Safaricom replaces Bitange Ndemo in new board changes

Kenya’s ambassador to Belgium, Prof Bitange Ndemo, has been replace on Safaricom board effective February 2, 2023 by Ory Okolloh (right). FILE PHOTOS | NMG

Safaricom has replaced Treasury official Stanley Kamau and Prof Bitange Ndemo in the latest changes on its board.

The telco announced Monday the appointment of Karen Kandie and Ory Okolloh as the alternate director to the Treasury Cabinet Secretary and independent director, respectively, effective February 24.

Ms Kandie replaces engineer Kamau, the acting director, Public Investments and Portfolio management directorate in the Treasury, while Ms Okolloh takes the place of Kenya’s ambassador to Belgium, Prof Ndemo.

The telco has also announced the resignation of  Linda Watiri from its board, effective February 20.

Read (archive): Safaricom taps ex-Orange CEO, Ndemo to board

Ms Kandie is the Director of Parastatal Reforms (Financial) at the Treasury. A finance specialist with over 20 years of strategic leadership and management experience in the financial services industry, she holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Nairobi and Masters in Business Administration from Murdoch University in Australia.

Ms Kandie will represent Treasury CS Prof Njuguna Ndung’u during Safaricom’s board meetings, and the appointment gives her powers to act on his behalf.

Ms Okolloh, on the other hand, is a partner at Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV), where she leads and implements investment-related activities and supports partner companies with strategic and operational issues.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the US-based University of Pittsburgh and a juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School.

A seasoned board executive, Ms Okolloh serves on several boards, including Thomson Reuters Founders Share Trust, East African Breweries Plc, Deloitte Africa, Stanbic Foundation and Adecco Group Foundation.

The new appointments come just weeks after the telco made changes in key management positions and just a month after lawyer Adil Khawaja was picked as the new board chairman following the exit of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ally John Ngumi.

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