Wim Vanhelleputte, the former head of MTN Uganda, has been appointed as the CEO of Safaricom's Ethiopian unit. His appointment will take effect in September 2023, replacing Anwar Soussa, who has held the position for the past two years.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa expressed his confidence in Vanhelleputte, stating, "Wim brings extensive leadership experience and deep industry knowledge, having worked in the telecommunications industry across multiple markets in sub-Saharan Africa for over 25 years."
Prior to his new role, Vanhelleputte served as the MTN Group operations executive for West and Central Africa since August 2022. He also held the position of CEO at MTN Uganda from 2016 until 2022, when he was succeeded by Sylvia Mulinge, who previously served as the head of consumer business at Safaricom Kenya.
Vanhelleputte's primary responsibility will be to rejuvenate the operations of Safaricom Ethiopia, which has recently obtained a license to provide mobile money services. Throughout his career, Vanhelleputte has amassed extensive experience in the telecommunications industry, having served as the CEO at Sentel GSM in Senegal, managing director of TchadMobile in Chad and general manager at Telcel Gabon, among other key positions.