Mohamed Shameel  and Linda Watiri Muruiki appointed as Safaricom’s Non-Executive Directors

As part of its strategy to enhance shareholder value, Safaricom (NSE: SCOM) appointed Mohamed Shameel Aziz Joosub  and Linda Watiri Muruiki to its board as Non-Executive Directors, effective immediately.

The two appointments were announced following a Safaricom Board of Directors meeting held on Thursday 31st August.

“We continue to place a keen focus on building an inclusive board that can both meet the evolving needs of our business, and which takes into account the recent changes in our shareholding structure. All three of our new directors bring with them a wealth of expertise in creating world-class mobile companies in both Europe and Africa,” said Nicholas Ng’ang’a, Chairman, Safaricom.

Vodafone Group, recently transferred 35% of its indirect interest in Safaricom to its sub-Saharan African subsidiary Vodacom Group Limited. The new shareholding reflects the interests of the new shareholding structure.

Mr. Joosub is the current Chief Executive Officer and executive director of Vodacom Group as well as the Chairman of the Vodacom Group Executive Committee & Vodacom (Pty) Limited.

Prior to joining Vodacom Group in 2012, Mr. Joosub was the former CEO of Vodafone Spain. He has held serveal high-level positions at Vodacom, and served on the Vodacom Group Board from 2000 to 2011. He was reappointed to the board after his return from Spain.

On her part, Ms. Muriuki currently serves as the Senior Partner at LJA Associates, where she is a practising Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over 27 years of experience, ranked by Chambers and Partners in 2015 and 2016.

She has previously served as a Non Executive Director of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company Limited from 2004 to 2010 and the Capital Markets Authority from 2015 to 2017. She currently serves as a Non Executive Director of East Africa Reinsurance Company Limited.

Safaricom also announces the resignation of Gianluca Ventura as a substantive Director of the Company. Mr. Ventura will now act as an Alternate Director to Vivek Badrinath.
Till Streichert, the current Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and executive director of Vodacom Group, has been appaointed as alternate director to Mr. Moosub. Mr. Streichert is also a Member of the Vodacom Group Executive Committee and is a Non-executive Director of Vodacom SA.

Safaricom will hold its Annual General Meeting on Friday 15th September, at the Bomas of Kenya.