Michael Joseph

Michael Joseph

Michael is the current Chairman of the Board of Safaricom PLC. He is the former interim Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom PLC, a position held from 2 July 2019 to 31 March 2020. He joined the Board on 8 September 2008.

Previously, Michael was the Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom from July 2000 when the Company was relaunched as a joint venture between Vodafone UK and Telkom Kenya until his retirement in November 2010. During his tenure, he steered the Company from a subscriber base of less than 20,000 to over 16.71 million subscribers. This phenomenal growth straddling nearly a decade was motored by the launch of many innovative products and services such as M-PESA. Today, Safaricom is one of the leading companies in East Africa and one of the most profitable companies in the region. He has extensive international experience in company start-ups, the implementation and operation of large wireless and wire-line networks, including operations in Hungary, Spain, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Korea, the USA, Australia and the Middle East.

Michael holds BSc (cum laude) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town, an honorary doctorate degree (Doctor of Letters) from Africa Nazarene University bestowed to him in recognition of his contribution to the growth of Safaricom from very humble beginnings to becoming one of the most innovative, influential and profitable companies in the East African region Key appointments:

Michael Joseph is currently the Chairman of Kenya Airways PLC; the M-PESA Foundation and the M-PESA Foundation Academy. He is also a keen conservationist and serves as Chairman of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a leading conservancy in Northern Kenya. He is a member of the IEEE and IEE (UK).