MTN Group has announced significant leadership changes at MTN South Africa (MTN SA) as part of a strategic realignment for the entire Group.
Ferdi Moolman, the current Group Chief Risk Officer (GCRO), will succeed Charles Molapisi as CEO and Executive Director of MTN South Africa effective November 1.
Charles led MTN SA through a challenging period of high power outages and network resilience, maintaining the company’s network leadership.
Moolman, an experienced MTN executive, was MTN Nigeria’s CEO from 2016 to 2021. He assumed the position to boost growth and profits in South Africa. Consequently, he will step down from the MTN Nigeria board effective 31 October 2025.
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Following his tenure as Vice President for Southern and East Africa, Yolanda Cuba will join him as Deputy CEO and Executive Director of MTN SA. Together, the two will propel MTN SA’s redoubled emphasis on market leadership and performance.
Charles Molapisi, who will continue to serve on the Group Exco in his previous position as Chief Technology and Information Officer (GCTIO), has a solid background in networks and IT. Among his other duties will be accelerating the business’s adoption and integration of AI use cases.
In the first quarter of 2026, Sindisiwe (Sindi) Mabaso-Koyana will take over as MTN SA’s chairperson, replacing Mike Harper, who retires after ten years in that position.
Other leadership changes
MTN is refining its strategy at the group level, focusing on three growth platforms: digital infrastructure, fintech, and connectivity, going beyond Ambition 2025. Part of this Ambition is the leadership changes.
In addition to his responsibilities as CEO of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola will take on additional responsibilities as VP of Francophone Africa, with a focus on growing the market shares of operations in these markets, which encompass: Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Benin and Congo Brazzaville.
He will assume this revised role as CEO of MTN Nigeria and VP of Francophone Africa, given his prior extensive experience in the role.
Ebenezer Asante, currently the Senior Vice President of Markets, will focus on accelerating the growth and contributions of the operations in Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, South Sudan, Sudan, Liberia, and the joint ventures in Eswatini and Botswana going forward. He will take on this revised role as the vice president of Ghana, Southern, and East Africa (SEA).
“These leadership changes illustrate the depth of talent and experience across the Group. The changes will support the accelerated execution of our strategy beyond 2025 and greater value creation for stakeholders over the medium term,” said Ralph Mupita, Group President and CEO, MTN.
Tsholofelo Molefe, the Group Chief Financial Officer (GCFO), will expand her responsibilities to incorporate the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) portfolio.
Kholekile Ndamase, currently Chief M&A and Business Development Officer, will step down from the group exco and have a new reporting line to Tsholofelo in her role as the steward for the capital allocation framework and its implementation at the Group level.
Ismail Jaroudi, currently Vice President (VP) of Middle East and North Africa, will step down from Group Exco and assume the role of VP of Special Projects in the office of the Group President and CEO, focused on portfolio optimisation initiatives. He will also continue his role as CEO of MTN Dubai.
Other appointments include Selorm Adadevoh’s appointment as Group Chief Commercial, Strategy, and Transformation Officer, Serigne Dioum’s appointment as CEO of MTN Group Fintech, and Mazen Mroué’s appointment as CEO of MTN Digital Infrastructure.
Lele Modise becomes the Group Chief Legal and Regulatory Affairs Officer. Nompilo Morafo was appointed Group Chief of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs.
Paul Norman was appointed Group Chief Human Resources Officer. The Group Chief Risk Officer will be announced in due course.
“We see a significant value-creation opportunity over the medium-term in leveraging AI across the business in domains such as network, customer operations and workforce productivity,” the company stated.
These appointments demonstrate the group’s intention to strengthen its largest market and represent the most important change in MTN SA’s leadership in recent years.