Following his fight with cancer, Raymond Sifiso Dabengwa, the former CEO of MTN Group, passed away, as revealed by the family spokesperson on Monday.
According to the spokesperson: “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Raymond Sifiso Dabengwa, who succumbed to cancer this morning.”
The statement available to BrandSpur telecom and IT news desk emphasised Dabengwa’s noteworthy contributions to the telecom sector as well as his standing as a shrewd businessman.
From 2011 until 2015, when he was the CEO of MTN Group, Dabengwa received recognition for his “visionary leadership, integrity, and dedication that drove significant advancements in the industry,” the spokesperson added.
Under his direction, MTN not only navigated a phase of development and expansion but also solidified its standing as a major force in the telecom industry. He was renowned for his dedication to education and his faith in the transformative potential of technology, in addition to his financial acumen.
Continuing, the spokesperson went on to say: “He was an advocate for education and a fervent believer in the power of technology to transform lives.”
Dabengwa is survived by his four children and his wife, Naspers South Africa’s Chief Executive, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa.
When Dabengwa joined MTN in 1999 as managing director of its South African operations, his career with the company officially started. He advanced through the ranks fast, and in 2004 he was named group chief operations officer. In addition, he was named MTN Nigeria’s chief executive officer, a role he maintained while supervising MTN’s wider operational plans.
His career as a leader culminated in his 2011 appointment to the position of CEO of MTN Group, when he succeeded Phuthuma Nhleko. Working closely with Nhleko and other top officials, Dabengwa was instrumental in creating and implementing the group’s growth strategy while serving as CEO.
Dabengwa worked as an Executive Director for Eskom, the state-owned electricity provider in South Africa, before joining MTN. Later in his career, on January 19, 2018, he was named as a director of Eskom, a role he left on July 21, 2020. This prolonged his association with the company.
Dabengwa’s academic accomplishments, which highlight his combination of technical proficiency and business acumen, included an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
