Vodacom’s chairman calling it quits

Vodacom chairman Saki Macozoma is set to step down from his role on 20 July 2027. He has served on the telecoms giant’s board since July 2017.

Macozoma will be succeeded by Khumo Shueyane, who is currently a lead independent director.

Vodacom announced these changes on Wednesday, 12 August, explaining that Macozoma will reach the company’s 10-year tenure for board members in July 2027.

“The board thanks Saki for his valuable leadership and significant contribution to Vodacom since 2017,” the company said.

In his role as chairman, Macozoma has overseen the implementation of Vodacom’s Vision 2025 strategy and the inception of its Vision 2030 strategy.

Both of these strategies have heralded a transformational era for the telecoms giant. 

Macozoma, now aged 69, is a prominent South African businessman and billionaire who also serves as the chairman of Safika Holdings, Tshipi é Ntle, and Ntsimbintle Mining.

He was previously a board member of Volkswagen South Africa, and has also served as the chairman and deputy chairman of Liberty Life and Standard Bank, respectively.

Macozoma also previously served as the president of Business Leadership South Africa, which represents some of the country’s biggest companies.

His successor, Shueyane, is also a prominent businessman, currently serving as an independent non-executive director of Bidvest and Ninety One.

He has also been on Investec’s board, including the role of Investec Bank chairman, which he filled for five years.

Shueyane has 15 years of experience in the telecoms sector, including six years as the Group Chief Mergers and Acquisitions Officer of MTN.

He will step into the role of Vodacom chairman on 21 July 2027.

More boardroom shake-ups

Alongside its chairman succession plan, Vodacom also announced other changes to its board.

The company announced that Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa will retire from its board on 8 October 2026. 

Mahanyele-Dabengwa served as the chairman of Vodacom’s Remuneration Committee and a member of the Nomination Committee. She was appointed on 1 January 2019. 

From 9 October 2026, Clive Thomson will assume the role of chairman of the Remuneration Committee. 

Thomson is currently the chairman of the Audit, Risk, and Compliance Committee, and will remain in this role. 

Vodacom also announced that Segun Ogunsanya has been appointed as an independent non-executive director with effect from 9 October 2026.

Ogunsanya has 35 years of leadership experience across multiple sectors, including finance, banking, FMCG, telecommunications, and corporate governance. 

He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Ife, now the Obafemi Awolowo University.

He later received an honorary Doctor of Science in computer science education from Tai Solarin University of Education.

Ogunsanya is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Institute of Credit Administration, and the Institute of Directors in Nigeria.

Before retiring in June 2024, he was the Group CEO and Managing Director of Airtel Africa, a FTSE 100-listed multinational providing mobile telecommunications and financial services in 14 African countries. 

Prior to joining Airtel in 2012, he served as Managing Director of the Nigerian Bottling Company, CEO of Coca-Cola Sabco in Kenya, and General Manager of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Ghana. 

He was also an independent non-executive director of JSE-listed fintech entity, Optasia.

Ogunsanya chairs the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Nigeria’s sovereign wealth fund focused on economic stabilisation, infrastructure, and future generations’ prosperity.