Safaricom changes: The new faces at the Executive leadership

Safaricom new appointees, from left: Zizwe Awuor Vundla, Boniface Gitonga Mungania and Esther Masese Waititu. [Courtesy of Safaricom]

Telecommunications company Safaricom on Wednesday, February 1 announced new changes in the Executive leadership.

Esther Masese Waititu has been appointed the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Her appointment takes effect from February 21, 2023.

Waititu joins from the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), where she has served as the Director in charge of Corporate Banking since 2021.

Prior to her appointment, the CFO position was occupied in an acting capacity by Boniface Gitonga Mungania, who has substantively been moved to the digital transformation department.

"Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, Esther will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight to Safaricom's Financial Services Business. She will lead financial services tribes and teams, through the development of financial products, services and solutions for consumers and enterprises," said Safaricom in a press statement on Wednesday.

The telco says Waititu has more than 15 years' experience in the financial services sector.

Also appointed in the new changes, is Boniface Gitonga Mungania who will serve as the Director of Public Sector Digital Transformation starting April 1, 2023.

"Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, Boniface will be responsible for developing partnerships within the Public Sector to drive digital transformation for the National and County Governments. In this role, he will collaborate with key functional owners including Enterprise, Financial Services, Technology and Business Development to deliver solutions in an agile way," said Safaricom.

Gitonga, a seasoned insider, joined Safaricom in 2007 as a Customer Care Representative and was thereafter promoted to Dealer Account Manager.

In 2011, he joined the Financial Services team as Senior Officer, M-Pesa Business Development.

Since then, he has scaled the ladder, holding various leadership positions in financial services including senior manager, M-Pesa Business Development, Head of M-Pesa Products and Services Development, among others.

Zizwe Awuor Vundla, formerly of Diageo South Africa, where she was the Head of Marketing and Innovation since 2019, has been appointed the Director in charge of Brand and Marketing at Safaricom.

Her appointment takes effect from Wednesday, February 1.

"Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, Zizwe will be responsible for providing strategic leadership, from a market and product perspective to the overall Safaricom Brand, which includes M-Pesa, Safaricom Business, and our foundations. She will be the custodian of these brands, maintaining and evolving them by devising their overall strategy and architecture," said the telco, adding: "Zizwe has 18 years' experience in Brand and Marketing."

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