News / National
Econet boss lands top UN post
26 Jul 2019 at 09:01hrs | Views
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Econet Wireless chief operating officer Fayaz King as Assistant Secretary General and will serve at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
King succeeds Shanelle Hall as Deputy Executive Director, Field Results and Innovation for UNICEF.
King was appointed Econet's COO in 2015 where he was influential in digitally transforming the telecommunications company.
King will be leaving for his new post at the end of September this year.
In a statement, the UN said King, who served on the boards Liquid Telecom Zimbabwe, Econet Burundi and Econet Lesotho, is bringing to the position over 30 years of experience in innovation, business development, organisational and digital transformation.
"Mr. King has spearheaded the implementation of several technological innovations, including digital products, and overseen developments aimed at digitising school education and healthcare. He is a passionate driver of youth development and empowerment," it said.
"Mr. King founded various entrepreneurial endeavours, in the field of agriculture and food security, driving efficiencies through technology innovations."
Before joining Econet Wireless as COO, King once served as MD at Bharti Airtel International and Celtel International and has worked in Uganda, Nigeria, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. He is a former CEO at Innscor Africa Limited.
He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Zimbabwe in 1994 and completed several specialised courses at INSEAD, HEC Paris and Harvard Business School.
Econet CEO Douglas Mboweni commended King for his contribution to the business, saying he had "distinguished himself very well as a colleague and a professional".
"As Fayaz moves on from the Econet family that he had become such an integral and vital part of, we would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him and his family the best as he takes up this opportunity at the United Nations."
King succeeds Shanelle Hall as Deputy Executive Director, Field Results and Innovation for UNICEF.
King was appointed Econet's COO in 2015 where he was influential in digitally transforming the telecommunications company.
King will be leaving for his new post at the end of September this year.
In a statement, the UN said King, who served on the boards Liquid Telecom Zimbabwe, Econet Burundi and Econet Lesotho, is bringing to the position over 30 years of experience in innovation, business development, organisational and digital transformation.
"Mr. King founded various entrepreneurial endeavours, in the field of agriculture and food security, driving efficiencies through technology innovations."
Before joining Econet Wireless as COO, King once served as MD at Bharti Airtel International and Celtel International and has worked in Uganda, Nigeria, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. He is a former CEO at Innscor Africa Limited.
He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Zimbabwe in 1994 and completed several specialised courses at INSEAD, HEC Paris and Harvard Business School.
Econet CEO Douglas Mboweni commended King for his contribution to the business, saying he had "distinguished himself very well as a colleague and a professional".
"As Fayaz moves on from the Econet family that he had become such an integral and vital part of, we would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him and his family the best as he takes up this opportunity at the United Nations."
Source - businesstimes
