Safaricom Ethiopia CEO shares insights on building organisational excellence at 4th Excellence Summit 2026
Date: 2026-01-22
By: Robert Kwaku Annor
Safaricom
Ethiopia Telecommunications PLC participated in the 4th Excellence Summit 2026,
where its Chief Executive Officer, Wim Vanhelleputte, joined a high-level panel
discussion alongside Mesfin Tasew, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian
Airlines, and Bart De Keninck, Chief Executive Officer of Heineken.
The
three executives represent organisations recognised at the 12th Ethiopian
Quality Awards, presented on December 2, 2025, by President Taye Atske Selassie
of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, for excellence across key
sectors of the economy.
Drawing
on Safaricom Ethiopia’s operational journey, Vanhelleputte highlighted the
advantage of being part of a well-established international telecommunications
group with proven standards and processes. He noted that this enabled the
company to build a solid foundation without the need to design systems from
scratch.
He
emphasized that organisational excellence begins with people, stressing the
importance of investing in young talent with the right mindset, providing
structured coaching, and strengthening teams with experienced leadership to
ensure continuity and performance.
Vanhelleputte
also underscored the importance of operational clarity and prioritisation,
noting that Safaricom Ethiopia focused first on building core network
infrastructure and a reliable distribution system. This approach, supported by
a strong partner ecosystem and clear standards for contractors, allowed the
company to address challenges progressively and sustainably.
Reflecting
on the Ethiopian Quality Awards assessment process, he described it as
rigorous, scientific and methodical, adding that Safaricom Ethiopia is already
preparing to ensure an even stronger performance in the next evaluation cycle.
The
summit served as a platform for experience sharing among leading organisations,
with discussions reinforcing the role of strong leadership, clear processes and
empowered teams in delivering sustainable excellence and advancing Ethiopia’s
digital future.
