Cell C loses CEO Lars Reichelt

Added by Editor on 13 July 2011.
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Lars Reichelt

Cell C CEO Lars Reichelt is stepping down with immediate effect. The company’s board announced on Wednesday that Reichelt will be leaving the company.

“Lars has indicated his wish to resign for personal reasons and, after discussions about the way forward, the board has agreed to accept his resignation,” the operator says in a statement.

Speaking to TechCentral moments after the announcement of his resignation, Reichelt said his decision to leave “saddens me immensely”. “I love this country and and love this crew.”

But he says the “fundamental premise” of bringing affordable Internet access to the entire country’s population and “driving competition and innovation” in the sector remains the company’s strategic priority.

In his time at Cell C, Reichelt has commuted extensively between SA and Switzerland, where his family lives. Reichelt says he will stay on for a period of time to act in an advisory role.

The Cell C board has nominated Simon Duffy, chairman of the company, to serve as acting CEO until a successor is appointed.

Reichelt joined Cell C two-and-a-half years ago. “During his two and a half year tenure at the helm of the company, Lars has led the much needed transformation and has strategically positioned Cell C for future growth,” Cell C says.

Under Reichelt’s leadership, Cell C has built a mobile broadband network, reinvigorated the company’s brand and slashed mobile data prices.

Says Duffy: “The directors and I wish to thank Lars for his contribution to the restructuring of the company and for his strategic input and leadership in moving Cell C to the forefront of the mobile broadband market. We wish him success for the future and will be looking to the new CEO to drive and implement the company’s strategy in the next phase of its development.”

Says Reichelt: “The Cell C crew has made incredible strides over the past few years and I am very proud to have led that process. I am confident the company, supported by its strong management team, is well-positioned for continued growth, and have agreed to be available in an advisory capacity.”  — Staff reporter, TechCentral

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  • Major

    That is a huge blow for Cell C..At least CellC was making strides at a scary rate for there competitors.. 

  • Glen

    This is such sad news to hear!  It is such a big loss for Cell C, but at least, he is leaving a lasting legacy – it is the scale of the legacy that not many CEO’s have achieved in such a short time at a company.

    Good luck Lars for the future and I hope that you re-emerge into the SA telecoms industry and make the kind of difference that you did at Cell C.

    The personal reasons must of been HUGE to resign with immediate effect – it is not something taken too lightly at a company.

  • http://walterpike.com Walter Pike

    I think that its a sad loss for CellC – Good luck Lars – best wishes.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=738906350 Nicolas Callegari

    Well, Lars, it’s been a slice.  thank you for everything you’ve done to change the landscape of SA broadband.  You and your personality will be missed immensely.

  • Anonymous

    Go well Lars. You have left a legacy to be remembered in Cell c and the telecommunications industry. Eish, now i have to start networking again to get the new CEO’s contacts! I hope he will also be as accessible and helpful as you were. Hamba Kahle.

  • Pingback: PiKE’s Thinking … » CellC will miss Lars Reichelt … and so will we.

  • Gav Mag

    Too much debt from the new data deals…..perhaps?

  • Interested_in_BB

    Agreed. How sustainable is the data model that Lars has started? I seem to recall a CEO of SAA selling all the assets, getting a big bonus and departing.

  • http://www.bandwidthblog.com Minnaar Pieters

    Lars had a brilliant sense of knowing what the SA consumer wants – not only shareholders. Good luck to him.

    But Cell C – these are big shoes to fill.

  • http://www.bandwidthblog.com Minnaar Pieters

    It is becoming more sustainable every day – and the attention for the offer might have been worth it.

    Even though 8ta now beats it on price, most people still equate cheap 3G broadband with Cell C right now.

  • http://twitter.com/thewomble_za Greg Mahlknecht

    The sad thing is, all the mobile execs KNOW what consumers want, you’d have to be functionally retarded to not know they want cheaper products, but they’re slaves to the shareholders and have no long-term vision to sacrifice the short-term profits.  Between CellC and Mweb, they showed how spineless the rest of the market is.

    Just a pity about all that dodgy marketing stuff :)

  • http://www.marcelboast.com Marcel

    Lars was the “Rock Star” CEO, he made himself available and enjoyed all the publicity. He was certainly one of the reasons I switched to Cell C. Looking from the outside I enjoyed his leadership style. All the best for Cell C & Lars! Rock on man! :)

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