Kcell Appoints Rainer Rathgeber as its New CEO

Rainer Rathgeber has been appointed CEO of Kcell JSC and will replace Arti Ots who has headed the company since 2014.

Rainer Rathgeber has extensive experience from the telecommunications industry and has worked for T-Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, as COO at the Etisalat Group and most recently as CEO of Ufone, a subsidiary of Pakistan Telecom. Rathgeber will take up the position as CEO of Kcell JSC as soon as all necessary work permits are in place.

Mansur Khamidov, Vice President Fintur Markets at Telia Company, will be CEO of Kcell from mid-August when Arti Ots leaves Kcell, until Rathgeber takes up the position.

“We are delighted that Rainer will be taking the role as CEO of Kcell. His vast international experience in the telecommunications sector across a range of markets will contribute immensely to the company’s growth and development,” says Jan Rudberg, Chairman of Kcell’s Board of Directors. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Arti Ots for his dedicated work and contribution to the company. His experience and leadership skills have been invaluable to Kcell during the last four years in a very challenging business environment,” continues Rudberg.

“Arti Ots has been a highly valued colleague in our Eurasian team for several years and in different roles. I now look forward to sitting down with him to discuss alternative future career options,” says Emil Nilsson, Senior Vice President and Head of Cluster Lithuania, Estonia and Denmark, and Region Eurasia.

The appointment of a new CEO of Kcell does not change Telia Company’s ambition to exit Region Eurasia.

Telia Company owns a 60.4 percent direct and indirect stake in Kcell which is listed at the London Stock Exchange and the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange.