Vodacom's former CEO Alan Knott-Craig is in talks with SA's third largest cellular operator, Cell C, he confirmed to ITWeb this morning.
Cell C has been without a CEO since Lars Reichelt left the company suddenly in the middle of July. Chairman Simon Duffy has been acting in his position since then, and previously indicated the company may go global in its search for a new CEO.
Yesterday, rumours were doing the rounds that Knott-Craig may be appointed to fill the position.
Reichelt was appointed as Cell C's CEO in March 2009, taking over running the company from Jeffrey Hedberg, who left to head Telkom's Multi-Links operations. Hedberg later became Telkom's acting CEO, before leaving the company at the end of March.
Knott-Craig says he is in tentative discussions with “a few” companies, among which is Cell C. However, he says there is currently nothing firm on the table.
Vodacom's former CEO is still restrained from working for any company in the ICT industry until the end of March next year. This forms part of a deal between him and Vodacom to continue to render services for two years after stepping down from the company.
“This agreement prohibits me from working in any way for any company in the ICT industry in South Africa, and in effect totally prohibits me from seeking employment in my field of expertise,” he said.
Knott-Craig says any deal may be wrapped up early next year, but “right now, I'm lying on the beach”. He says he is keen to move back into the telecoms sector, in which he has worked for his entire career.
“I'll stick to what I know, or continue being a pensioner, which is quite fine too.”
Knott-Craig was CEO of SA's first cellular operator Vodacom from 1994 to 2008, a position he took up after being a senior GM at Telkom. He retired in September 2008, but remained available as a consultant.
Cell C declined to comment on speculation or rumour.
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