Vodafone Egypt chairman Ian Gray moved to the top spot at Vodafone Qatar, as current CEO Kyle Whitehill left “to pursue other opportunities”.

The Qatari operator, in which Vodafone has a 23 per cent stake, is struggling with its performance, as reflected in its most recent financial results, which showed declining revenue and a net loss.

Gray (pictured) served on the board of the Egyptian operator for more than 14 years, including time as CEO.

He will have his hands full in his new position. Vodafone Qatar’s revenue in the six months to end September fell by seven per cent to QAR1.1 billion ($300 million). The company reported a net loss of QAR213 million.

Vodafone Qatar is one of two operators in the country but its 1.5 million mobile connections means it lags market leader Ooredoo. The larger rival has 3.2 million mobile connections.

At the time of the results, Vodafone Qatar chairman, H.E Sheikh Khalid Bin Thani Al-Thani, said the operator’s performance was the result of “aggressive price competition”. However, he noted positive trends in the most recent three month period and expected stronger results in the second half of the year.

The chairman highlighted what attributes Gray brings to his new job: “I am sure that Ian’s rich experience will ensure that Vodafone continues to bring better value and world class customer experience to Qatar.”

He also had a few words for Whitehill, who joined the Qatari operator in June 2013, having worked for Vodafone in various roles since 2001: “I’d also like to thank Kyle for his efforts and wish him the best in all his future endeavours.”