Following nearly four decades of service to Dhiraagu and the nation, Ismail Rasheed is retiring as chief executive officer and managing director of the company, prompting the announcement of senior management changes. In response to the retirement decision, Valdemar “Valde” Ferradaz has joined the telecommunications company on 1 July as the chief executive officer designate, a press release issued by Dhiraagu stated.
A founding team member upon the company’s 1988 establishment, Ismail orchestrated sweeping initiatives to cultivate national digital connectivity, the firm observed. His tenure oversaw critical expansions, encompassing a network rollout programme connecting every inhabited island, the introduction of GSM mobile services, and the 2006 installation of submarine cable systems. Managing the 2011 initial public offering, he subsequently assumed the chief executive role in 2015, catalysing structural transformations that culminated in 100 per cent Fibre-to-the-Home coverage nationwide, the organisation noted.
Ferradaz, a South African national possessing over 30 years of international leadership experience, is anticipated to deliver extensive expertise in mobile and fixed telecommunications, the company indicated. The incoming and outgoing executives will collaborate closely during a transitional phase designed to proceed without disruption to daily business operations. Stakeholder confidence will be preserved, and long-term corporate strategies will remain entirely unaltered, the board of directors affirmed.