Former Airtel Nigeria staffer Rachael Ayo-Oladejo has been appointed chief of staff, strategy and business transformation of South Africa’s Cell C, reporting directly to CEO Jorge Mendes.

South Africa’s fourth mobile network announced the appointment of Ayo-Oladejo today, saying she will play a critical role in driving Cell C's strategic initiatives.

The appointment of the 17-year telecom executive comes as Cell C is beefing up its executive team and board gearing for growth.

Last month, Cell C announced the inclusion of two telecom heavyweights, Maya Makanjee and Godfrey Motsa, to its board.

The following day, the company then appointed Jorge Mendes, former chief consumer business officer at Vodacom South Africa, as its new CEO.

The new additions are now expected to help turn the debt-laden mobile operator into profitability.

Today, Cell C said Ayo-Oladejo’s expertise, and dedication for driving meaningful change will undoubtedly contribute to the company's success in the years to come.

The company said: “Having excelled in various roles across Enterprise, Consumer, and Customer Operations, her journey began at (Vmobile) Airtel Nigeria and continued with significant contributions across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.”

Prior to joining Cell C, Ayo-Oladejo was an executive for strategy, execution, and performance management at Vodacom's Consumer Business Unit, she worked closely with Mendes as part of his executive team.

Mendes commented: "Rachael's appointment underscores the importance we place on strategic leadership and seamless execution. Her wealth of experience, proven track record, and deep industry insights make her the ideal candidate to play a pivotal role in our transformative journey to drive growth and profitability. I am confident that her appointment will further strengthen Cell C's position in the market in line with our strategic ambitions.''

Ayo-Oladejo holds an MBA from the University of Witwatersrand Business School and a Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute.

She has completed various leadership programmes and also holds a Brain-Based Coaching certification from the Neuro Leadership Institute.

Commenting on her new role, Ayo-Oladejo said:"I am honoured and thrilled to join Cell C as the Chief of Staff, Strategy and Business Transformation. I look forward to working closely with Jorge Mendes and the talented team at Cell C to drive the company's growth, forge collaboration across the business, and unlock new opportunities for success.''