• 2023 has been the year of executive shake-ups for ailing telecom Cell C as it hopes to turn profits around.
• The firm has made several major appointments in the last six months, and has announced that it will make more into 2024.
• The latest will see two executives promoted to new positions in the C-suite.

Ailing telecom group Cell C has been “proudly announcing” several changes to its executive team for most of 2023. In the last six months, it has appointed a new CEO, a new chief marketing officer, a new chief of staff and a new seat on its board of directors, tapping veterans from rivals like Vodacom and MTN.

It seems it is set to announce several more beyond 2023.

The latest will see two of its top executives promoted to further ensure that the “execution of a comprehensive turnaround strategy is swiftly progressing.” On Wednesday, the company announced that Denver Alwar and Zia Sadik, pictured in the cover image above, respectively, are set to be elevated to new roles at the telecom.

The company posted a staggering R8.3 billion loss in 2019, for which it has long been working towards recovery, with recent external executive appointments a means to fundamentally change Cell C to become more profitable. Internally, the company is also jostling around names in its C-suite.

Sadik, formerly the Executive overseeing Customer Value Management (CVM), has now been promoted to the newly created role of Executive Head: Growth and Retentions. Zia will report directly to the Chief Growth Officer, whose appointment will be disclosed in the forthcoming year, Cell C indicates in a press release.

“Since joining Cell C in August 2022, [Sadik] has played a pivotal role in revitalizing the CVM function and implemented streamlined governance structures, restructured teams, clarified roles and responsibilities. He delivered simplified portfolios, overseen crucial systems migration, and bolstered our CVM capabilities, which has contributed to revenue growth,” the company explains.

Meanwhile, Alwar is now to serve as the new Executive Head: Regional Operations. Denver will report directly to the Chief Sales, Distribution, and Regions Officer – another new appointment set to join Cell C in the upcoming year.

“[Denver’s] leadership will play a pivotal role in elevating our sales execution capabilities, driving subscriber acquisition, and enhancing market share across our identified regions. Significant strides have been made in Denver’s tenure to institute rigout in driving sales with a robust focus on forming winning partnerships with our distribution channels,” it says.

“As Cell C continues its path to reignite its competitive position in the telecommunications industry, these promotions signal a bold and decisive move towards ensuring that the company is well-equipped to deliver exceptional service and value to its customers, while fostering sustained growth and success in a rapidly evolving market,” the company’s PR writes, a message influenced by its executive team.

New life is flowing into and across Cell C, but new appointments and promotions will only take it so far, especially with its financial results of the last two years. Grim, to say the least. In 2023, the year ended results showed R2.3 billion loss for Cell C.

Last week, Cell C’s single largest shareholder Blue Label Telecoms, and its parent firm, signed an application with ICASA to begin moving to take full control of Cell C. Blue Label owns a 49.5 percent stake Cell C, which will reportedly keep control of its spectrum after the complete Blue Label takeover.

[Image – Provided]