Kathmandu, October 17, 2025 — Ncell is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Foley as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 1 November 2025. Foley succeeds Syed MD Enamul Kabir, who had been serving in the capacity of Acting CEO. Mr. Kabir will continue to play a key role in the company as Chief
Financial Officer (CFO).
With over 20 years of senior leadership experience in the telecommunications industry, Michael Foley brings a strong track record of success across some of the sector’s most prominent companies. Before joining Ncell, Foley most recently served as Head of French Africa at Airtel, overseeing operations in seven Francophone African markets. Prior to that, he held the position of CEO of Telenor Pakistan (TP), where he led the company through a highly challenging business environment, delivering market-leading growth, profitability, and employee engagement.
His previous leadership roles also include CEO of Grameenphone (Bangladesh) and Telenor Bulgaria, where he led a significant business turnaround, growing the customer subscriber base to over 70 million and increasing EBITDA to over 60%. Foley has also served as Chairman of Tameer MicroFinance (now Easypaisa, Pakistan), Chairman of Telenor Health, and is currently Chairman of WATU DRC SA, a division of WATU, Africa’s leading asset micro-finance company.
Sharing his thoughts on the appointment, Foley stated, “I am delighted and humbled
to take on this responsibility here in Kathmandu. Ncell is a critical infrastructure
provider for the country and holds immense potential to drive digital transformation,
enhance economic competitiveness, and attract foreign investments, all while
creating new opportunities for the people of Nepal. In today’s digital, AI-powered,
and social media-driven era, telecommunications companies are not just service
providers, we are weaving the very digital fabric of society. We have become the
operating system of the modern economy. It is essential that we steward these vital
assets responsibly as we work to serve the nation, enhance our services, and, most
importantly, empower the next generation.”
The Board of Directors of Ncell expressed strong confidence in Foley’s leadership,
stating, “We are very pleased to welcome Michael to Kathmandu in this key
leadership role. His extensive experience and strategic vision will be instrumental in
guiding Ncell’s transformation and reinforcing our commitment to serving our
communities.”
Foley is a graduate of McGill University and holds executive certificates in Global
Management and Governance from INSEAD. He holds dual Canadian-Kenyan
citizenship.
About Ncell
Ncell is the first private sector telecommunications service provider of Nepal, established in
2004 and operating services since 2005. The company is constantly working towards the
goal of connecting every Nepali through our network, providing high-quality modern services
to consistently create better value for our customers and business partners.
On December 1, 2023, the United Kingdom-based Spectrlite UK Limited acquired 100
percent shares of Reynolds Holdings Limited from Axiata UK of Axiata Group Berhad.
Reynolds owns an 80 percent equity stake in Ncell.
With Spectrlite UK Limited, Ncell has become a 100 percent Nepali-origin, owned company,
and now our focus is to create value for Nepali consumers, contributing towards achieving
the aspirations of the Digital Nepal vision. Ncell is now poised with a strong commitment and
capability to diversify its digital services, innovations, investments, and a wide range of life-
enhancing services enriching the lives of millions of Nepali people.
Ncell is one of the largest taxpayers in Nepal. Ncell has contributed over Rs. 360 billion in
taxes and fees since its inception. The company has contributed over Rs. 2 billion in social
projects, implementing impactful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives through
Ncell Foundation in focus areas of Education, Environment, Health, Art and Culture,
supporting the government in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To learn more about Ncell, please visit: https://www.ncell.com.np
