Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director and CEO Nigeria, will succeed Raghunath “Raghu” Mandava, as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Airtel Africa Plc with effect from 1 October 2021.
This follows Raghu Mandava’s informing the Board of his intention to retire.
“We are delighted to appoint Segun Ogunsanya as the Group’s next Chief Executive Officer. He has displayed significant drive and energy in turning around the Nigeria business by focusing on network modernization, distribution, and operational efficiency. It is this commitment, together with his industry experience, strategic vision, constant customer focus and proven record of delivery that will enable him to continue to deliver our strategic objectives and to lead the Group in the next stages of its development,” said Sunil Bharti Mittal, Airtel Chairman.
On behalf of the Board, Mittal thank Raghu Mandava for being instrumental in successfully leading and transforming Airtel Africa into powerhouse telecommunications and mobile money company. He said Raghu has worked tirelessly first to repair and then to strengthen Airtel Africa’s business and to champion the company’s stakeholders.
“As we look forward to Segun assuming his new role in October 2021, we do so from a position of great strength as a result of Raghu’s highly effective stewardship. Raghu will retire from the Board with our very best wishes and sincere appreciation for everything he has achieved,” he added.
Segun Ogunsanya joined Airtel Africa in 2012 as Managing Director and CEO Nigeria and has been responsible for the overall management of our operations in Nigeria, our largest market in Africa. Segun has more than 25 years of business management experience in banking, consumer goods and telecoms. Before joining Airtel in 2012, Segun held leadership roles at Coca-Cola in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya (as MD and CEO). He has also been the Managing Director of Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (Coca-Cola Hellenic owned) and Group head of retail banking operations at Ecobank Transnational Inc, covering 28 countries in Africa. He is an electronics engineer and also a chartered accountant.
