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Safaricom Ethiopia Appoints Ermias Eshetu as Advisory Board Chairman

Posted on: 2025-11-21 09:07:09

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Addis Ababa — Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia has appointed veteran technocrat Ermias Eshetu as Chairman of its Advisory Board, marking a significant step in the company’s push to localise senior leadership and embed Ethiopian expertise at the highest levels of governance.

The appointment, effective 10 November 2025, elevates Ermias less than a year after he became the first Ethiopian to join the Board. Company officials describe the move as a milestone in Safaricom Ethiopia’s long-term strategy to anchor its operations more firmly within the country’s economic and regulatory landscape.

Peter Ndegwa, Chairman of the Global Partnership for Ethiopia (GPE) Board and CEO of Safaricom PLC, praised Ermias’s “wealth of experience in finance, governance, and institutional transformation”, saying it positions him to guide the company through its next phase of expansion. Ndegwa added that the appointment underscores the company’s commitment to ensuring Ethiopians lead at the top levels of the business.

Ermias, widely regarded as a reformist voice in Ethiopia’s financial and economic sectors, previously served as CEO of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange, where he oversaw the launch of the country’s first national electronic trading system. His career includes leadership roles in technology, capital-market development and banking, notably at Zemen Bank and FSD Ethiopia.

As Chairman, Ermias is expected to focus on strengthening governance, promoting job creation and advancing digital inclusion across Ethiopia—priorities closely aligned with the government’s macroeconomic reform agenda.

He succeeds Peter Ndegwa, who remains Chairman of the GPE Board.