Thought Leadership at the IAD Summit 2022
May 12 2022
Safaricom Ethiopia placed itself as a thought leader at the Innovation Africa Digital (IAD) Summit 2022 that was held on May 11 - 12, 2022 at Sheraton Addis Hotel.
The IAD summit is a Bi-annual signature event of Extensia Ltd that brings together carefully selected international investors, consultants, solution providers, vendors, and senior decision-makers from across Africa, who play a key role in the digital transformation of their country.
At the 10th IAD summit, covering Digital Content and Services, our leadership Matthew Harrison-Harvey (CEARO), Chris Lazarus (CEBO), Pedro Rabacal (CTIO) and Tewedaj Eshetu (PR & Communications Manager) presented and shared their thoughts with participants of the summit.
Matthew spoke on ICT’s contribution to GDP on the first day of the Summit and stated that the Ethiopian government’s decision to liberalize the telecom sector would increase the country’s GDP by 6.6% in the coming decade.
Chris presented Safaricom Ethiopia’s plans for empowering Ethiopian businesses and explained about variables involved in realizing that goal. His identification of himself and Safaricom Ethiopia being ETHIOPIAN was received warmly by the participants.
Pedro spoke on connecting rural communities. He remarked that the challenge for telecom service providers in rural communities is the same everywhere as it is basically the absence or lack of roads and grids. He pointed out that one of the visible differences is population density. The challenge, he explained, is for the operator to find the right model for the reality at hand.
Tewedaj, our PR and Comms Manager, delivered a keynote speech on how Safaricom Ethiopia is building a robust ecosystem to unlock the economic potential of Ethiopia, using key achievements to date as proof points.
The summit has been held for the sixth time in Ethiopia and featured 212 individual companies, 26 countries, 30 vendors, 25 speakers, 14 keynotes and 30 sessions over the last two days.
LATEST NEWS
Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC has been recognized as the #1 Top Employer in Ethiopia for the third consecutive year and named Africa’s Top Employer 2026 for the first time
03 February 2026
We are proud to share that Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC has been recognized as the #1 Top Employer in Ethiopia for the third consecutive year and named Africa’s Top Employer 2026 for the first time, with an outstanding score of 98.08%. This milestone reflects our continued commitment to building a people-centered culture where our employees can thrive, grow, and make meaningful impact. As our CEO Wim Vanhellepute shared: “This recognition affirms our commitment to putting our people at the heart of everything we do. It reflects the culture we are building one that empowers our employees, nurtures talent, and creates an environment where everyone can grow and perform.” Thank you to all our employees for making this achievement possible. We are proud to share that Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC has been recognized as the #1 Top Employer in Ethiopia for the third consecutive year and named Africa’s Top Employer 2026 for the first time, with an outstanding score of 98.08%. This milestone reflects our continued commitment to building a people-centered culture where our employees can thrive, grow, and make meaningful impact. As our CEO Wim Vanhellepute shared: “This recognition affirms our commitment to putting our people at the heart of everything we do. It reflects the culture we are building one that empowers our employees, nurtures talent, and creates an environment where everyone can grow and perform.” Thank you to all our employees for making this achievement possible.
British Foreign Secretary Visits Safaricom Ethiopia, Underscoring UK Commitment to Investment and Job Creation
02 February 2026
British Foreign Secretary Visits Safaricom Ethiopia, Underscoring UK Commitment to Investment and Job Creation Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 1 February 2026 – Safaricom Ethiopia today hosted the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, during her official visit to Ethiopia, highlighting the growing role of British investment in supporting economic development and job creation in the country. The visit reflects Safaricom Ethiopia’s position as one of the most significant British-linked investments in Ethiopia, with British International Investment (BII) and Vodafone as part of its shareholders. The Foreign Secretary was accompanied by a delegation of British investors and representatives from the British Embassy. Other major British companies operating in Ethiopia, including MOENCO and Unilever, were also in attendance and briefed the Foreign Secretary on their ongoing investments and contributions to the local economy. Welcoming the delegation, Safaricom Ethiopia’s Chief Executive Officer, Wim Vanhelleputte, provided an overview of the company’s rapid growth, expanding network footprint, and its impact on employment and digital inclusion across the country. “We were pleased to welcome Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to Safaricom Ethiopia,” said Wim Vanhelleputte. “Her visit is a strong signal of the continued confidence and support we receive from our shareholders and partners. It also reflects the importance of long-term, responsible investment in building sustainable businesses and meaningful economic opportunities.” The Foreign Secretary’s visit forms part of a broader assessment of how investment can support economic opportunity and address the root causes of irregular migration. Safaricom Ethiopia is among the largest private-sector employers in the country, directly and indirectly supporting more than 20,000 jobs through its operations, partners, and distribution network. Safaricom Ethiopia continues to play a central role in Ethiopia’s digital transformation, contributing to financial inclusion, connectivity, and job creation, while reinforcing the strong economic ties between Ethiopia and the United Kingdom.
Demystifying Excellence at the 4th Excellence Summit 2026
26 January 2026
Demystifying Excellence at the 4th Excellence Summit 2026 Safaricom Ethiopia’s CEO, Wim Vanhelleputte, participated in a high-level panel discussion at the 4th Excellence Summit 2026, joining Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, and Bart De Keninck, CEO of Heineken. The session brought together leaders from organizations recognized for outstanding performance across sectors. All three companies were winners at the 12th Ethiopian Quality Awards, presented on December 2, 2025, by His Excellency Taye Atske Selassie, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, in recognition of excellence in quality, leadership, and organizational performance. Drawing on Safaricom Ethiopia’s journey, Wim highlighted the value of operating within a well-established international industry, where proven standards and processes already exist. He emphasized that leveraging these frameworks enabled Safaricom Ethiopia to build a strong foundation efficiently, without the need to reinvent systems from scratch. He stressed that excellence begins with getting the fundamentals right starting with people. Investing in young talent with the right mindset, providing continuous coaching, and complementing them with experienced leaders are critical to building resilient and high-performing organizations. Wim also underscored the importance of operational clarity and focus. For Safaricom Ethiopia, priority was given to building core infrastructure and a reliable distribution network, supported by a strong ecosystem and clear standards for partners and contractors. Sustainable progress, he noted, is achieved by addressing challenges step by step rather than attempting to do everything at once. Reflecting on the Ethiopian Quality Award assessment, Wim described the process as rigorous, scientific, and well-structured, guided by a clear and detailed methodology. He shared that the Safaricom Ethiopia team is already preparing to ensure an even stronger performance in the upcoming assessment cycle. At the heart of Safaricom Ethiopia’s excellence journey is strong people management driven by effective leadership, clear processes, and empowered teams anchored in the company’s purpose of transforming lives for a digital future. The summit served as a valuable experience-sharing platform, fostering dialogue and learning among leading organizations committed to excellence.