The real Cell C CEO, Lars Reichelt, will be leaving the company with immediate effect according to the company’s board. Reichelt joined Cell C two-and-a-half years ago and has since commuted extensively between South Africa and Switzerland, where his family lives. According to a statement, his resignation is for personal reasons.

In a statement released shortly after the announcement, the mobile phone operator had the following to say:

Lars has indicated his wish to resign for personal reasons and, after discussions about the way forward, the board has agreed to accept his resignation.

During his two and a half year tenure at the helm of the company, Lars has led the much needed transformation and has strategically positioned Cell C for future growth.

While under his tenure, the company has undergone a rebranding process, improved upon its mobile broadband network and cut its mobile data rates significantly.

Cell C has appointed Simon Duffy, chairman of the company, to serve as acting CEO until a successor is appointed and Reichelt will remain on for a period to act in an advisory role.

Reichelt said of his move:

The Cell C crew has made incredible strides over the past few years and I am very proud to have led that process. I am confident the company, supported by its strong management team, is well-positioned for continued growth, and have agreed to be available in an advisory capacity.

The newly appointed Duffy had nothing but praise for the outgoing CEO:

The directors and I wish to thank Lars for his contribution to the restructuring of the company and for his strategic input and leadership in moving Cell C to the forefront of the mobile broadband market.

We wish him success for the future and will be looking to the new CEO to drive and implement the company’s strategy in the next phase of its development.

Lars told TechCentral in an interview after the announcement that his decision to leave “saddens [him] immensely,” and that he loved “this country and this crew.”

[Source: TechCentral]