(Ecofin Agency) - The jury of the ATP Awards which rewards entities and personalities who distinguished themselves in the telecommunications field from 2014 to 2015, gave its verdict yesterday, 8^th October 2015, in Abidjan-Côte d’Ivoire, on the margin of the 11^th edition of the African Telecom People Forum.

Cameroonian Freddy Tchala, new Managing Director of MTN in Côte d’Ivoire, was chosen by the jury as the Best African Manager of the year. The award is for his leadership at the helm of the local subsidiary of MTN in Congo Brazza, the president of the ATP Awards 2015 jury explained.

This year, the number of awards moved from 16 to 7. The jury reserved 3 performance prizes for private or public entities and 4 awards to the best initiatives or personalities in the ICT world. “In effect, the technological concurrence has almost eliminated the difference between a telephone operator and an internet access provider. The jury thus thought it best to merge the best operator, best internet access provider and best alternative operator categories to suit the reality of the moment”, the president of the jury explained.

In 2013 already, a first reform had moved the number of awards from 20 to 16, divided in 12 awards based on location and 4 special awards.