Phuthuma Nhleko

Phuthuma Nhleko was until March 2011 the group CEO of MTN, at the time the sixth largest company on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) by market capitalisation and the largest company with a primary listing in South Africa.

During his 10-year leadership tenure at MTN from 2002 to 2011, he transformed the company, driving its exponential growth through significant expansion covering 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East and serving over 240 million online customers. In May 2013, he returned as MTN Group Chairman and served until December 2019.

Nhleko’s previous directorships include BP Plc, Anglo American Plc, the Nedbank Group, Old Mutual SA, Johnnic Holdings, the Bidvest Group and Alexander Forbes. He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from Ohio State University and a Master of Business Administration from Atlanta University (renamed Clark Atlanta University). He is a Fellow of University of Oxford, Blavatnik School of Government and Public Policy.

He is the Chairman and co-founder of Phembani Group a South African domiciled resource and energy-focused investment holding company that has a significant interest inter alia in downstream retailer Engen in partnership with Vitol, a Swiss-based Dutch multinational energy and commodity trading company. Phembani Group has JV partnerships with Glencore and Sibanye-Still Water in coal and platinum resources, respectively.

He is also the Chairman of Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund (PRIF) that invests in infrastructure projects on the African continent, Chairman of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Director of IHS Towers and Chairman of Tullow Oil Plc.