Regional Managing Director – South & East Africa.Bayobab at MTN

Job Description
Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

• The Regional Managing Director (MD) – South & East  at MTN Digital Infrastructure – Bayobab Group will spearhead Bayobab’s growth, profitability, and operational excellence across South and Eastern Africa markets, while directly leading the Bayobab Kenya business. The role is responsible for translating Bayobab’s Pan-African connectivity vision into regional impact—driving commercial performance, network monetisation, and customer value through strategic leadership and cross-border collaboration.
• Acting as a catalyst for integration, innovation, and execution, the Regional MD will ensure that Bayobab’s infrastructure assets are optimally leveraged to deliver sustainable revenue growth, market expansion, and regional competitiveness. The incumbent will build strong stakeholder partnerships, ensure governance alignment, and promote a high-performance culture anchored in Bayobab’s values of leading with care, innovation, inclusion, and integrity.
• In essence, the role exists to position the South & East region as a key growth engine for Bayobab, advancing the Group’s ambition to connect Africa’s digital future through world-class open-access fibre networks.
• Context (Global influences, environmental / industry demands, organisational mission etc.)
• Bayobab’s South & East Region operates within a dynamic and evolving telecommunications and digital infrastructure landscape. The region—comprising Bayobab markets within South and Eastern Africa represents a strategic growth corridor for Bayobab, linking key terrestrial and subsea fibre routes that enable Africa’s digital economy.

This environment is shaped by:

• Accelerating demand for high-speed, resilient connectivity to support enterprise digitalisation, data centres, and cloud adoption.
• Diverse regulatory and political landscapes, requiring agility, diplomacy, and a deep understanding of local market dynamics.
• Increasing competition and convergence in the wholesale connectivity space, calling for innovation, efficiency, and differentiated customer value propositions.
• Rapid technological evolution, including network virtualisation, open-access models, and the growing integration of fibre with data centre and cloud ecosystems.
• Cross-border opportunities for synergy, where shared infrastructure, harmonised operations, and unified customer solutions can unlock scale and efficiency.
• Against this backdrop, the Regional Managing Director – South & East plays a critical role in driving growth and operational excellence while ensuring strategic alignment across multiple markets. The role requires balancing strategic foresight with execution agility, ensuring that each country operation contributes to the region’s collective performance while reflecting Bayobab’s brand promise and values.
• As Bayobab continues its transformation into Africa’s leading open-access fibre network provider, this role is at the forefront of shaping regional collaboration, revenue diversification, and network monetisation, ensuring that the South & East region stands as a cornerstone of Bayobab’s Pan-African success story.

Responsibilities
Key Performance Areas:  Core, essential responsibilities/outputs of the position (KPA’s)

The Regional Managing Director – South & East will be accountable to achieve the following objectives:
Regional Strategy Development and Execution

• Develop and implement a South & East Regional business strategy aligned with Group and FibreCo objectives
• Drive integration of country strategies in South and Eastern Africa into a coherent regional growth plan
• Ensure alignment of commercial, operational, and customer experience priorities across countries.
• Identify new regional commercial opportunities and partnerships for network monetisation.
• Champion a performance-driven culture across all country operations.
• Develop and execute Bayobab Kenya’s business strategy aligned with Group objectives.
• Translate Group and FibreCo strategies into operational plans with clear performance targets.
• Lead annual strategy reviews and adjust plans to reflect evolving market and regulatory realities.
• Identify and capitalize on new commercial opportunities to drive revenue growth and market share.
• Ensure optimal alignment between business priorities, customer needs, and national ICT objectives.

Operational and Financial Management

• Oversee network infrastructure deployment, operations, and service delivery across the region.
• Ensure optimal utilisation of shared assets, reducing duplication and improving regional efficiency.
• Lead regional P&L performance and consolidate financial reporting across countries.
• Drive EBITDA growth through sound financial management, cost control, and revenue optimization.
• Approve budgets, monitor cash flows, and ensure prudent resource utilization.
• Implement internal controls, financial governance, and compliance with audit requirements.
• Review and approve key projects, capital investments, and performance reports.

Commercial Leadership and Revenue Growth

• Oversee regional sales and business development teams to drive new revenue streams.
• Champion initiatives to monetise Bayobab’s network assets regionally.
• Strengthen customer acquisition and retention strategies across markets.
• Foster collaboration between regional and in-country commercial teams to enhance value creation.

Governance and Compliance

• Serve as the principal executive officer for the region and for Bayobab Kenya, ensuring full governance compliance
• Ensure consistent application of Bayobab’s governance frameworks across all operating countries
• Represent the region at Group governance and audit committees as required
• Chair the Executive Committee and serve on the Kenya FibreCo Board.
• Oversee implementation of risk management and internal control frameworks.
• Report monthly and quarterly to the Chief FibreCo Officer and Bayobab CEO on operational performance.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain high-level relationships with regulators, government entities, and telecom authorities across all five countries.
• Represent Bayobab in regional ICT forums, strategic alliances, and multi-country policy engagements.
• Collaborate closely with MTN OpCos, local fibre entities, and external partners to advance shared connectivity goals. 
• Manage investor and shareholder expectations by ensuring transparent communication.
• Promote Bayobab’s reputation and position as a trusted industry leader.

Leadership and People Management

• Lead and mentor country leadership teams (MDs/Heads of Operations/Sales Leads).
• Build cross-border collaboration and shared learning across markets.
• Drive a culture of collaboration, innovation, and ethical leadership.
• Ensure effective succession planning, talent development, and retention.
• Lead change management initiatives to align people and processes with strategic goals. 

Business Development and Partnerships

• Lead regional engagement with wholesale customers, carriers, and hyperscalers.
• Explore opportunities for cross-border fibre integration and joint infrastructure investments.
• Identify strategic partnerships to expand network reach and commercialisation.
• Promote an open-access model that enhances Bayobab’s market competitiveness.
• Oversee customer experience initiatives to enhance service quality and retention. 

Reporting and Performance Management

• Consolidate country-level performance dashboards into a regional scorecard.
• Present regular regional performance updates to the Chief FibreCo Officer and Bayobab CEO
• Monitor key operational and financial KPIs and ensure corrective action where required.
• Drive continuous improvement and ensure alignment with Group benchmarks.

Qualifications
Job Requirements (Education, Experience and Competencies)

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field 
• MBA/master’s in business or Regional Development will be advantageous.

Experience:

• 12–15 years post-qualification experience in wholesale/infrastructure/B2B telecommunications.
• Proven experience managing multi-country operations or regional business portfolios.
• At least 5 years in senior executive management within telecom or infrastructure sectors.
• Demonstrated success in driving regional growth, network monetisation, and cross-border collaboration.
• Proficient in driving company’s financial performance, business growth and technology/infrastructure expansion
• Experience working in a global/multinational enterprise with a good understanding emerging market

Competencies: 

• Deep understanding of regional telecom markets and regulatory landscapes. 
• Strategic and financial acumen with strong operational oversight capability.
• Leadership in multicultural, cross-border environments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills across multiple countries

Functional Knowledge: 

• Wholesale/infrastructure/B2B Telecommunications 
• Board Management & Corporate Governance 
• Business and Finance acumen
• Sales strategy planning and execution
• Product Strategy & Roadmap
• Business development
• Technology & Infrastructure deployment 
• Customer value management
• Account management

Skills:

• Strategy Directors – Sets strategic direction for the formulation of business strategies aligned to overarching vision 
• Decisive Problem Solver – Makes decisions firmly and quickly based on logic and intuition to solve complex operational challenges through effective influencing 
• Value Creator – Creates opportunities for commercial and enterprise innovation to maximise business impact that creates shareholder value 
• Culture and Change Translator – Translates values and vital behaviours into ethical business strategies 
• Inspiring People Leader – Is self-aware and leads a business leadership culture holding others accountable for building talent pipelines 
• Stakeholder Influencer – Leads the Bayobab brand and influences internal and external stakeholder relationships for value creation 
• Results Achiever – Creates shareholder value through driving sustainable business result 

Other:

• Regional and international travel

Responsibility towards:  

Key internal stakeholders:

• All functions within the OpCo
• MD/Country Heads from other OpCos
• Country leadership teams in South and Eastern Africa
• Bayobab Leadership team
• Regional teams
• FibreCo Board 
• Governance Forums /Audit Committee

Key external stakeholders:   

• External audit committees / regulators / statutory bodies
• Government agencies
• Shareholders / Investors
• Third party service providers

Apply Before
11/18/2025