Simo will tap into his ICT expertise to assist with Telkom’s transition into next-generation technologies.
Telkom Group has recently welcomed Simo Mkhize as the newly appointed chief commercial officer (CCO) for Telkom consumer and small business. With over 25 years of experience in the ICT industry, Simo is a highly experienced professional who has worked extensively in Africa and Europe, including renowned mobile providers in South Africa.
Simo is well-acquainted with the telecommunications industry, having gained valuable experience as a support engineer and progressing to hold various managerial positions, including general manager and chief commercial officer, at some of the big five telco companies in South Africa. Before joining Telkom, Simo served as the chief commercial officer at Cell C.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Wits, and completed his MBA in strategic management at Milpark School of Financial Services.
As Telkom continues to manage the transition to next-generation technologies (NGT), Simo will rely on his biggest strengths, which include new business development, strategic planning, channel management, and operations management to ensure that this goal is achieved.
According to Telkom’s 2022 annual results, Openserve, which sits under the group’s small business portfolio, saw growth across its next-generation data-led products, which now represent close to 70 percent of its revenue base.
“I intend to hit the ground running by focusing on small wins over the next three to six months, to create a coherent commercial value chain. This will set a strong foundation that will enable us to achieve sustainable market share growth in the long term, by delivering significant value for our consumers.
In addition, Telkom Consumer revenue has remained stable largely due to the group’s transition to NGTs and move away from legacy systems by a planned decline in the use of traditional copper-based voice services.
“I’m excited about this new challenge at Telkom consumer and small business, particularly to drive growth and improve our customer experience,” he says. “The group is on a clear path to further cement itself as a strong and influential player in the market, particularly in mobile, fixed, and converged-communication technologies.
Another Telkom business, BCX, will be bolstering its skills and capabilities to support and guide its customers in transitioning to cloud-based solutions and adopting new business models requiring modern ICT solutions.
“I’m thrilled to join the executive leadership team, and I look forward to helping Telkom exceed its goals while continuing to foster a collaborative, high-performance culture,” he concludes.
