Strive Masiyiwa’s Cassava Technologies (Cassava), a global technology powerhouse of African heritage, has announced key leadership appointments as it enters a new phase of accelerated growth and competitiveness.
Following the successful conclusion of its equity round and the strategic reorganisation of its business into a fully integrated digital solutions platform, Cassava is reinforcing its executive team.
The newly appointed leaders bring extensive expertise to bolster the company’s offerings in Broadband Connectivity, Co-location (data centres), Cloud, Cyber Security, Compute (AI), and Payment services across more than 30 markets spanning Africa, the Middle East, India, and Latin America.
Established in 2021, Cassava embodies the vision of its founder and Group Chairman, Masiyiwa, to drive sustainable growth by leveraging the full strength of the Cassava ecosystem.
The company’s strategy is designed to adapt to evolving market conditions and technological advancements while fostering a culture of innovation and agility.
New leadership appointments effective 1 March 2025
- Ahmed El Beheiry – Appointed COO and Chief AI Officer, overseeing commercial strategy, business processes, CIO, and supply chain.
- Deon Geyser – Named CEO of Liquid Networks, responsible for connectivity services across Africa, including fibre, satellite, wireless, and wholesale voice.
- Ziaad Suleman – Appointed CEO of Cassava South Africa, leading growth and innovation in the South African market.
- Adil El Youssefi – Assumes the role of CEO of Cassava’s Co-location Business.
- Wellington Makamure – Becomes CEO of Rest of Africa & International.
- Finhai Munzara – Appointed Chief Corporate Development Officer, overseeing M&A, corporate finance, and strategic partnerships.
- Bronwen Zehmke – Named Group General Counsel.
- Leonard Bore – Appointed Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, leading compliance risk, enterprise risk, Internal Audit, and ESG teams.
- Sharon Marufu – Assumes the role of Chief Supply Chain Officer, managing the group-wide supply chain and procurement.
- Lorreta Songola – Appointed Managing Director of Cassava Zimbabwe.
Hardy Pemhiwa, President & Group CEO of Cassava Technologies, emphasised the importance of these leadership changes:
“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.”
Pemhiwa concluded, “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.”
With these strategic appointments, Cassava Technologies is reinforcing its market leadership and positioning itself for long-term success in the fast-evolving digital landscape.
Cassava Technologies, Backed By Billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, Secures R5.5 Billion And Completes Reorganisation
Cassava Technologies (Cassava), backed by billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, has achieved three major milestones that position it for robust growth and further solidify its status as a global technology leader of African heritage. These milestones include a substantial equity injection, the successful refinancing of its South African Rand (ZAR) debt, and the completion of a comprehensive legal reorganization.
Cassava successfully closed an equity investment round of $90 million, with participation from U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation (Finnfund), and Google. This funding forms a crucial part of Cassava’s strategy to bolster its balance sheet, ensure sustainable profitable growth, and drive its mission of delivering transformative digital solutions across its markets.
The equity investment aligns with Cassava’s strategic reorganization to establish a fully integrated digital solutions platform. This platform offers a comprehensive suite of services, including Broadband Connectivity, Co-location (data centres), Cloud, Cybersecurity, Compute (AI), and Payment services across more than 30 markets spanning Africa, the Middle East, India, and Latin America.
In addition to the equity round, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, successfully refinanced its South African Rand term loan on a multi-tenor basis. The new facilities, equivalent to $220 million, were arranged through partnerships with leading financial institutions including Standard Bank of South Africa, Rand Merchant Bank, Nedbank of South Africa, and International Finance Corporation (IFC).
“We are excited to announce these significant achievements, which collectively strengthen our financial position and are a powerful testament to the vision of our founder and Group Chairman, Strive Masiyiwa, and the dedication and commitment of our teams across the Group,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO of Cassava.
