OREANDA-NEWS. Mobile TeleSystems OJSC (“MTS” or “the Company” - NYSE: MBT), the leading telecommunications provider in Russia and the CIS, announces the departure of Dr. Michael Hecker, MTS Vice President for Strategy, M&A and Corporate Development, Member of the Executive Board.

On December 19, 2013, MTS Board of Directors terminated the authority of Dr. Michael Hecker, MTS Vice President for Strategy, M&A and Corporate Development, Member of the Executive Board, effective January 09, 2014. Dr. Hecker was appointed Vice President, Head of Strategy, at Sistema JSFC (LSE: SSA), the largest publicly-traded diversified holding company in Russia and the CIS and the parent company of MTS.

Remarked Andrei Dubovskov, President and Chief Executive Officer of MTS, “Michael has been instrumental in the growth and development of MTS. Michael joined MTS at a time when the market and company were going through great changes. His contribution helped facilitate our transition from a provider of basic voice services to more diverse, data-driven products and services. At the same time, we have evolved from a mere provider of mobile services to a fully integrated telecommunications provider while greatly improving our organizational capabilities. We fully support Michael's interest in broadening his exposure to industries and businesses beyond telecommunications, and we are grateful that he will continue his contribution to MTS's development in his new role at Sistema JSFC.”

Biography

Dr. Michael Hecker joined MTS in 2006. From 2000 to 2006, Dr. Hecker worked at the consulting firm A.T. Kearney Europe, focusing on strategy, marketing and finance in telecommunications and consumer goods industries. Prior to that, he worked as a junior lawyer in Berlin and Brandenburg (Germany).

Dr. Michael Hecker graduated in International Politics and Administration from the Pierre-Mendes-France University of Grenoble (France) and is a graduate in Law (1. and 2. German State Examination) and Modern History (M.A.) of the University of Gottingen (Germany), where he also holds a PhD in Constitutional History.