Vodafone Qatar, a venture between Vodafone Group Plc and state-controlled Qatar Foundation, said its Chief Executive Officer Grahame Maher died. He was 51.
Chief Financial Officer John Tombleson will be the acting chief executive, the company said in an e-mailed statement.
Australia-born Maher died of a heart attack, a company spokeswoman said. He led Vodafone Qatar since 2008, managing the company through a $1 billion initial public offering and the rollout of service to the public last year. The company, which achieved a customer base of 600,000 in September out of a population of about 1.6 million, became the first domestic competitor to Qatar Telecom QSC.
“Grahame himself made a difference to the lives of everyone he touched,” the company said. “He was a great CEO, coach, mentor, and friend. We will all sorely miss his inspiration and vision, his passion and energy, and his love for all the people he worked with.”
Maher is survived by his wife Jenny and daughters Jessica and Kate, the company said.