Safaricom’s first Kenyan CEO, Peter Ndegwa, reveals what’s next for giant telco

By , K24 Digital
On Sun, 26 Apr, 2020 15:36 | 2 mins read
Peter Ndegwa
Safaricom new CEO, Peter Ndegwa. PHOTO | COURTESY
Safaricom new CEO, Peter Ndegwa. PHOTO | COURTESY

Safaricom's new boss, Peter Ndegwa, is set to appear on K24 TV's Punchline show on Sunday at 9 pm.

Peter, who joined the giant telecommunications firm on April 1, has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders but he brings on board a wealth of experience in management, commercial and business strategy.

Many eyes are on Peter to deliver the same results, if not better, compared to his predecessors the late Bob Collymore and founding-CEO Michael Joseph.

The 5-year-old CEO holds an MBA from the London Business School and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi. Besides, Peter is also a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK).

With Safaricom having had a stellar performance over the years, the hope seems to replicate that success for his duration at the helm.

Peter takes the reins at a time when the economy is hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and with the many businesses projecting a revenue dent.

“It is time to serve my country. There are two things that I value most, and that is humility and integrity. Integrity is about doing what you say and humility is knowing that there is always something more you can do,” Peter said in an interview with Business Daily on his first day at work.

Previously, Peter worked with the East African Breweries where he served in a range of executive director roles for eight years in Nairobi. He served as the EABL's Group Chief Finance Officer, Group Strategy Director, sales director, and as an executive director on the EABL Board.

The Starehe Boys'Center alumnus started his career at the PriceWaterHouse Coopers, the global consulting firm, where he toiled for 11 years.

In his Safaricom biography, Peter says he draws his inspiration from his early upbringing that laid the foundations for his strong value set especially by his teachers and the legendary Dr Geoffrey Griffin and his parents.