Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa has tightened his family’s influence over Econet Wireless following the appointment of his daughters, Sarah Masiyiwa and Elizabeth Tanya, to the company’s board of directors.
According to a report Sarah officially assumed her role as an alternate director on October 1, joining her sister Elizabeth Tanya, who has been a full director since April 2022.
Sarah, who has a strong background in economics, journalism, and global media, is expected to shape Econet’s investment strategy and business development agenda.
Elizabeth Tanya, who stepped into her board role when their father resigned as chairman in 2022, brings experience in international banking, finance, and social entrepreneurship.
Through platforms such as the Higherlife Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, and Simba Education, she has spearheaded initiatives in education, philanthropy, and technology, aligning with Econet’s focus on digital innovation and social impact.
The appointments solidify the Masiyiwa family’s governance of the telecommunications giant while Strive Masiyiwa himself shifts his attention to the fast-growing field of artificial intelligence.
Through his company Cassava Technologies, he has announced a $720 million plan to establish five AI factories across Africa—in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco, and Egypt.
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The billionaire says the initiative, dubbed the Sovereign AI Cloud strategy, aims to reduce Africa’s dependence on foreign cloud providers by creating localized infrastructure capable of supporting universities, startups, and research institutions.
The first facility, currently under development in South Africa, will host about 3,000 Nvidia GPUs to power advanced AI systems.
Masiyiwa’s growing focus on AI marks a new chapter in his business empire, while his daughters’ appointments ensure that the family maintains a firm hold over Econet’s future direction.
Image Credit:: Billionaires.Africa
