Mentor
Matthieu Galvani
Overview
Matthieu Galvani is a globally experienced telecoms and digital executive with a distinguished career leading large-scale transformations and growth across emerging and developed markets. He currently serves as Senior Adviser and Independent Board Member to VEON group operating companies and to the Government of Togo, where he advises on broadband expansion, governance and strategic competitiveness. Alongside his advisory work, he continues to play an active role in supporting regulatory advocacy and leadership transitions at board level.
Matthieu’s executive career spans more than two decades in leadership roles within multinational telecommunications operators. Most recently, he was Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and a member of VEON’s Group Executive Committee, where he oversaw government relations, ESG policy, and advocacy strategies with regulatory bodies including the EU Commission and US Congress, while driving corporate communications for a business serving over 160 million customers. Prior to this, he served as CEO and Chair of VEON’s Algerian joint venture with the national government, steering a full-scale transformation that restored profitability, delivered 47% EBITDA, and achieved industry-first IT migrations while strengthening governance and operational efficiency.
Earlier roles include Group Chief Commercial Officer for emerging markets at VEON, providing strategic oversight across operations in Algeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Before this, he was Chief Commercial Officer at Zain Group entities in Saudi Arabia and previously held senior commercial leadership positions with Tunisie Telecom, Orascom Telecom and Vivendi’s KenCell, focusing on market expansion, business turnaround and digital innovation in complex, competitive environments.
Alongside his executive leadership, Matthieu has undertaken significant board roles across high-growth international companies, contributing to governance and transformation at scale. He has also been appointed as a Member of the French Foreign Trade Council (CCEF) by ministerial decree for his contributions to global business.
Matthieu brings deep cross-sector expertise in:
• Telecommunications & digital infrastructure – leading operators across mobile, fixed-line and broadband in competitive, high-growth markets
• Business transformation & turnaround – restoring distressed businesses to profitability through restructuring and strategic performance initiatives
• Government relations & regulatory advocacy – navigating complex political landscapes and securing policy outcomes with EU, US and emerging market stakeholders
• Board-level governance – driving strategic oversight and leadership transition for multinational, listed telecoms groups
He holds a Master’s degree in Econometrics from the University of Paris X and a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics and Energy Economics from the French Atomic Agency and University of Paris X.
PDF Profile
Download PDFMajor Career Roles
VEON’s Djezzy (Algeria)
Chief Executive Officer & Chair of the Board
VEON
Chief Corporate Affairs Officer & Group Executive Committee Member
VEON
Chief Commercial Officer Emerging Markets
Other Career Highlights
Government of Togo
Senior Adviser & Independent Board Member
VEON operating companies
Senior Adviser & Board Member
Zain (Saudi Arabia)
Chief Commercial Officer
Tunisie Telecom (Tunisia)
Chief Commercial Officer
Orascom Telecom (Algeria)
Chief Commercial Officer
Vivendi’s KenCell (Kenya)
Chief Marketing & Communication Officer
Vivendi Telecom International
M&A Manager
Jipo Consulting
Principal Consultant
Ademe
Project Manager for Solar Energy
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