Safaricom Appoints Wim Vanhelleputte as CEO for Ethiopian Operations

Safaricom, has announced the appointment of Wim Vanhelleputte as the CEO of its Ethiopia business, effective from September. The internal memo stated that Vanhelleputte, a Belgian national, brings extensive experience from his previous roles at South Africa’s MTN Group, including as the head of MTN Uganda. He will succeed Anwar Soussa, who will step down at the end of the following month.

In his new position, Vanhelleputte will be responsible for driving Safaricom’s ambitious growth targets in the Ethiopian market. Safaricom aims to expand its subscriber base while also introducing its M-Pesa financial services in the coming months, following the acquisition of a financial license in May.

The appointment of Vanhelleputte was announced in a memo signed by Safaricom’s group CEO, Peter Ndegwa. Meanwhile, MTN Group has also made an announcement, appointing Stephen Blewett as operations executive: markets. Blewett will assume the role previously held by Vanhelleputte.

In his new role, Blewett will be responsible for overseeing operations in Liberia, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, and Congo Brazzaville, while providing general support across the region. He brings a wealth of experience from his previous positions as group chief operating officer at Digicel and CEO of MTN Cameroon.

The appointments of Vanhelleputte and Blewett highlight the strategic focus of Safaricom and MTN Group on expanding their operations in key African markets, fostering growth and innovation in the telecommunications industry.