Vodacom Group has appointed Sitho Mdlalose as managing director of Vodacom South Africa, effective 1 July.
Mdlalose is currently MD of Vodacom Tanzania, a position he has held since August 2021.
In a statement, the mobile operator says he returns to Vodacom South Africa to assume the role held by Balesh Sharma, who leaves the company at the end of June to pursue an external career opportunity.
Mdlalose will report directly to Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub and will join the Vodacom Group executive committee. Mdlalose's successor in Tanzania will be announced in due course, says the firm.
The new SA MD is a qualified chartered accountant and a Harvard Business School Senior Executive Programme graduate.
Vodacom says Mdlalose is an established business leader with over 20 years of experience in finance, consulting and management, 13 of which have been in telecommunications across emerging and developed markets.
Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub says: “I am confident that Sitho is the ideal candidate to lead Vodacom South Africa in a challenging economic climate that will require proactive innovations to adjust to shifts in customer behaviour.
“His in-depth experience, financial and business acumen, strong interpersonal skills and proven track record make him an obvious choice for this important role. I’d like to offer my personal congratulations to Sitho as we celebrate yet another internal promotion, showcasing the strong bench of executive talent at Vodacom.”
Mdlalose worked at Vodafone Group for over six years prior to joining Vodacom Group. He has held various leadership roles, including chief finance officer for international business.
He was then interim group chief finance officer and finance director for Vodacom South Africa, before being appointed as MD of Vodacom Tanzania in 2021.
During his short tenure at Vodacom Tanzania, the operator says Mdlalose demonstrated solid leadership in driving the delivery of Vodacom’s business strategy.
It adds that his charismatic leadership has been a strong asset to rally support among key stakeholders surrounding the business, including policymakers, customers and staff.
Mdlalose has also led the Tanzania business through multiple strategic negotiations which have positioned its operations for recovery and future growth, says Vodacom.
In 2020, Vodacom Group announced the creation of a standalone South African operating company as part of a simplification of its structure following the expansion of its African portfolio and accelerated growth ambitions on the continent, including financial and digital services.
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