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Shukov joins when SSTL has set a target to break even in India by the second quarter of 2015.
Last month, it had bought fresh spectrum under the 800 MHz band in eight circles through an auction. It has announced plans to provide 4G (fourth generation) LTE services, where it would have to compete with established entities such as Bharti Airtel and new entrants like Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio. Sistema has also said it would be investing about $200 million (Rs 1,090 crore) to roll out 4G LTE.
The current president and CEO, Vsevolod Rozanov, who came to lead the Indian operations in October 2008, will move to Sistema JSFC headquarters in Moscow, in a senior role, said the company.
The details of this role would be announced later by Sistema JSFC. Rozanov is credited for setting up SSTL’s operations in India, implementing a data-centric, voice-enabled strategy, developing the MTS India brand, and successfully navigating a series of challenging legal and regulatory issues after the 2G spectrum scam.
Shukov earlier worked as head of sales in Tele2, Russia’s leading mobile operator. He has 20 years of work experience and started his career as an engineer.
He is a MTS veteran and was previously CEO of MTS Turkmenistan and MTS Uzbekistan.
“Rozanov’s leadership and strategic direction was immensely valuable and positioned the company among the top three data operators in India. We look forward to working with him in Sistema,” said Vladimir Evtushenkov, chairman of the Board of Sistema JSFC.
“Shukov has a wealth of operational experience, business acumen and inspirational leadership needed to spearhead SSTL's next phase of growth,’ added Mikhail Shamolin, president, Sistema JSFC.
In March, SSTL won 3.75 MHz of spectrum in each of eight circles — Delhi, Kolkata, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh (West) and West Bengal for Rs 3,639 crore. The company already has operations in the Rajasthan circle. SSTL plans a version of 4G technology that can work only in 1.4 MHz of spectrum. The company has 10.6 million subscribers, of which 1.2 mn are data subscribers.
The company had entered India in 2008 and has reportedly invested around $3.6 billion (Rs 19,000 crore) here.
