobile networks in the DRC, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Uganda.