Veon co-founder Augie Fabela was named chair following an AGM held today (31 May), one of seven directors approved in the meeting which also includes former US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and CEO Kaan Terzioglu.

Fabela (pictured) founded Veon with Dmitry Zimin 33 years ago before embarking on a career as an entrepreneur, including a stint leading Silicon Valley e-commerce platform start-up Fastforward.ai.

He was included in a slimmed down board appointed in 2023 after Veon moved to exit Russia.

In a Veon statement, Fabela pledged to maintain a growth strategy based on a “determination to innovate”. He said the operator today works in “some of the most dynamic emerging markets”, delivering transformational connectivity and digital services spanning finance, entertainment, health and education.

On LinkedIn, the incoming chair noted the refreshed board “brings a wide range of expertise from the private sector, public service and the political sphere”, directly referencing Pompeo.

Fabela noted digital initiatives in Pakistan, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan among Veon’s success stories, adding the operator’s potential “excites me even more today than when we were at our peak in 2008”.