TNM plc’s CEO Michiel Buitelaar has left the mobile phone service provider following what the company’s board has termed as a mutual separation agreement.

The public listed company has disclosed this in a corporate statement  to the company’s shareholders, through the Malawi Stock Exchange.

“The Board expresses its appreciation to Mr Buitelaar for his efforts and contribution during the time he served the Company and wishes him success.

“In the meantime, the Board has appointed Mr Arnold M’bwana, the current Chief Finance Officer, as Acting Chief Executive Officer until the position is substantively filled,” said TNM’s company secretary Christina Mwanza on behalf of the board.

A leaked memo from Buitelaar to TNM employees which Kulinji.com has seen said he was leaving for personal reasons.

“I’m stepping down as CEO. I thoroughly enjoyed my position and working with you. But personal reasons have brought me to this position.

Although times are not easy, I’m confident that management and board will navigate TNM through them. Showing Malawi that TNM is the tech company to be proud of. I’m proud to have been part of it,” he said.

In April 2019, Buitelaar took over from Eric Valentine who had served for over 18 months in an acting capacity.

Buitelaar, from the Netherlands, has an MSc in Applied Mathematics and studied Business Administration.

At the time, Partridge described Buitelaar’s appointment as fitting.

“The new CEO holds vast experience from working in Belgium, The Czech Republic, Spain, France, Indonesia and (recently) Nigeria,” reads part of the statement.

The statement further said Buitelaar had experience as an executive board member at various global media companies.

Buitelaar was responsible for digital business – online media and e-commerce – and group-wide digital transformation of television, magazines and newspapers.

The statement further said Buitelaar came from a European Artificial Intelligence software provider where he was the CEO.

Source: Kulinji