Ericsson appoints Patrick Johansson as head of MEA

Swedish ICT company, Ericsson, has appointed a new senior VP and head of its market area for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), with Patrick Johansson taking up the job on August 1, 2024, to replace Fadi Pharaon.

Johansson is currently head of business control and operations at Ericsson's business area for cloud software and services and will run the MEA business from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In May 2024, Ericsson announced that Pharaon was leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Pharaon had led the MEA business since 2019 and had worked for Ericsson for 26 years.

Ericsson said Johansson's background spans across multiple business and market areas having lived in Sweden, Korea, India, Austria, China and Vietnam since joining Ericsson in 1997.

His previous work experience includes roles as global head of sales and commercial management for business area networks, head of the customer unit for Korea as well as several executive finance and business roles.

In May 2024, Ericsson announced that MEA head Fadi Pharaon was leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. (Source: Africa Tech Festival).

"Patrick has extensive understanding of our technology and business strategy which are two crucial and contributing factors to continue securing our leading industry position. I’m very pleased that he has accepted this role and look forward to having him on the Executive Team," said Ericsson President and CEO Börje Ekholm of his appointment.

Johansson said he was thrilled to be offered the opportunity and looked forward to meeting customers and partners and working with the Ericsson MEA team.

"Ericsson is at the epicenter of the latest technology trends where networks are the foundation when businesses and societies digitalize," he said.

Want to know more? Sign up to get the weekly Connecting Africa newsletter direct to your inbox.

In January 2024, Ericsson also appointed Majda Lahlou Kassi as the VP and head of Ericsson West Africa and Morocco.

*Top image is of Ericsson's new senior VP and head of its market area for MEA Patrick Johansson. (Source: Ericsson).

— Paula Gilbert, Editor, Connecting Africa