Digicel, the Caribbean-based mobile phone group founded by entrepreneur Mr Denis O'Brien, has appointed a new group chief executive officer.

Mr Raoul Fontanez joins Digicel from Orange Dominicana, a mobile phone firm operating in the Dominican Republic.

He has 20 years of experience working in the telecoms industry in the Caribbean region, where he was responsible for the expansion of several mobile firms.

Mr Fontanez will replace Mr Séamus Lynch, who served as Digicel chief executive for the past five years. Mr Lynch will now join Digicel's board of directors and work closely with Mr O'Brien to develop other telecoms opportunities, a Digicel statement said yesterday.

Mr O'Brien said Mr Lynch had been instrumental in successfully launching Digicel as the first competitor in the Jamaican mobile phone market.

Mr Lynch will work closely with Mr Fontanez during a transition period through October.

Since its launch in 2001, Digicel has become the fastest growing mobile operator in the Caribbean.

Headquartered in Kingston, Jamacia, the firm has 900 employees and is the lead sponsor of the West Indies cricket team.