Vodacom has appointed Segun Ogunsanya, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa, as an independent non-executive director effective October 9, 2026, as the South African telecommunications group accelerates the next phase of its Vision 2030 strategy.

Ogunsanya led Airtel Africa until his retirement in mid-2024, capping more than a decade at the helm of a pan-African telecoms and financial services business spanning 14 countries. Vodacom said he brings over 35 years of leadership experience across finance, banking, telecommunications, and corporate governance. Prior to joining Airtel Africa in 2012, he held senior positions at Coca-Cola operations in Africa and Ecobank Transnational.

"Until his retirement in June 2024, Segun served as the Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Africa PLC, a FTSE 100-listed multinational providing mobile telecommunications and financial services in 14 African countries," Vodacom said in its statement.

The appointment brings deep competitive insight to Vodacom's board: Airtel Africa and Vodacom Group, which is majority-owned by Britain's Vodafone Group, operate in several overlapping African markets, including Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mozambique. Ogunsanya's arrival also comes as African telecom operators are increasingly leaning on mobile financial services — from Airtel Money to Vodacom's M-Pesa platform operated through Safaricom — to drive revenue growth beyond traditional voice and data offerings.

The appointment was announced on Wednesday alongside a broader board reshuffle that includes the departure of two high-profile directors and a planned succession in the chairmanship.

Vodacom is increasingly positioning itself as an African technology company rather than a conventional mobile network operator. The group's latest financial results highlight the growing significance of its international markets, Safaricom, and financial services operations beyond its South African base.

The board changes also signal the approaching end of Saki Macozoma's tenure as Vodacom chairman. Macozoma, who joined the board in July 2017, will retire at the company's annual general meeting on July 20, 2027, upon reaching Vodacom's self-imposed 10-year tenure limit for board members. Khumo Shuenyane, currently the lead independent director, will succeed him as chairman starting July 21, 2027.

Vodacom credited Macozoma with overseeing the implementation of its Vision 2025 strategy and the launch of its Vision 2030 strategy. "Both have heralded transformational era for the business," the company said.

The board will also see the departure of Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, CEO of Naspers, who will retire on October 8, 2026. She joined the Vodacom board in January 2019 and has served as chairperson of the Remuneration Committee and as a member of the Nomination Committee.

Clive Thomson, a former CEO of Barloworld, will assume the role of chairman of the Remuneration Committee while continuing to serve as chairman of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee. Vodacom indicated that further changes to its board committees would be announced in due course.