Jorge Mendes the new Cell C CEO

Former Vodacom executive Jorge Mendes will take over as Cell C CEO and replace acting chief executive Brett Copans.

Mendes’ appointment followed the resignation of former Cell C CEO Douglas Craigie Stevenson on 31 March 2023.

Mendes is a mobile industry veteran who has spent the last 23 years at Vodacom in various management positions.

He started as executive head for customer services in 2000, after which he served in similar positions in Vodacom Mozambique and Vodacom Tanzania.

He returned to South Africa in 2011 as executive head for dealers, franchise, and service provider channels.

Mendes then served as Vodacom’s managing executive for the central region and later chief officer for sales, distribution, and marketing.

In 2019, he was appointed as chief officer for Vodacom’s consumer business unit, where he stayed until he left the company at the beginning of the year.

ITWeb reported that Mendes exited Vodacom in December and served the mandatory six months of garden leave to allow him to take the reigns at Cell C next month.

Earlier this week, Cell C announced the appointment of former MTN SA CEO Godfrey Motsa and former Vodacom corporate affairs executive Maya Makanjee to its board.

Cell C chairman Joe Mthimunye said, “Their impressive track records and diverse experiences will strategically guide Cell C into the future”.

Motsa has over 25 years of experience in telecommunications, financial services, and the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industries.

Seventeen of these years were served at Vodacom and MTN in the South African and Rest of Africa markets.

Motsa stepped down from his position as MTN South Africa CEO in June 2022 and was replaced by Charles Molapisi.