Telecoms service provider Airtel has appointed Alain Roger Pierre Coefe as the new chairman of the board for its Burkina Faso operations, the Indian telecoms firm has announced.

According to reports, Coefe’s experience in the telecoms industry spans over 17 years.

He has held positions in government as well as ministerial posts in the departments of trade, transport, communication, and planning and development.

After his tenure in government, Coefe held several senior positions at the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Gabon, Congo and Guinea, according to reports.

Airtel’s chief executive officer for the Francophone region in Africa, Tiemoko Coulibaly, said: “Coefe’s mandate is to guide the local management team as it expands its operations, ushering a new 3G era whilst ensuring a smooth transition following the launch of the platform.”

Airtel Burkina Faso launched its 3G network in May this year.

Airtel operates in 17 African countries and has a customer base of more than 63.7 million, according to its end of quarter results on 31 March 2013.