Veon appointed its head of internal audit and compliance Joop Brakenhoff as CFO, succeeding Serkan Okandan (pictured), who will continue at the company as a special adviser following the expiration of his three-year contract in April.

The Netherlands-headquartered operator stated Brakenhoff’s role as CFO will take effect on 1 May, while Okandan will act as an adviser to CEO Kaan Terzioglu and Brakenhoff.

Brakenhoff joined Veon in 2019 as group director of internal audit, before being appointed chief internal audit and compliance officer the following year, a role which positioned him as a member of the company’s executive committee.

Prior to Veon, Brakenhoff held auditing roles at major companies including Heineken, Burg Industries and retail company Royal Ahold.

Veon stated Brakenhoff’s leadership had helped it maintain “high ethics and compliance standards”, and develop its business model. Terzioglu added his expertise “will help take the group to even greater heights”.

Meanwhile, the company credited Okandan as an integral part of its success, helping the company sustain a strong liquidity position and deliver satisfactory growth.

Veon is undergoing something of shake-up after securing a deal to offload its Russia unit for $1.8 billion, in a move to reduce its exposure to the country following the Ukraine invasion.