Kaliaropoulos sidelined

Batelco’s chairman Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa announced that Batelco’s board of directors appointed a new group CEO and the creation of a new executive role, responsible for Batelco’s growth and transformation into one of the most admired communications companies in the Middle East.

Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa has been appointed Batelco’s new group CEO while former CEO Peter Kaliaropoulos has been moved to the newly created post of CEO Strategic Assignments responsible for Batelco’s joint ventures. Current Batelco board director Murad Ali Murad is set to become the new deputy chairman of the board in place of Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa is the first national to hold the most senior role at Batelco Group and will assume responsibility for the telco on October 1, 2011.

Incoming Batelco Group CEO, Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa

Given the socio-political unrest that has been witnessed in Bahrain this year, it is unclear whether Kaliropoulos’ sidelining is as a consequence of the Bahraini establishment closing ranks at the state telco, or as a result of the downward pressure Batelco’s operating results have been under over the last few quarters due to larger-than-expected losses in its investment in India.