Axiata Group names Cambodia CEO as group chief strategy and tech officer

Axiata Group has appointed Smart Axiata's CEO Thomas Hundt as its group chief strategy and technology officer. In his role, Hundt (pictured) will be pivotal in driving group-wide innovation and technological advancement in the region. He will also be instrumental in securing new and long-term growth opportunities as the company strengthens its top management to deliver its digital transformation agenda. Hundt would step down from his CEO position and relocate from Cambodia to Kuala Lumpur. In the meantime, Smart Axiata's CFO Feiruz Ikhwan will assume the role of acting CEO. 

As CEO of Smart Axiata since 2013, Hundt's leadership has been fundamental in raising the company's performance in Cambodia in the core area of operations, customer centricity, and financial standing said the group. As a result, he quickly rose up the ranks and helmed the role of group executive VP of group technology in 2020. In his VP role, Hundt focused on harnessing group-wide synergies and efficiencies for enhanced operational excellence, among others. A+M has reached out to Axiata Group for additional information about Hundt's new role.

Hundt first started as the CEO for Smart Mobile in 2008, and steered the company to successfully merge with Star-Cell in 2011, and eventually with Hello Axiata in 2013. During this period, the company quickly moved from having the number eight position to number three in the market, said Axiata's president and group CEO, Izzaddin Idris. As the company continues to move to execute the Axiata 5.0 strategy, Izzaddin added Hundt's insights and passion will come to the fore, especially in how it manages customer experiences and transitions into efficient technologies in delivering digital services across markets.

Meanwhile, Axiata Group appointed dentsu Malaysia to manage creative duties effective December 2021 following a pitch called earlier this year covering its corporate and related sub-brands. The pitch does not include its subsidiary brands such as Celcom Axiata, edotco, or Boost. Dentsu has been tasked with building Axiata's brand equity aligned to its strategic purpose of Advancing Asia and providing end-to-end communications support to strengthen its reputation with key stakeholders across the region.

Izzaddin said as one of the largest diversified telco groups serving emerging markets in Asia, Axiata is well-positioned and anchored to support digital inclusion and progress in a time when governments, businesses, and societies turn to technology and digital innovation to drive recovery and growth. 

In the meantime, Axiata Group and Telenor Asia are in advanced discussions on the merger of their Malaysian telco operations of Celcom Axiata and Digi, with both parties having an equal ownership of about 33.1% each. MergeCo will be named Celcom Digi, and Axiata and key Malaysian institutional shareholders will own more than 51% of the new entity. The proposed transaction will be finalised in the second quarter of 2021. 

Separately, Celcom Axiata has partnered with Media Prima and South Korean telecom operator LG Uplus Corp to explore potential 5G content and services cutting across VR and AR technologies for Malaysian consumers. The collaboration aims to deliver digital Korean entertainment content and local content such as travel vlogs, using AR/VR technology and 5G. 

Join ourDigital Marketing Asia conference happening from 9 November 2021 - 25 November 2021 to learn about the upcoming trends and technologies in the world of digital. Check out the agenda here.

Related articles:
Axiata Group wraps up creative pitch
Axiata subsidiary sells 5% stake in XL Axiata for RM423.5 million
XL Axiata hands digital duties to Idenya Flux
XL Axiata hands digital duties to Idenya Flux
Celcom, Media Prima and LG Uplus partner for 5G content across VR and AR
Axiata and Telenor in talks to merge Celcom and Digi