Friendi appoints man in Africa

Pan-regional mobile virtual network aspirant Friendi Mobile has appointed Mounir Qalam as senior vice president for business development with responsibility for the company’s activities in Africa and Mediterranean region. Qalam will be based out of Casablanca, where a representative office will officially open in February.

Mounir Qalam will spearhead Friendi Mobile’s efforts in Africa, and he will be based in Casablanca

Prior to joining Friendi Mobile, Qalam was executive VP at Wana Corporate in Morocco, heading up Wana Entreprises, the B2B business unit of Wana Corporate. He was also CEO of Wana Oteo. Wana is a new entrant alternative operator in Morocco seeking to offer residential and corporate customers a full range of fixed and mobile services.

Founded in early 2006, Friendi’s original coverage spanned 14 markets across the Middle East and North Africa, though CEO Mikkel Vinter says opportunities arising in sub-Saharan Africa as well as in South Asia have prompted the company to widen its area of interest.

“Today we have business development projects ongoing in more that 20 countries, and as we are working with local partners and mobile operators from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia more and more, we decided to add some dedicated resources to look after these regions,” Vinter said. “We have now opened an office for our African activities and it is based in Casablanca.”