Sainte-Marie will immediately assume leadership of Zain Nigeria, overseeing the company's market expansion and quest for industry leadership.
Prior to his appointment as CEO of Zain Nigeria, Sainte-Marie who has over 24 years of working experience in information technology business, was the managing director of Zain Gabon, a position he took up in March 2009.
As managing director of Zain Gabon, he helped to sustain the company's market leadership position and maintain its streak as the operation with the highest ARPU amongst ZAIN Africa operations despite the entry of a fourth mobile operator and rise in the tide of competition in the African country.
He worked in Nigeria between November 2008 and February 2009 as special adviser to the former CEO, assisting him to implement a business transformation process including culture change, a key requirement for a successful turnaround of the operation.
Sainte-Marie has also previously occupied other strategic management positions within Zain including director of operations, Middle East and previously as CEO of IRAQNA (a Zain Group acquired operation in Iraq), a position he occupied until June 2008.
He also held several senior positions in telecom companies including the position of chief financial officer of ORASCOM Telecom, Tunisia SA (OTT); chief financial officer, ORASCOM Telecom Holding S.A.E, head of budgeting controlling and planning department, France Telecom Mobile, Lebanon, S.A.L (FTML), and deputy chief financial officer, France Telecom Mobile, Lebanon, S.A.L (FTML).
