DiGi.Com Berhad (“DiGi”) has announced the appointment of Sigve Brekke as its Chairman, and Non-Independent and Non-Executive Director with immediate effect succeeding Arve Johansen who returns to Telenor Headquarters in Norway as a special advisor to the President and CEO.
“We are pleased to welcome Sigve Brekke on board as our Chairman and look forward to benefiting from his strategic competence and operational knowledge. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Arve Johansen for his instrumental role in DiGi’s growth and significant contributions over the years,” said Johan Dennelind, CEO of DiGi.
On his appointment, Brekke said: “Since I first came to DiGi and Malaysia in 1999, I have taken great interest in following the outstanding development of the company. I now look forward to participating actively in the new phases that both DiGi and the Malaysian mobile and broadband market will face.”
Brekke has many years of experience in international operations. He was recently appointed as Head of Telenor Asia Region in the Telenor Group. Brekke is also the Director and CEO of Total Access Communication PLC (DTAC), a role he has held since 2002 and will hand over to Tore Johnsen on 1 September 2008.
Brekke joined Telenor in 1999 as Managing Director of Telenor Asia Pte Ltd. In his career, Brekke has served the Deputy Minister (State Secretary) of Defence in Norway in 1993, held positions at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and had an associate position at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in the USA. Under his supervision, DTAC became a major mobile operator in Thailand with 17.4 million customers (Q2 ’08).
Arve Johansen has been on the Board of DiGi since 2000 and was appointed Chairman of the Board in 2005. Johansen together with Brekke were instrumental in deciding on Telenor’s investment in DiGi.
“Leaving DiGi is obviously a bit sad, as this near decade-long experience has been truly rewarding. At the same time I am very greatful to the enthusiastic employees of DiGi and impressed and proud of what they have achieved. I wish all the best for the future to everybody in DiGi,” said Johansen.
