Exposed: How ex-MTN CEO, Adrian Wood is causing trouble in 9mobile

…‘Wood’s issues border on loyalty, integrity and ghost from his past haunting him’ Following crisis that recently rocked ownership of 9mobile, formerly Etisalat Nigeria, emerging news from the network operator is that Adrian Wood, the erstwhile CEO of MTN Nigeria, has started fighting the team that took over the helm of affairs in an acting capacity while the new owners embarked on developing the long-term strategy of the company. The third largest mobile network operator in Nigeria was recently acquired by Teleology Nigeria Limited, after $251.1 million was paid recently to complete the total sum of $301 million to perfect the full takeover of Etisalat Nigeria. An insider source informed The Daily Times that Adrian Wood and a few of his colleagues who formed Teleology in Europe to acquire telecom assets are being boxed into a corner by the majority owners of Teleology Nigeria for failing to meet up to their part of the deal. The source revealed that Adrian Wood’s issues border on loyalty by him building a camp within a camp; integrity and the ghost from his past haunting him arising from circumstances surrounding his departure from MTN. But in just over a month from taking over 9mobile, the team has increased subscriber base by over one million subscribers; cut costs; improved network efficiency to compete effectively with competitors in the Nigerian market, and embarked on aggressive product development while saving hundreds of Nigerian jobs. All these have attracted the attention and admiration of telecom industry watchers but has been met with jealousy and envy by Mr. Wood. The Daily Times gathered that while Mr. Wood did not put any funds towards the project, he wanted to coerce the board to giving management contract and all executive authority to his European group, leaving them at liberty to fire the Nigerian employees. “The man is stuck in the 1990s and seems to be taking the huge experience and expertise of Nigerians in the telecoms sector for granted”, stated another insider. It would be recalled that immediately before the Australian telecom guru was axed by MTN, rumours emerged of his illicit affairs with two female staff who were embroiled in a clash over contracts irregularly awarded to them by Adrian Wood, the then CEO of the company. While this matter was handled in a hushed manner leading to his well-orchestrated exit from MTN owing to the fact that one of the staff members was a married woman, it appears that blemish has stayed to haunt the man over ten years down the line. “He is undoubtedly one of the finest commercial and technical minds in telecoms. His shortcomings largely arise from his inability to honour his word and this other weakness that has been known to bring down men of power. A detailed report on the matter will hit the headlines if the infighting continues”, said the source. Meanwhile, the new owner of 9mobile after the takeover had stated that: “Teleology is pleased to announce the constitution of a new Board of Directors for Nigeria’s multi-award-winning telecommunication company, 9mobile, following the successful completion of the tenure of the former Board appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and in fulfillment of the consequential transfer of final ownership to the new investors, Teleology Nigeria Limited.” The document, which was signed by a new Non-Executive Director, Mohammed Edewor, stated further: “We thank all out-going members of the Board for helping to shepherd 9mobile through the critical transition phase it has passed through since July 2017 and wishes them the very best in their future assignments. “For us, the composition of the new Board of Directors is another significant milestone, and this follows the issuance of final approval of no objection by the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to the effect that the technical and financial bids Teleology submitted for 9mobile met and satisfied all the regulatory requirements. This is indeed the dawn of a new era in the evolution of the 9mobile brand in the Nigerian market”, it added. The new Board of Directors of the telecommunication company are Nasiru Ado Bayero, Chairman; Asega Aliga, Non-Executive Director; Adrian Wood, Non-Executive Director; Mohammed Edewor, Non-Executive Director; Winston Ndubueze Udeh, Non-Executive Director; Abdulrahman Ado, Executive Director and Stephane Beuvelet, Acting Managing Director. The new Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero welcomed the appointment, stating, “As we begin this new epochal phase, we wish to thank all the employees who built this viable business. Our debt of gratitude also goes to our subscribers even as we assure them to get ready for real best-in-class additional value for their relationship with the 9mobile brand. Without you, there could not have been a 9mobile business for us to invest in today. We will justify your confidence in our brand by making significant investments that will improve the value you get for using 9mobile.” Motolani Oseni