ZOL Zimbabwe, the Liquid Telecom owned ISP which is one of the largest locally, has just announced the coming in of a new CEO, Denny Marandure. Marandure will take the place of outgoing CEO and founder of the internet company, David Behr, who, we were told by the company will now become chairman of ZOL. The company also said Behr will take on a new regional role with the Liquid Telecom Group.
Before this new appointment, Marandure was Chief Operating Officer at NettCash, the payments company increasingly visible for its new mobile payments product. His role, we’re told, was directly linked to strategy and implementation of this mobile payments project. Before Nettcash Marandure was in the US where he was a senior executive at Verizon, the giant American broadband and telecomms company. His experience at Verizon, where he spent 12 years, looks to be the main driver of the ZOL appointment. Marandure also worked for IBM USA, IBM Europe Middle East & Africa, Lucent Technologies and PriceWaterhouse in various senior roles.
On the new appointment, Marandure told us the company and brand are strong and that strategic changes he will need to make are just “tweaks and enhancements”. He also acknowledged that ZOL’s parent company, Liquid Telecom Group, brings great potential through the vast fiber infrastructure and access to global capital markets – something he said is “really exciting” for him. That would be exciting indeed for anyone in his position seeing how strapped of liquidity the local economy, and therefore competition, are.
Marandure’s move back to Zimbabwe and his taking on of a new role in the business ecosystem at this point in the country’s time is interesting as some (many I think, but I don’t have data) professionals are actually doing the opposite. 2009 saw a number of professionals moving back to Zimbabwe from the diaspora, but after staying just a couple of years, a new wave of brain drain is hitting the country as they are packing their bags again for healthier economies. Those that never left in the first inflation madness of the last decade are also considering.
“Having spent the last 12 years working for largest telecommunications company in the world, Verizon, hopefully I can bring that outside perspective and bring some new ideas to reshape the future of ZOL Zimbabwe,” Marandure said of his return.
ZOL, rebranded several months ago and changed names from ZOL (an acronym for Zimbabwe Online) to just ZOL Zimbabwe. The hint is that there may be other ZOLs to emerge in the region. The company wouldn’t however say if this is the plan.
Do you see this new appointment as a game changer? How much of an asset to you view Marandure, based on his vast portfolio?
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19 comments
this is a very strategic move , that why zol will thrash the likes of small other isps because this guy knows the market he is operating in , ZOL is taking over the market i see some isp closing down because the competition is just too much .I SEE ZOL BEING THE BIG LION and devouring anything that comes in its path.
And that would be terrible for the market and the customer, we need competition to drive the best product, I hope zol is successful but that someone else is as well, another econet we do not need
+1
How do you get competition when other ISPs appoint their senior execs according to party lines and who you know!!
There is never going to be any competition unless pple starts to get appointed according to their capabilities and value they bring to the ISP.
I used to thrash Econet, maybe being patriotic bt having experienced patriotic services from patriotic ISP, l now give a lot of respect to what Econet has achieved and the thrust they a pushing for in IT for Zim.
I remember MWeb in the good old days with Naspers throwing money in to it. Like ZOL which has access to the deep pockets of Econet, MWeb took the market by storm with it’s Black Box after buying Samara and Primenet (correct me if I am wrong). Now they trail in comparison with others. Also they are for sale to DD. To me the market is small unlike in US, where it is getting saturated. Will he make broadband cheaper? How many people can afford internet in their homes? Maybe I am too optimistic about him landing products that will benefit a certain clique.
ZOL must be careful. The market is still small and costs are high. Verizon is big but it uses it’s influence of being
They will devour nothing with that kind of customer service!
Congrats Denny!!!! I am sure you will undoubtedly unlock value for this incredible organization. Wish you all the best in your new and challenging role
Congratulations uncle. Remember wisdom comes from above. Best wishes!
ZOL is a great idea, kind of like your Real Madrid: It has a great base in liquid telecomms and star players in it’s engineering. They however are crappy in customer service and user experience. They sold us a 5mb package for corporates which was “unlimited” until we signed up with them and began to be heavily shaped to below 1mb. Their customer service is A+ crappy. Denny will have to work on some of those small things if he’s going to stop the exodus to other ISPs.
@L.S.M Kabweza I picked up the comment that there could or there is a brain drain as far as Technology professionals is concerned. It would be interesting if you could do a survey on how this affects the Tech ecosystem in the Enterprise environment. I know Zimbabwe is losing skilled IT professionals weekely
Marandure’s move back to Zimbabwe and his taking on of a new role in the business ecosystem at this point in the country’s time is interesting as some (many I think, but I don’t have data) professionals are actually doing the opposite. – See more at: http://www.techzim.co.zw/2014/09/zol-zimbabwe-gets-new-ceo-denny-marandure/#sthash.ZRMgleEK.dpuf
Yup… will do. Thank you for the idea.
LOL! Do these companies ever do background checks before they make these appointments. !!!!!! LOL!
??
Just Fucking Google him!!!
Sorry you did not get the job. Perhaps if you wish to keep your identity to yourself, you could keep your comments to yourself too?
LOL!!!!
Well traversed professional will always land the top jobs in Tech Companies…morale of the story, creep out of your cocoon and experience different work and Technology environments. You won’t grow by sticking to one company, unless you are waiting to be the longest serving member/ kumirira pension.
Congrats Denny
Congrats Denny. Your wealth of experience is just what ZOL and Zimbabwe needs. You are a great inspiration to us.
Congrats Denny Marandure. Zimbabwe surely needs people with broad experience and first world exposure like you.Show them what u’re made of.