Microsoft’s new general manager for East Africa Mariam Abdullahi, a former head of operator channel for Sub Saharan Africa at Microsoft sees a huge opportunity with Lumia.
Replacing Bruce Howe who has been moved to another post within Microsoft based in Malaysia, Ms. Abdullahi says Lumia is set to be a major player in the regional smartphone market.
“The East African mobile device market is dynamic, and we are seeing a real shift from traditional mobile phones to smartphones. Microsoft are aggressively targeting this opportunity with Lumia, and we recently introduced fantastic devices like the Lumia 530 and 630, as well as the flagship 930. With the combination of great Lumia features, along with the power of Windows and key Microsoft services, we are very well placed to be a major player in the market,” said Abdullahi.
Ms. Abdullahi holds a Bachelor of Science with a special focus in Computer Science and Business from Brunel University – United Kingdom and has more than 15 years’ experience in the information, communication and technology sector. She has worked in Europe, US, Asia and Africa.
She will be in charge of Microsoft’s Mobile Device sales in East Africa and will handle marketing, sales and retail execution in key markets like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia. With her appointment and zeal, East Africa is likely to become a Lumia territory.
Last week, Microsoft launched Lumia 530 in Kenya, retailingat just KES 11,000. It’s predecessor, Lumia 520 has been the best Windows Phone handset sold so far, recording over 26.5% market share with over 12 million units sold globally. The firm has been pushing it’s Lumia brand into the East African with various product activations and the recent partnership with Orange to launch Luma 530 will push the brand further.