The Three Men Who Built Safaricom Into a Corporate Giant

The rise of Safaricom from a scrappy mobile operator to East Africa’s most profitable company is inseparable from the leadership styles of its three most influential chief executives. Safaricom CEOs – Michael Joseph, Bob Collymore, and Peter Ndegwa – each steered the company through different economic and technological moments, shaping its strategy, public image, and long-term ambitions. Together, their tenures tell the story of a company that has constantly reinvented itself to the set the pace for Kenya’s mobile services industry, including money transfer services.

Michael Joseph: The Architect of Disruption

Michael Joseph, Safaricom’s founding CEO known for his peculiar leadership style, led the company at a time when Kenya’s telecom market was underdeveloped and mobile penetration was low. His strategy was unapologetically aggressive: build scale fast, expand network coverage, and make mobile communication affordable to the masses.

Joseph famously argued that growth would not come from fighting over existing customers but from creating new ones, a strategy that accelerated growth for Safaricom. “We had to grow the market, not compete for scraps,” he once remarked when reflecting on Safaricom’s early years.

That philosophy culminated in the launch of M-Pesa in 2007, a product that fundamentally altered Safaricom’s trajectory. Initially designed as a simple money-transfer service, M-Pesa evolved into a national payments system that embedded Safaricom deep into Kenya’s economy.

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Under Joseph, Safaricom transitioned from a telecoms provider into a platform business. The impact was immediate and lasting: strong customer loyalty, diversified revenue streams, and unmatched market dominance. By the time he exited office, Safaricom was no longer just a company — it was infrastructure.

Bob Collymore: Consolidation and Corporate Legitimacy

When Bob Collymore took over in 2010, Safaricom was already dominant. His challenge was less about disruption and more about sustainability and trust. Collymore’s leadership coincided with heightened regulatory scrutiny and public debate over Safaricom’s market power.

Collymore responded by deepening partnerships and broadening Safaricom’s social footprint. “We don’t succeed if the communities around us don’t succeed,” he often said, framing profitability and social responsibility as complementary rather than conflicting goals.

Strategically, Safaricom under Collymore focused on expanding the M-Pesa ecosystem. Products such as M-Shwari, Lipa na M-Pesa, and merchant payments turned the platform into a financial marketplace, moving Safaricom further away from reliance on voice revenues.

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Collymore also strengthened Safaricom’s brand as a corporate citizen, investing heavily in health, education, sports, and culture through the Safaricom Foundation. The result was a company that was commercially powerful but publicly palatable—an important balance in a politically sensitive environment. His tenure was marked by steady growth, strong profits, and brand trust. Safaricom became not just dominant, but accepted.

Peter Ndegwa: Expansion Beyond Borders

Peter Ndegwa assumed office in 2020 under extraordinary circumstances. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted operations, accelerated digital adoption, and tested corporate resilience. At the same time, Safaricom was approaching saturation in its home market.

Ndegwa’s response has been to push Safaricom beyond Kenya. The most defining decision of his tenure has been entry into Ethiopia, one of Africa’s largest and most complex telecom markets. “Safaricom cannot remain a one-country company forever,” Ndegwa has said in outlining the firm’s long-term vision.

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Unlike his predecessors, Ndegwa has focused on structural reorganisation, efficiency, and governance. Safaricom has been reshaped into product-led business units, while Ethiopia operations are managed separately to protect the core business. The strategy is not without risk. Ethiopia requires heavy capital investment and patience, and returns will take time. Still, analysts view the move as a necessary bet if Safaricom is to remain a growth story rather than a cash-cow utility.

Leadership and Legacy

The contrast between the three CEOs is stark but complementary. Joseph was the disruptor, Collymore the consolidator, and Ndegwa the expansionist. Each responded to the demands of their era, leaving behind a company better equipped for the next phase.

Safaricom’s enduring strength lies not just in technology or market share, but in leadership that understood when to build, when to stabilise, and when to take calculated risks. As the company looks beyond Kenya’s borders, the lessons from its three CEOs remain central to its future.

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