Who will become NetOne’s next CEO…well, we are likely going to find out in a month’s time.
State-owned telecoms operator, NetOne is looking for a new chief executive officer following the dismissal of Reward Kangai last year on allegations of corruption.
Brian Mutandiro has been acting CEO since then.
Word has it that top three candidates have been shortlisted for the top NetOne post as the state-owned mobile network readies to appoint the new CEO, after high court gave them clearance against a court challenge by Reward Kangai. The names of top three candidates running for the NetOne CEO post, and the announcement will likely be made by next month as NetOne concluded the interviews of the prospective candidates. As per standard, the Office of the President (OPC) is now vetting the submitted names, to double-check on the background and legibility of the candidates to run the state-owned mobile network.
The candidates are people already well-known in the tech sector, and the vetting process will only appoint according to the order of the marks they scored during their interviews. If the most successful candidate for some reason or the other does not qualify or pass the vetting, the second listed candidate will automatically be elevated for the post, and the process continues to the third one. “In the unlikely case that all three candidates are not satisfactory, the acting NetOne CEO, Brian Mutandiro, may automatically assume the post, but we cannot divulge whether or not the incumbent is also not one of the top three,” said another source working closely with the matter.
Last year, ICT, Postal and Courier Services minister Supa Mandiwanzira promised to restructure the management at NetOne in a bid to resuscitate the ailing mobile operator.
The restructuring has seen the appointment of new executives and the company is set to relaunch its mobile money product.
Since his appointment as acting CEO, Mutandiro has steadied the NetOne ship, becoming the second biggest mobile network in Zimbabwe.
NetOne has already made some serious comebacks and market shakeups with their latest products and offerings forcing them to jump from the third and smallest mobile network in Zimbabwe, to become the fastest-growing and second biggest mobile network in Zimbabwe. While many have jumped over to their network or now at least have space for their SIM cards, it remains to be seen how profitable the mobile network will become amongst its product offerings. Most state-owned enterprises can only dream of being profitable, but at least target increasing of revenue, due to serious legacy issues and debts which inhibit profitability before they are cleared off their tables. The real task of the new NetOne CEO is to drive revenue up and ultimately bring NetOne to profitability.
