(Telecompaper) Nokia Siemens Networks has combined its business units in the Middle East and Africa into a new single regional organization structure covering the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The company announced that Igor Leprince, who was leading the company's business in the Middle East until 31 December 2012, has assumed the role of head of MEA from 1 January. With this change, Nokia Siemens Networks is expanding its Asia and Middle East regional cluster to include business in Africa. Continuing under the leadership of executive board member Ashish Chowdhary, the new Asia, Middle East & Africa cluster (AMEA) will manage the company's customer operations in MEA, India, Asia Pacific, Greater China and Japan. The move will allow the company to serve better its large multi-country operators such as Bharti Airtel, Etisalat, Qtel, Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Vodacom and Zain in a more integrated manner both within the MEA region and across AMEA operations. Nokia Siemens Networks operates in 30 countries in the combined MEA region.