Vivek Sood Appointed As The New Group CEO & Managing Director of Axiata

“Hard work and determination equals success. Nothing comes easy. Put your mind to something.” – Kevin Hart

Vivek Sood has been named managing director and group CEO by Axiata Group Bhd, effective from Friday (March 24). He previously served as the organization’s chief financial officer (CFO) and joint temporary group CEO.

The telco group remarked in a statement that Vivek is an experienced telecommunications (telco) executive with over two decades of industry expertise in numerous countries. With this newly helmed role at Axiata, Vivek will lead the company’s strategic growth initiatives, including the expansion of 5G and digital infrastructure and service offerings.

Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, the Axiata’s chairman mentioned that the board members are happy to appoint Vivek as its new group CEO and for Hans to take the executive director post, adding that their track record of success as the group’s joint-interim CEOs puts them in the ideal position to lead Axiata into the future and ensures continuity of its strategies.

Vivek’s joint-interim CEO partner, Dr Hans Wijayasuriya was appointed group executive director and CEO of the group’s telco business. Meanwhile, as for the CFO post, Axiata said the group’s chief corporate development officer Lila Azmin Abdullah will be taking over the position from Vivek.

Vivek’s journey in this telco world

Vivek who holds a Bachelor in Commerce, becomes a Qualified Chartered Accountant of India in 1989. He conducted his Accountancy and Audit Training in Pricewaterhouse. Before joining Axiata, Vivek led a number of multidisciplinary and multi-cultural teams as EVP and Group Chief Marketing Officer of Telenor, CEO of Grameenphone Bangladesh, CEO of Telenor India, CFO of Telenor India and COO and CFO of Tata AIA Life Insurance.

He has played the role of change agent through leading the transformation of a large telco, in becoming a Digital Service provider and developing new services over and above the connectivity layer. He gained diverse global knowledge through his responsibilities across Asian and European markets, leading teams from multiple cultures and backgrounds.