Fresh off its Telenor deal, PPF Group has the potential to shake-up the central and eastern European (CEE) mobile operator market if it follows the same strategy it pursued after making acquisitions in other sectors, Bloomberg said.

Earlier this week, the company agreed a €2.8 billion deal for Telenor’s units in four countries. It already owns O2 Czech Republic after acquiring the operator from Telefonica in 2013.

Financial analyst J&T Banka Milan Vanicek told Bloomberg PPF Group had a reputation for “nimble and aggressive” investments in its other businesses – which cover a wide number of sectors including finance, media and broadcast.

He added it also had a history of creating differentiation by introducing new services and optimising its wider operations.

The company is backed by billionaire Petr Kellner, said by Bloomberg to be the richest man in the east of the EU.

After completion of the deal for Telenor’s units in Hungary, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Serbia, expected in Q3 2018, PPF Group will lock horns with subsidiaries of Deutsche Telekom (DT), A1 Telekom Austria and Vodafone Group.

GSMA Intelligence figures for the end of 2017 put Telenor as second in the market by connections in three of the countries and leader in the smaller market of Montenegro.

In a statement announcing its Telenor deal, PPF telecoms chief Ladislav Bartonicek said the company planned to become a mid-sized European operator.