JOHANNESBURG, Aug 13 – Vodacom has appointed former Airtel Africa CEO Segun Ogunsanya as an independent non-executive director as the telecom company prepares to carry out the next phase of its Vision 2030 strategy and expand its business beyond traditional mobile services.
Ogunsanya will join the Vodacom board on October 9, 2026, bringing more than 35 years of experience in finance, banking, telecommunications and corporate leadership after spending more than a decade as the head of Airtel Africa, where he served as group CEO from 2012 until his retirement in June 2024.
Before joining Airtel Africa, Ogunsanya held senior positions at Coca-Cola businesses in Africa and Ecobank Transnational, giving him experience across several major industries and markets on the continent.
His appointment comes as Vodacom continues to grow beyond mobile connectivity into financial services and other digital businesses, with its operations outside South Africa, Safaricom and financial services now making up important parts of the group’s wider business.
Vodacom also announced other changes to its board, including the planned retirement of chairman Saki Macozoma and Naspers CEO Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, as the company prepares for a new phase of its leadership.
Macozoma, who joined the Vodacom board in July 2017, will retire at the company’s annual general meeting on July 20, 2027, after reaching the company’s 10-year limit for board members, with Khumo Shuenyane, currently the lead independent director, set to become chairman from July 21, 2027.
Vodacom said Macozoma helped oversee the company’s Vision 2025 strategy and the start of its Vision 2030 strategy, which the company described as an important period of change for the business.
Mahanyele-Dabengwa will leave the board on October 8, 2026, after joining in January 2019, having served as chairperson of the Remuneration Committee and as a member of the Nomination Committee.
Clive Thomson, a former Barloworld CEO, will take over as chairman of the Remuneration Committee while continuing in his role as chairman of Vodacom’s Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee.
Vodacom said it would announce further changes to its board committees at a later date as the company continues to adjust its leadership structure.
