Vodacom Appoints Ayman Essam as Group Chief External Affairs Officer
Vodacom Group has announced the appointment of Ayman Essam as Chief Executive for External Affairs, effective October 1, 2025. In this expanded strategic role, Essam will oversee external affairs across all the Group’s markets in Africa, including Egypt, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
The Egyptian market will remain a key focus under his leadership, given its significant contribution as one of the Group’s largest and most influential markets. Essam will report directly to Shameel Joosub, Chief Executive Officer of Vodacom Group.
Essam, who joined Vodafone Egypt in 2001, has been a prominent figure in the company’s legal and regulatory framework. Over the years, he played a pivotal role in shaping the institutional and legislative structure that strengthened the company’s partnerships with government bodies and regulatory authorities. His leadership extended across diverse functions, including legal affairs, external communications, public policy and regulatory affairs, government relations, corporate security, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability. These efforts have had a strong impact on Vodafone’s reputation and performance both domestically and internationally.
A successor to his current position as Vice President for External and Legal Affairs at Vodafone Egypt will be announced in due course.
Commenting on the appointment, Shameel Joosub, CEO of Vodacom Group, said:
> “We are delighted to welcome Ayman to Vodacom Group’s senior leadership team. His deep expertise in the telecommunications sector and outstanding leadership capabilities make him the ideal candidate to lead our external affairs strategy across Africa. This appointment underscores Vodacom’s commitment to constructive collaboration with stakeholders, in line with our vision of connecting for a better future.”
Vodafone Egypt continues to stand out as one of the Group’s strongest markets, contributing significantly to Vodacom’s regional and global presence, and reinforcing the company’s role in shaping the future of the telecommunications industry across the African continent.