Telecoms operator Cell C has appointed Rachael Ayo-Oladejo as its Chief of Staff, Strategy and Business Transformation adding to the raft of leadership changes at SA’s fourth-largest mobile network operator, and she will be reporting directly to newly-minted Cell C CEO Jorge Mendes. Both are Vodacom veterans.
Ayo-Oladejo was at Vodacom for over 11 years and Mendes for twenty-three. Ayo-Oladejo most recently served as the Vodacom consumer business unit’s Executive for Strategy, Execution, and Performance Management from August 2020 to March 2023.
She began at Vodacom in October 2011 as program manager for integrated enterprise solutions. She served in various leadership roles in her years at the company. From November 2018 to August 2020, she was the Vodacom consumer business unit’s chief of staff.
Ayo-Oladejo cut her teeth in telecoms at Vmobile (now Airtel Nigeria), starting in customer support and service delivery roles, and has worked closely with Mendes as part of his executive team within the Vodacom consumer business. According to Cell C, she played a pivotal role in shaping strategies that fuelled business growth and enhanced customer experience.
Ayo-Oladejo holds an MBA from the University of Witwatersrand Business School and a Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute.
Her deep understanding of market dynamics, customer behavior, and competitor insights enabled her to effectively orchestrate execution across multiple business units.
As Chief of Staff, Strategy and Business Transformation, Rachael will play a critical role in driving Cell C’s strategic initiatives and ensuring seamless execution across the organisation.
Cell C
[Rachael’s] wealth of experience, proven track record, and deep industry insights make her the ideal candidate to play a pivotal role in our transformative journey to drive growth and profitability.
I am confident that her appointment will further strengthen Cell C’s position in the market in line with our strategic ambitions.
Jorge Mendes, Cell C CEO
