Vodacom Business is deepening its push into enterprise digital transformation with three new appointments to its Extraordinary Business Advisory Board, a move aimed at giving South African businesses sharper guidance on technologies that are already reshaping the market. The latest additions bring heavyweight experience in artificial intelligence, customer experience, telecommunications, and product strategy, all areas that matter as local firms battle rising cyber risks, tighter margins and fast-moving tech change.
The advisory board itself has become a key part of Vodacom Business’s enterprise strategy. It was created to bring together seasoned thinkers and specialists who can help organisations make better decisions about cloud, cybersecurity, AI, IoT and digital transformation. For SA businesses, especially SMEs trying to modernise without blowing the budget, that kind of practical insight can be the difference between lagging behind and staying competitive.
Speaking on the board’s impact, Videsha Proothveerajh, director of Vodacom Business, said the platform has already proved useful in tackling some of the toughest questions facing South African companies.
“Our Extraordinary Business Advisory Board has proven invaluable in engaging the most pressing issues facing South African enterprises today,” she said. “From guiding our customers through critical digital transformation initiatives to addressing the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats and tackling the unique challenges facing SMEs in a rapidly changing business environment, the board’s thought leadership has been instrumental in shaping our enterprise strategy and solutions.”
The message is clear: Vodacom is not simply adding names to a list. It is building a network of decision-makers and industry veterans who can help shape how the company serves its business clients in a country where digitisation is no longer optional.
Among the new appointees is Charlotte Kepadisa, who currently serves as managing executive of big data, AI and RPA at Vodacom Group. Kepadisa brings more than 20 years of experience in artificial intelligence and digital transformation across financial services, insurance and telecommunications. Her career also includes a recent three-year secondment to Safaricom, where she focused on accelerating AI transformation and extracting commercial value from the technology.
Her academic background is equally strong. Kepadisa holds postgraduate degrees in applied mathematics and mathematical statistics, an MBA from Stellenbosch University, and a certified chief digital officer qualification from MIT. For Vodacom Business customers, her presence on the board signals a stronger focus on using AI not just as a buzzword, but as a practical tool for business efficiency and growth.
Another appointment is Reshaad Sha, a well-known name in South Africa’s technology sector. He is the executive chairman of Sentiv and CEO of BriteGaze, and has spent much of his career working where technology meets business performance. His previous roles include CEO of Liquid Telecom South Africa, CEO of SqwidNet, and chief strategy officer and executive director at DFA.
Sha’s resume also includes senior positions at Cisco, LogicaCMG and Protek, with experience spanning the US, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. He holds an executive MBA from UCT’s Graduate School of Business and is an advanced management graduate of Harvard Business School. In the context of Vodacom Business’s advisory board appointments, Sha brings a sharp commercial lens and a wide regional perspective that could prove valuable as the company expands its enterprise offering.
The third new member is Kgabo Seopa, currently managing executive of products and services at Vodacom Business. Seopa has worked across several technology environments, including Cisco, Nokia, Sita, Vodacom and Internet Solutions. He has experience building and scaling high-growth portfolios across multiple countries, while also turning strategy into measurable commercial outcomes.
Seopa holds an MBA and is described as someone who is focused on building teams and businesses that deliver meaningful impact across Africa. That matters in a market like South Africa, where enterprise clients increasingly want service providers who understand both the technical side of innovation and the day-to-day realities of operating on the continent.
Vodacom Business advisory board appointments strengthen enterprise push
The timing of these Vodacom Business advisory board appointments is no accident. South African companies are under pressure to modernise faster, protect themselves from cyberattacks and find better ways to use data in decision-making. Many organisations also face a shortage of digital skills, which makes access to experienced external guidance more important than ever.
Proothveerajh said the board helps Vodacom bring together “people, experience, expertise and innovation” to support growth and success. She added that the inclusion of Charlotte Kepadisa, Reshaad Sha and Kgabo Seopa strengthens the business’s ability to deliver authoritative insight on emerging technology trends.
That kind of advisory structure is becoming increasingly common among major corporates, but Vodacom’s version is clearly tied to enterprise sales and customer support. For business clients, the benefit is not just strategic thinking in the abstract. It is access to people who have sat inside the rooms where major digital decisions are made, and who understand how to move from idea to implementation.
Vodacom Business has been expanding its role beyond connectivity, positioning itself as a broader digital and financial services partner for companies of all sizes. That ambition is part of a wider corporate trend in South Africa, where telecoms firms are competing to offer cloud, security, analytics and managed services alongside the traditional network products that built their businesses in the first place.
The group’s scale gives that ambition real weight. Vodacom, together with Safaricom, serves more than 200 million customers across consumer and enterprise segments. The company started in South Africa and now operates in the DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique and Tanzania, with mobile networks covering a population of more than 500 million people.
Vodacom is majority owned by Vodafone, which holds 65.1% of the business. That global backing, combined with local market knowledge, has helped the company remain one of the most influential players in African telecommunications and digital services.
For South African enterprises, the latest board changes are likely to be seen as more than a corporate reshuffle. They suggest Vodacom Business is leaning harder into the advisory role many companies now expect from their technology partners, especially as the line between telecoms, software and business consulting continues to blur.
As we reported earlier, the pressure on businesses to digitise is only intensifying, and platforms like this advisory board are increasingly being used to stay ahead of customer needs. With Kepadisa, Sha and Seopa now on board, Vodacom Business appears to be strengthening both its internal expertise and its ability to guide clients through the next phase of enterprise technology in South Africa and beyond.