MTN Group and MTN South Africa have appointed David Behr as the new Chief Executive for the ICT Centre of Excellence (CoE), effective 1 November 2023.
Behr, a highly acclaimed industry veteran with over two decades of experience, has extensive expertise in the enterprise arena, including enterprise cloud, cyber security, IOT solutions and platform development, amongst others.
In the context of ICT enterprise, a CoE is a centralised unit within an organisation that’s responsible for developing and promoting best practices, processes and standards for the business. Importantly, CoEs also drive platform and solution development, to deploy to business units for execution and customer implementation.
Behr’s experience in developing CoEs will help MTN achieve the enterprise scale it requires across its nineteen operating markets.
With a remarkable career in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, Behr brings a wealth of expertise and a distinguished track record of innovative leadership to MTN.
MTN Group Chief Operating Officer, Jens Schulte-Bockum, emphasises the value of high-performing Centres of Excellence for enterprise customers.
“ICT solutions specifically designed to service enterprises is undoubtedly one of the most fast-developing and ever-evolving sectors within business today. By pulling together best-in-class multidisciplinary specialists, we can drive thought leadership and guarantee fast task execution while enhancing our organisation’s capabilities. This is a powerful value-add to our customers who always expect cutting-edge solutions from us, to help their businesses thrive,” Schulte Bockum says.
MTN’s Ambition 2025 hinges on the development of world-class ICT solutions, a crucial component of portfolio transformation and the creation of valuable digital platforms. According to MTN, Behr’s appointment perfectly aligns with these strategic objectives, particularly in maximising its strategic alliance with “hyperscalers” and other essential partners.
Behr founded one of Zimbabwe’s initial Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in 1995, nurturing it to become the largest in the country. In 2012, he joined Liquid Intelligent Technologies, contributing significantly to its growth and evolution. He is currently CEO of Liquid C2, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping the organisation’s achievements, further cementing his reputation as a visionary leader. Behr will succeed Vaughn Naidoo, who held the interim position.
Behr’s academic achievements include an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Master of Science in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Bristol in the UK.
