Bahrain’s Batelco Group has named Ihab Hinnawi as its acting chief executive after the departure of Alan Whelan, who had assumed the role in April 2014.

Batelco Group, Bahrain’s international telecommunications group with operations across 14 countries, has announced a change in its group leadership.

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad bin Abdulla Al Khalifa has announced that Group CEO Alan Whelan is leaving the company and that Ihab Hinnawi, who holds the role of CEO at Batelco’s sister company Umniah in Jordan, will be appointed as the group’s acting CEO.

Hinnawi joined Umniah as chief executive in 2009, drawing on over 20 years of extensive managerial experience. Prior to assuming the CEO role at Umniah, Hinnawi was General Manager Enterprise Division at Batelco Bahrain. In 2004, he helped establish Umniah and continued to work there as the operations director until 2007.

Shaikh Hamad and the board of directors extended their thanks to Whelan for his efforts and wished him well in his future endeavors. No reason for Whelan’s departure was given.

Last week Batelco reported a 22% increase in fourth-quarter profits, thanks to cost cuts and a boost to the bottom line at its domestic and some foreign operations.

The company’s 2014 revenues rose 5% to BHD 389.7 million, with operations outside Bahrain providing 58% of the total. The group’s subscriber base rose 6% year-on-year to about 9.5 million.