Safaricom’s Sylvia Mulinge picked as Vodacom Tanzania new managing director

Vodacom Tanzania on Monday named Safaricom’s head of consumer business as its new managing director to lead the company that listed in Dar es Salaam last year amid government efforts to expand local ownership of the industry.

As per presser issued by Safaricom, Sylvia Mulinge, who has been at Safaricom since 2006, will take over on June 1, Vodacom Tanzania, a unit of South Africa’s Vodacom Group.

Mulinge will replace Ian Ferrao who joined Vodacom Tanzania three years ago. Ferrao decided not to renew his contract with the company and will be leaving to “pursue other interests,” the company said.

Ferrao led the company through a $213 million initial public offering last August, Tanzania’s largest ever, which attracted more than 40,000 local investors, most of whom were first-time participants in the country’s stock market.

“Throughout her 17-year career [Ms Mulinge] has built a reputation as one of Kenya’s outstanding business leader, a mentor and go-getter, qualities that we at Safaricom have benefitted greatly from and will deeply miss. She will leave behind a very strong team,”

Bob Collymore, CEO Safaricom.

In the presser signed off by Bob Collymore, CEO Safaricom, Mulinge will be replaced at Safaricom by Charles Kare Wanjohi in an interim capacity, and will be reporting directly to the CEO.

“Throughout her 17-year career [Ms Mulinge] has built a reputation as one of Kenya’s outstanding business leader, a mentor and go-getter, qualities that we at Safaricom have benefitted greatly from and will deeply miss. She will leave behind a very strong team,” Collymore said.