Meet the new African Heavyweights on the Board of MTN Group

MTN Group revamps its board and appoints heavyweights into a newly established advisory board.
Mcebisi Jonas to takes over as chairman in December 2019.
Former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, to chair new MTN International Advisory Board.

MTN Group Ltd. on Friday announced significant changes to its Board and the establishment of an International Advisory Board (IAB).

The international advisory board (IAB) comprises of prominent persons of considerable and wide-ranging experience across Africa - majority are former presidents.

According to a statement released by its corporate affairs, the telco firm believed that the company has entered a more stable and settled period.

“The MTN Group Board is of the view that MTN has entered a more stable and settled period which enables it to now effect an evolution of the Board following recent challenging regulatory environments and competitive trading conditions.

“MTN Group wishes to announce the following changes to the Board over the next 12 months.”

Meet the new team on the MTN Group board

Mcebisi Jonas - Chairman-designate

Mcebisi Jonas, MTN chairman-designate and former South Africa's deputy finance minister. ece-auto-gen

Jonas will assume the position of Chairman of MTN Group effective December 15, 2019, to succeed the current Chairman of MTN Group, Phuthuma Nhlek.

Dr Khotso Mokhele - Lead Independent Director

Dr. Khotso D. K. Mokhele was served as Independent Non-Executive Director at MTN Group Limited. (Engineering news) Engineering news

Mokhele will assume the responsibilities of Lead Independent Director with effect from 15 December 2019.

His Royal Highness Sanusi Lamido Sanusi - Non-Executive Director

Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and former CBN governor ece-auto-gen

Emir Sanusi, a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and Emir of Kano will join the group as a non-executive director in July 2019.

Vincent Rague - Non-Executive director

Vincent Rague is a Kenyan national who worked for the International Finance Corporation (Catalyst Principal Partners) Catalyst Principal Partners

Vincent Rague is a Kenyan national who worked for the International Finance Corporation will join MTN Group as a non-executive director with effect from 1 July 2019.

To step down later in the year:

Chairman of MTN Group, Phuthuma Nhleko will step down from the Board on 15 December 2019
Peter Mageza and Dawn Marole (to step down effective 30 April 2020)
Alan Harper, Jeff Van Rooyen and Koosum Kaylan will step down from the Board on 15 Dec 2019.

MTN establishes International Advisory Board

The Board also resolved to establish an international advisory board (IAB) of prominent persons of considerable and wide-ranging experience.

The primary purpose of the IAB will be to counsel, guide and support the MTN Group from time to time in fulfilling its vision and objective of being one of the premier African corporations with a global footprint in telecommunications, contributing to increased digital inclusion in Africa and the Middle East, a pivotal aspect of the fourth industrial revolution, the group said.

The IAB will commence on 1 July 2019.

Thabo Mbeki, former President of the Republic of South Africa – Chairman

Other members:

John Kufuor, former President of Ghana
Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, former African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs
Dr. Mohammed el Baradei, former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency
Dr. Momar Nguer, President of Marketing & Services Total S.A. (France)
Phuthuma Nhleko, Chairman of MTN Group.

The advisory board role is non-statutory in nature but it will make an important contribution and play a highly valued role in ensuring that the Board is guided and assisted in achieving the company’s vision in a technically complex world with uncertain and shifting geopolitical interests.