A few weeks ago, it was announced that Sateesh Kamath was going to leave Safaricom as its CFO. The development is effective as of today, July 1, 2020. Kamath is taking a similar role for Vodafone Group.
Kamath’s place will be run by Ilanna Darcy, albeit in an interim capacity. Darcy has been working with the telco as its head of Finance Planning, Analysis and Investor Relations a Safaricom.
Darcy joined Safaricom in Feb 2017. Prior to her appointment, she worked as Group Finance Manager, Asia Pacific, and later CFO from Digicel Group – all for four years.
She also held other key positions in Unilever (Contract Finance Manager), Tesco Ireland (Commercial Financial Manager), and Finance Controller at Birds Eye Iglo Limited.
To this end, Illanna Darcy has vast experience in the finance space as reiterated by CEO Peter Ndegwa who appointed her.
Safaricom has been on a leadership transition following the death of former CEO Bob Collymore. Bob’s whose first-year anniversary is today, had been with the telco for near a decade.
The leadership of the telco was handed to former CEO Michael Joseph prior to Ndegwa’s appointment in January. Ndegwa started steering the company on April 1.
Kamath’s exit is the telco’s second notable leadership change as the company realigns its operations to match new visions that are often associated with a shift in regime.