• With a strong technology  background, incoming GM to focus on more innovation    

• Claude Bassil moves to a senior management position in Zain Group

 

Beirut, Kuwait City – 27 May, 2014 

 

Zain Group, the pioneer in mobile telecommunications across the Middle East and Africa, announces the appointment of Wassim Mansour as General Manager (GM) of ‘touch’ in Lebanon, the mobile operation Zain manages on behalf the Lebanese government. Mr. Mansour succeeds Claude Bassil, who will be moving to a senior management role within Zain Group.

 

Prior to this appointment as GM of ‘touch’, Mr. Mansour held the position of Chief Advisor to the Zain Group CEO for the past 18 months during which time he temporarily served as CEO of Zain South Sudan, successfully transforming the operation to being the leading mobile operator in the country. Mr. Mansour’s experience in the telecom sector extends to a period spanning longer than 20 years, with senior regional management positions held at globally renowned technology solution and innovation entities.

 

Mr. Mansour’s appointment becomes effective immediately, and will see him looking to continue the healthy foundation of success laid by Mr. Bassil, who has been at ‘touch’ for the whole 10 year period that Zain has been managing the mobile operation, having served as the GM since January 2008. Prior to that, he served as Chief Commercial Officer between May 2006 and December 2007, and as Chief Information Officer between June 2004 and April 2006. 

 

Commenting on the appointment, Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer said: “With Wassim Mansour’s strong background in technology and management, and with the committed support of all of Zain Group resources, I have every confidence he is the right person to take Zain’s managed operation in Lebanon to the next level.”     

 

Gegenheimer continued: “I would also like to express my profound gratitude to Claude Bassil for the phenomenal work he has done at ‘touch’ over the 10 years he has been at the company. Through his vision and efforts since becoming GM, ‘touch’ has become the leading mobile operator in the country and has earned a reputation for quality and professionalism. While he will be sorely missed at the operation, we are very happy to have him joining us at the Group level, and for us to continue benefiting from his experience and expertise.”

 

The incoming GM of ‘touch’, Wassim Mansour commented: “I am honored to be given this opportunity to continue my rewarding journey with Zain. ‘touch’ is a part of the landscape in Lebanon and I feel a strong sense of responsibility to continuing working closely with the Telecom Ministry to maintain the mobile operation’s high standards and take it to new heights of innovation and service. My colleague Claude has done an incredible job at ‘touch’ and he leaves behind a company that is the market and technology leader in the country and is skillfully staffed for further growth and success.”

 

Zain has been managing ‘touch’ since June 1, 2004.The operation has a leading 53 per cent customer market share serving over two million customers and has rolled out 3G services nationwide and 4G services in parts of the country, offering customers the widest choice of mobile and data services in Lebanon.