The company said Hans Wijayasuriya’s responsibilities to Axiata will continue, including the execution of a transition programme while he makes himself available for the Sri Lankan government’s digital transformation initiatives on an advisory and non-executive basis.

Wijayasuriya, a group executive director, heads Axiata’s pan-region telecommunications operations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

He also served on the board of directors of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association, the governing body of the global mobile industry.

Axiata chairman Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said Wijayasuriya, in his 30 years with Axiata and its predecessor Telekom Malaysia has been a pivotal force in shaping the company’s strategic direction.