MTN Eswatini has confirmed the appointment of Jerry Soko as its substantive Chief Executive Officer (CEO), handing the seasoned telecommunications executive a two-year contract effective from today after serving as acting CEO for the past seven months.
The appointment was announced by MTN Eswatini Board Chairperson Nompumelelo Dlamini, who said Soko had demonstrated strong leadership during his time at the helm, positioning the company for continued growth while strengthening its contribution to the country’s digital transformation agenda.
Dlamini said Soko’s leadership had been instrumental in improving the company’s operational performance through a renewed focus on network competitiveness, customer experience and disciplined execution.
“Jerry has demonstrated strong, steady leadership during his time as acting CEO. His ability to execute with discipline, strengthen operational performance and keep customers at the centre of the business has been instrumental in reinforcing MTN Eswatini’s position. We are confident that under his leadership, the business will continue to deliver on its strategic priorities and support Eswatini’s digital future,” she said.
Soko brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector and is a qualified accountant with extensive experience across the African telecommunications industry.
She noted that during his seven-month stint as acting CEO, he spearheaded initiatives aimed at improving network reliability, enhancing customer experience and strengthening collaboration across the organisation. He also championed strategic partnerships designed to support the country’s national digital transformation agenda.
Further noting that beyond operational improvements, Soko placed significant emphasis on developing the company’s workforce by promoting a culture of accountability, agility and collaboration while strengthening talent development and succession planning.
His appointment follows an extensive career within the MTN Group, where he has held both Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer positions in Zambia, South Sudan, Botswana and Rwanda. He also serves on several boards across the continent as a non-executive director.
MTN Eswatini said it was confident Soko’s extensive pan-African experience would help drive the company’s strategic objectives while advancing its purpose of enabling the benefits of a modern connected life for all.
