Moscow, Russian Federation – February 21, 2007 – Mobile Telesystems OJSC (“MTS” - NYSE: MBT), the largest mobile phone operator in Russia and the CIS, announces the appointment of Mr. Pavel Pavlovsky, Vice President of MTS, as the new Director General of UMC.
UMC’s Supervisory Board has accepted Mr. Adam Wojacki’s resignation as Director General of UMC and Head of Business unit “MTS Ukraine” effective March 30, 2007. Mr. Pavel Pavlovsky, currently Head of Business unit “MTS Foreign Subsidiaries,” will succeed Mr. Wojacki as the new head of UMC and Business unit “MTS Ukraine.”
Mr. Wojacki, UMC’s Director General since October 2005, has decided to return to his native Poland upon expiration of his work contract to continue his career in that country’s telecommunications industry. “After six years as part of UMC’s management, Adam decided to go work in Poland, and we respect his wish. UMC is in excellent financial shape and is demonstrating high growth rates – an accomplishment attributable to Adam – and we are grateful to him for his work,” said, President and CEO of MTS, Mr. Leonid Melamed.
Mr. Pavlovsky has been with MTS since 2003. Since 2006, as Vice President and Head of Business unit “Foreign Subsidiaries,” he has supervised the operations of the Company’s subsidiaries in Ukraine (up until January 1, 2007, when UMC became a separate business unit), Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, as well as our 49%-owned joint venture in Belarus. In particular, under his immediate direction, he implemented in 2006 the successful rebranding of MTS operations in three countries. Mr. Pavlovsky has been a member of UMC’s Supervisory Board since 2005.
Remarked Mr. Melamed: “The experience that Pavel gained at MTS as Head of Business unit “Foreign Subsidiaries” in the reorganization of MTS as a Group will help him implement UMC’s strategy that was approved by the Board of Directors of MTS in December 2006. He has demonstrated strong familiarity with the Ukrainian market throughout his tenure on UMC’s Supervisory Board. We are confident that Pavel will equal the task at hand.”
Commenting on his appointment Mr. Pavlovsky stated: “I am glad to have been chosen to this position, and I feel confident about the potential of MTS’ Ukrainian operations. UMC is a very strong company, and I will do my best to apply our strategy of strengthening our market positions while maintaining financial stability.”
Mr. Wojacki commented: “I am grateful to have played a role in the development of the Ukrainian wireless market, as it is one of the most dynamic markets in the world. I am saddened that I am leaving the Company, but feel that it is the right time to embark on a new career path with its own unique challenges. I wish Pavel all the best in his work and believe that he will continue the proud tradition of success of UMC.”
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Biographies
Mr. Pavel Pavlovsky was born in Leningrad in 1969. He graduated with honors from the Leningrad State University and received an MBA degree in 1999 from the INSEAD Business School. Prior to joining MTS in 2003, Mr. Pavlovsky worked for more than six years in consulting, specifically at A.T. Kearney in Moscow, as well as at Mercer Management Consulting in London. After joining MTS’ corporate development department in 2003, he participated in the implementation of the Company’s new organizational structure, including the development of its macro-regional structure. Subsequently, he headed a workgroup responsible for operations launches in the regions and rebranding of subsidiaries in Russia. From 2005, Mr. Pavlovsky worked as director of the department in charge of MTS’ foreign subsidiaries and member of UMC’s Supervisory Board. In the summer of 2006 he was appointed acting Vice President in charge of MTS’ foreign subsidiaries, from January 2007 Vice President, Head of Business unit “Foreign Subsidiaries.”
Adam Wojacki was born in Poland in 1964. He graduated with honors from the University of South Australia. Prior to joining MTS in 2001, Mr. Wojacki was marketing and sales director at ERA (a T-Mobile company), the largest GSM operator in Poland. He previously served as marketing director at Sun Microsystems Poland from 1996 to 1998. Mr. Wojacki also worked with the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) in Sidney which he joined as export consultant in 1992 and later served as the Austrade trade commissioner in Frankfurt from 1993 to1996. Adam Wojacki joined MTS in 2001 as Deputy Director General and Marketing and Sales Director for UMC, MTS’ 100%-owned subsidiary in Ukraine. In October 2005, he was appointed Director General of UMC.
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