Cell C boss Jorge Mendes has put the latest piece in his ongoing recruitment drive in place with his shake-up of the mobile operator’s leadership, while continuing to poach talent from his former employer.
SA’s fourth largest mobile operator said on Tuesday that Bryan O’Donovan would take on the role of chief data and analytics officer from May.
He will look after the management of Cell C’s data and analytics assets, “championing data-driven decision-making processes, and leveraging data assets to propel growth and optimisation initiatives”.
The company said the appointment underscored its priorities around “data-driven innovation and customer-centric strategies”.
Before Cell C, O’Donovan held a number of leadership positions, including managing executive roles at Vodacom SA, where he helped to shape pricing strategies, provided financial leadership, and drove decision-making processes. He also had a career at Hollard Insurance spanning over 15 years, where he gained experience in investments, product development and operational governance.
O’Donovan holds a bachelor of Economic Science in Actuarial Science and a bachelor of science honours in actuarial science and mathematics of finance, from Wits University. He is also a fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries as well as the Actuarial Society of SA.
The mobile provider’s leadership has undergone a shake-up in the past year.
A year ago, Mendes left Vodacom after 23 years, taking over at Cell C in June after the sudden exit of Douglas Craigie Stevenson in March. Mendes’s appointment at Cell C was followed by the exit of Lerato Pule.
Former MTN SA CEO Godfrey Motsa and Maya Makanjee, the former group chief officer for corporate affairs at Vodacom, recently joined the Cell C board as the operator seeks to increase growth and steady investor confidence.
The mobile provider also recently appointed El Kope as its CFO and Chris Lazarus as chief officer for sales, distribution and regions.
According to Mendes: “Bryan’s appointment underscores our commitment to harnessing the power of data and analytics to drive innovation and enhance customer experiences. His experience, coupled with his leadership capabilities, will be instrumental in guiding our data strategy and unlocking new opportunities for growth and optimisation.”
All this comes as Cell C’s largest shareholder, Blue Label Telecoms, gets ready to take control of the mobile operator, raising its 49.53% stake to about 53%.
The group, run by brothers Mark and Brett Levy, completed the long-awaited recapitalisation of the troubled mobile company in September 2022. The mobile network operator has struggled to make a profit since it opened for business in 2001.
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