It appears there is some serious shaking up going on in the Econet Group. Just this past weekend, we were talking about the Group relinquishing control of EcoCash Holdings and the subsequent board shuffle that followed.
This followed Econet reacquiring the mobile money business, EcoCash, from EcoCash Holdings last year.
Today, we are talking about leadership changes at Cassava Technologies.
Cassava Technologies has announced changes to its leadership team. The new appointments, effective March 1, 2025, follow a recent equity round and business reorganisation aimed at streamlining operations.
Among the key changes, Ahmed El Beheiry takes on the role of Chief Operating Officer and Chief AI Officer, overseeing commercial strategy and business processes. Yes, Chief AI Officer is apparently a real position—it doesn’t get more 2025 than that.
Deon Geyser steps in as CEO of Liquid Networks, leading the company’s connectivity business across Africa. So, I guess he’ll be responsible for Liquid’s response to emerging threats like Starlink.
Several other executives have been appointed to lead specific business units, regional operations, and corporate functions.
I noticed that Lorreta Songola, who has guest-written here on Techzim, has been moved from Regional Chief Commercial Officer, Central African Region for Liquid Intelligent Technologies to Managing Director of Cassava’s business operations in Zimbabwe.
President & Group CEO Hardy Pemhiwa said the changes are part of a broader strategy to strengthen Cassava’s market position and drive future growth.
Cassava Technologies announces Leadership changes to accelerate growth and strengthen its future competitiveness
London, United Kingdom; 17 February 2025: Cassava Technologies (Cassava), a global technology leader of African heritage, announces new strategic appointments to the leadership team as the organisation ushers in the next growth phase and ensures future competitiveness.
The conclusion of the equity round and the successful reorganisation of Cassava’s business to create an integrated digital solutions platform will be further strengthened by the appointment of new members to the leadership team. These leaders bring a wealth of expertise, enhancing the company’s capabilities in providing Broadband Connectivity, Co-location (data centres), Cloud, Cyber Security, Compute (AI), and Payment – services across more than 30 markets in Africa, the Middle East, India, and Latin America.
Established in 2021, Cassava is a powerful testament to the vision of its founder and Group Chairman, Strive Masiyiwa, of driving sustainable growth by bringing the full capability of the Cassava ecosystem to fruition in its chosen markets. The organisation’s strategy is designed to align its goals with evolving market conditions and technological advancements and foster a culture of adaptability and innovation within the organisation.
- New Appointments effective March 1 st , 2025
- Ahmed El Beheiry, COO and Chief AI Officer for Cassava Technologies, will be responsible for the commercial strategy, business processes, CIO, and supply chain.
- Deon Geyser has been appointed CEO of Liquid Networks for Cassava Technologies. In his new role, he will be responsible for the connectivity business across Africa, including all of Liquid’s fibre, satellite, wireless, and wholesale voice and connectivity services.
- Ziaad Suleman has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of our Cassava business in South Africa. He will drive the growth and innovation strategy of the South African operations as the organisation ushers in the next growth phase and ensures future competitiveness.
- Adil El Youssefi has been appointed the new CEO of our co-location business for Cassava Technologies.
- Wellington Makamure has now been appointed the CEO of Rest of Africa & International for Cassava Technologies.
- Finhai Munzara has been appointed Chief Corporate Development Officer for Cassava Technologies. He will be responsible for M&A, corporate finance, and strategic partnerships.
- Bronwen Zehmke is now the Group General Counsel for Cassava Technologies.
- Leonard Bore is now the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer for Cassava Technologies. He will manage compliance risk, enterprise risk, Internal Audit, and ESG teams.
- Sharon Marufu has been appointed the Chief Supply Chain Officer for Cassava Technologies. She will oversee the group-wide supply chain and procurement.
- Lorreta Songola will assume the role of Managing Director of our Cassava business operations in Zimbabwe.
Hardy Pemhiwa, President & Group CEO of Cassava Technologies, says, “These leadership changes reflect our commitment to assembling a dynamic, diverse and talented team to drive our company’s growth and success. Together, we will drive our ‘One Cassava’ strategy, which brings forward the full capability of the Cassava ecosystem in our chosen markets. This strategy enables us to serve our customers better, achieve faster growth, and cement our competitive position.“I am confident that these changes, along with the collective efforts of our new and existing team members, will set us up for sustainable, profitable growth in the future,” concluded Pemhiwa.
Hardy Pemhiwa is one of the directors who resigned from EcoCash Holdings’ board following Tawanda Nyambirai’s takeover.
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