Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (“du”) today announced that Mark Shuttleworth is to step down after 8 years in the role in order to pursue other business opportunities. Amer Kazim is appointed as a successor to Mark and is expected to come on board in December 2013. Mark will remain with the company till the end of the first quarter of 2014 to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities and to supervise the full year 2013 financial results.

Ahmad Bin Byat, Chairman, du, said: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank Mark for the substantial contribution he has made to the company over past eight years. Our successful IPO, subsequent refinancing efforts to support our rapid expansion and the robust operating and financial systems were guided by Mark and his team. We wish him well in his future career and appreciate his dedication and efforts.”

Osman Sultan, CEO, du added, “Mark has been an exceptional member of the senior management team and a valued contributor to the execution of du’s strategies which were set by the company  since its inception. His strong financial acumen has meant that he has been fundamental not only to the continued successful delivery of shareholder value creation, but also to the growth story of du. It has been a pleasure working with Mark and I wish him every success in the years to come.”

Amer Kazim joins du as the company enters a new phase of growth, which sees a focus on strengthening its functional staff foundation and driving Emirati talents’ efficiency, especially at its senior management level.

Ahmad Bin Byat commented: “We are happy to announce this new addition of one of our Emirati talents to our senior management team. This reinforces our national staff foundation in line with the UAE leadership strategy which aims at rebooting Emiratization through sustainable programmes and long term corporate objectives.”

Amer is an Accounting graduate from University of Colorado at Denver, USA, and has more than 18 years of experience in the financial sector. He comes to du from Dubai Airport, where he held the position of Senior Vice President Group Services for 4 years. Additionally, he previously worked in Meeras Holdings, as Group Chief Financial Officer and as Senior Vice President Finance for Emirates Airlines Group before that. He is experienced in corporate services, treasury, budgeting and investment administration, corporate finance and strategic capabilities optimization, making him the ideal choice for this high level strategic position in du.