Du, the UAE' second-biggest telecom operator, said on Tuesday that it had named Amer Kazim as its new chief financial officer, replacing longstanding incumbent Mark Shuttleworth.

Kazim is due to take up the position in December, with Shuttleworth - who has been CFO for eight years - due to stay on at the company until the end of the first quarter of 2014 to ensure a smooth transition, a bourse filing in Dubai said.

The appointment of Kazim comes at a time of a new phase of growth, which would see the firm focus on strengthening its employment of Emiratis in senior management positions, the statement said, adding Shuttleworth was stepping down to pursue other business opportunities.

Shares in du finished Tuesday 2.2 per cent higher as the wider Dubai bourse gained 0.5 per cent. - Reuters