The UAE’s Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) has appointed Saleh Abdullah al-Abdooli as CEO, replacing Hatem Dowidar, who was appointed as acting CEO in early March, following the departure of Ahmad Julfar.

Al-Abdooli was the CEO of Etisalat’s UAE operations from 2012, and prior to that, led the firm’s Egyptian subsidiary, Etisalat Misr, for five years starting in 2007. Apart from his new role as group CEO, Al-Abdooli is also the deputy chairman of the board of directors and chairman of the executive committee of Etisalat Misr.

Etisalat is undergoing a restructuring process, which is scheduled to be completed by June this year.

It is understood the group’s international operations have been under pressure from increased competition and domestic currency fluctuations.

Etisalat used to have a monopoly in its home market before the entry of Du in 2006. Its Saudi subsidiary, Etihad Etisalat (Mobily), has been struggling and had to restate its 2014 financial results after accounting errors, which has affected the group’s profitability.

Etisalat’s net profit for 2015, after Federal royalty, fell 6.7 per cent from the previous year, reaching AED8.3bn ($2.6bn), although revenues increased by 5.9 per cent to reach AED51.7bn.

The company’s shareholders have approved full-year 2015 dividends of 80 fils a share.