PROFILE: Ralph Mupita — MTN’s man with a plan
After ringing endorsements, the MTN CFO will take up the top job at Africa’s largest telecom firm — but it won’t come without challenges
Ralph Mupita, MTN’s CEO from September 1, has been endorsed by investors as the best candidate to transform the telecom firm into a truly digital mobile operator, growing revenues in data and financial services and focusing on other African countries.Last week, the continent’s largest mobile group appointed Mupita, its current CFO, to the top job.Though he will take up the post with less telecom experience than his peers, he does come with a wealth of business experience and support from investors, who see him as the natural successor to outgoing CEO Rob Shuter.Mupita joined MTN in April 2017 after a 16-year career at Old Mutual. His final role at the insurer was as CEO of its emerging- markets unit, a position he held from 2012.But even with relatively little experience in telecoms, Mupita has been excelling in fields outside his formal training.An engineer by profession, with a degree from the University of Cape Town, he began his career at construction company Haw & Inglis. But ...
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