Rain has announced that its current CEO, Willem Roos, will move to a non-executive role from 1 March 2021 and will be replaced by Brandon Leigh, who is a founder of the business and current chief strategy officer, effective from 1 March 2021.
“Willem joined rain in January 2018 and played a key role in taking rain from a start-up business to an established player in the telecommunications industry in South Africa,” said Rain chairman Paul Harris.
Harris said that this move is in line with Rain’s planned succession process.
“When Willem joined, we agreed to a three-year tenure, and so it is natural that Brandon, as an original founder, resumes the CEO role,” Harris said.
“Brandon has been the visionary behind rain and the ideal person to continue growing the business. We also have a six-month handover period ensuring a smooth transition,” he said.
Brandon Leigh holds a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Cape Town. He previously founded Leaf Wireless and won the South African leg of EY’s Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year.
Willem Roos plans to remain on the Rain board and will retain his full shareholding in the mobile network.
Rain has the widest 5G network coverage in South Africa, with more than 600 towers covering Johannesburg, Centurion, Tshwane, and Cape Town. The company also provides significant 4G coverage throughout urban areas in the country.
