Safaricom announces Michael Joseph as interim CEO following Bob Collymore's death

Michael Joseph has been announced as the new interim Safaricom PLC CEO following the death of Bob Collymore.

A statement from the company's Board of Directors outlined that the decision was arrived at on Monday when Chairman Nicholas Ng'ang'a called for a meeting with the Board members.

"The Board resolved to appoint Mr Michael Joseph, a Board member of the Company, as the interim CEO of the company with immediate effect.

Safaricom announces Michael Joseph as interim CEO following Bob Collymore's death Pulse Live Kenya

"Mr Joseph will hold this position until the Board communicates in due course, on a permanent appointment," the statement read in part.

Michael Joseph - the unrivaled Manager

Joseph had served as Safaricom's CEO for 10 years before handing over the post to Bob Collymore in 2010.

He has been described as a manager with a knack for "making the right decisions for his company at the wrong time for his competitors".

He has been serving as the chairman of the Kenya Airways Board since October 2016 and was in early June handed an additional three years at the company with his contract set to expire in 2022.

Safaricom announces Michael Joseph as interim CEO following Bob Collymore's death ece-auto-gen

Joseph holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town and an illustrious career in telecommunications while in South Africa before he moved to Kenya in 2000.

He is also credited with doing the ground work that kick-started the Safaricom brand in the early 2000s.