Vodafone appoints first Ghanaian CEO

Vodafone Ghana has appointed Mrs. Patricia Obo-Nai as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect from 1st April 2019.

Patricia is a member of Vodafone Ghana’s Executive Committee and is the first Ghanaian to be appointed CEO of Vodafone Ghana.

An Engineer by profession, she comes into her new role with 22 years of experience in Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunications. In addition, she has extensive commercial experience in the telecommunications industry.

Until her appointment, Patricia was the Director of Fixed Business and Customer Operations of Vodafone Ghana. She also led the company’s Consumer Business Unit. Patricia joined Vodafone Ghana as Chief Technology Officer and a member of the Executive Committee in January 2011. Prior to that, she had worked for 14 years with Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of Tigo.

Commenting on her appointment, Patricia said; “I am looking forward to taking up my new role and leading the company in the next phase of its development. My focus will be to continue to push the boundaries of innovation and position Vodafone as a key challenger in the market. Together with the outstanding staff we have at Vodafone Ghana, I am confident that the company will remain a strong competitor in the industry here in Ghana.”

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Patricia’s appointment follows the return of Ms. Yolanda Cuba, the current CEO to Vodacom Group in South Africa in April, after successfully serving her three-year tenure in Ghana. During this period, she concluded the acquisition of 4G spectrum, the restructuring of the company’s balance sheet and drove enhanced commercial performance in the market. Vodafone Ghana’s shareholder relationships also benefited from her guidance.

During her period at the helm, Vodafone maintained network superiority and introduced a number of innovative products including the launch of the first ever Fibre services To The Home (FTTH) in Ghana, “Ekikimi”, 10x and initiatives like Express WiFi with Facebook to improve connectivity for all. She ensured a highly engaged customer base to keep Vodafone as the number two mobile operator in Ghana by revenue share, even after the merger of two operators in the market.

Operationally, she led significant growth in key revenue lines as well as improved operating efficiency and profitability for the business through her focus on operational effectiveness. Her passion for inclusiveness and a purpose-led organisation under the banner of ‘igniting Ghana’s digital revolution’ gained wide recognition as evidenced by the numerous awards to the business during her tenure.

Yolanda said; “I congratulate Patricia on her new appointment. I believe that Vodafone is well positioned and will continue to prosper under Patricia’s leadership. The adoption of 4G technology will bring new services to customers and propel the company to the next level. I have enjoyed my tenure in Ghana and I wish Patricia and the team great success.”

Patricia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), an Executive MBA in Project Management from the University of Ghana, Legon, an Executive Education from Insead, France and also from the Kellogg School of Management, USA. Patricia is a member of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, (GHiE) and a passionate lover of movies.

Source: bftonline