Big leadership change at Vodacom South Africa

Vodacom SA has appointed Johnny Dos Santos to an expanded role as Wholesale, Fixed and Enablement Executive, where he will be responsible for the development and growth of the company’s wholesale business.

“We are consolidating Fixed Services and Wholesale to enable innovation and operational excellence across our connectivity offerings,” Vodacom SA CEO Sitho Mdlalose told staff in an internal email on Monday.

Mdlalose said the change will also help Vodacom further monetise its assets in South Africa and drive customer-centricity.

Dos Santos will take on the expanded role leading the newly consolidated portfolio from 1 April 2025.

“Johnny remains a member of the Vodacom South Africa EXCO and will continue to report to me,” Mdlalose said.

Mdlalose said Dos Santos will lead Vodacom SA’s strategy to take market leadership in consumer fixed services and enable the transformation of its mobile and “beyond mobile” business, including leading in strategic projects.

“With his deep expertise in Mobile and Fixed, strategic oversight, and ability to drive cross-functional collaboration, he is well positioned to lead this transformation and create value for our business and customers,” said Mdlalose.

“I wish Johnny all the best in his new role and trust that he will receive the continued support of the business in driving forward our strategic objectives.”

Dos Santos has been at Vodacom for nearly 12 years, joining the company as Vodacom Lesotho’s executive head of M-Commerce in May 2013.

He was soon promoted to executive head of consumer and enterprise at Vodacom Lesotho. By April 2015, he was commercial managing executive. He also served as acting managing director between September 2015 and February 2016.

In April 2017, he was appointed Managing Executive: Products and Services at Vodacom South Africa, where he was responsible for mobile and fixed products and commercial management for the Consumer Business Unit.

In May 2023, he became the fixed services executive at Vodacom South Africa, where he was responsible for the consumer and business fixed services lines of the business.