Fayyaz Ansari | Executive Vice President – Group Chief Financial Officer

PROFILE

Fayyaz Ansari

Executive Vice President
Group Chief Financial Officer

Fayyaz Ansari is a seasoned Chief Financial Officer with more than 25 years of international experience leading finance organisations, driving growth, executing complex transactions, and delivering business transformation across global markets.

As Group Chief Financial Officer of Cassava Technologies, Fayyaz leads the Group’s finance function and oversees corporate development, investor relations, treasury, tax, audit, accounting, performance management, and financial reporting across the company’s operations in Africa and international markets. He works closely with the President & Group CEO, Board of Directors, investors, and lenders to strengthen financial performance and create long-term shareholder value.

Fayyaz began his career in audit, including with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he developed a strong foundation in financial governance, risk management, and corporate transactions across a broad range of industries. He went on to build a successful career in the financial technology sector, spending 14 years with Skrill, part of Paysafe Group Plc. During this period, Fayyaz played a central role in several major corporate milestones, including Skrill’s move from AIM to the London Stock Exchange Main Market and its later shift to private ownership. He also played a key role in its acquisition by private equity investors, its sale to strategic buyers, and Paysafe’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

Throughout his career, Fayyaz has led and supported a broad range of strategic initiatives, including dual market listings, M&A activities, post-acquisition integrations, capital raising activities, business transformation programmes, tax optimisation initiatives, and digital transformation efforts, delivering sustainable value and supporting business growth.

Prior to joining Cassava Technologies, he served as Group CFO of Charles Taylor Group, a global provider of insurance services, claims solutions, and technology platforms, where he was a member of the executive leadership team and helped drive the group’s strategic agenda.

In addition, Fayyaz has served as CFO and board member of several UK-regulated businesses, providing leadership across highly regulated and complex operating environments.

A Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), Fayyaz also holds an MBA from Warwick Business School in the United Kingdom.

Partnerships for the Goals

UN SDG TARGETS

Target 17.8. Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology.

Target 17.14. Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development.

Target 17.16. Enhance multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilise and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to support the
achievement of the UN SDGs.

Target 17.17. Encourage and promote effective partnerships.

Target 17.18. Enhance capacity-building support to increase the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data relevant in national contexts.

HOW WE CONTRIBUTE

17.8, 17.16, 17.17 and 17.18: We operate as an accountable and transparent organisation, underpinning effective partnerships that advance inclusive and sustainable ICT development. This is demonstrated through:

Supporting and collaborating with DFIs to refinance Group debt and secure additional funding that enables sustainable growth.
Collaboration with governments and key stakeholders to address socioeconomic and environmental challenges, and to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of communities.
Engagement with equity partners to proactively address compliance matters that may affect access to funding.
Ongoing collaboration with business partners and regulators to strengthen cyber security, protect data and enhance the resilience and security of our infrastructure.
Collaboration with business partners to support adherence to internationally recognised ISO standards.

17.14: We actively engage with regulators to contribute to the development and alignment of national policies.

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Peace, justice and strong institutions

UN SDG TARGETS

Target 16.3. Promote the rule of law.

Target 16.5. Substantially reduce corruption and bribery.

Target 16.6. Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions.

Target 16.7. Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

Target 16.10. Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms.

HOW WE CONTRIBUTE

16.3 and 16.5: Our updated Code of Conduct, values and governance frameworks underpin ethical and transparent business practices, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations across jurisdictions. This commitment extends to our business partners through our new Supplier Code of Conduct and ongoing compliance monitoring.

16.6: Our digital products and services enhance the efficiency, resilience, accountability, and transparency of institutions while safeguarding their data and intellectual property.

16.7: We promote fair and transparent talent management practices with focus on building a leadership team that reflects the diversity of the societies in which we operate.

16.10: Our affordable solutions expand access to information, supporting socioeconomic inclusion and freedom of expression. In parallel, our Group sustainability strategy strengthens the accuracy, completeness and transparency of our publicly disclosed sustainability and carbon information.

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Sustainable cities and communities

UN SDG TARGETS

Target 11.3. Enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanisation.

Target 11.4. Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

HOW WE CONTRIBUTE

11.3: Our digital infrastructure, together with accessible and affordable products and services, supports inclusive and sustainable urban development by enabling both digital and financial inclusion.

11.4: We incorporate environmental and cultural heritage considerations into land acquisition and infrastructure development processes, ensuring the preservation of natural ecosystems and culturally significant sites.

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Industry, innovation and infrastructure

UN SDG TARGETS

Target 9.1. Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure to support economic development and human wellbeing with a focus on affordable and equitable access.

Target 9.4. Upgrade infrastructure and industries to make them sustainable with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies.

Target 9.5. Upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors and encourage innovation.

HOW WE CONTRIBUTE

9.1 and 9.5: Our access to capital enables sustained investment in network expansion, innovation and growth
initiatives aligned with evolving market demand. This supports broader economic development while advancing innovation within the ICT sector. We also promote affordable internet connectivity to enhance digital inclusion across urban and rural communities, enabling both formal and informal businesses and households to participate in the digital economy. Through Sasai Fintech, we extend affordable access to financial services, further strengthening financial inclusion.

9.4: We adhere to industry best practices and standards to deliver resilient, reliable and secure digital infrastructure, products and services. This includes proactive measures to mitigate operational disruptions arising from disasters and cyber threats, such as data loss and system breaches, as well as safeguarding our infrastructure against climate related risks and natural hazards. In addition, we are progressing infrastructure modernisation initiatives that prioritise energy- and resource-efficient technologies, including the replacement of power-intensive assets with renewable energy alternatives. ESG considerations are also integrated into our procurement processes with focus on partnering with suppliers who demonstrate responsible ESG management.

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Decent work and economic growth

UN SDG TARGETS

Target 8.2. Achieve economic productivity through technological upgrading and innovation.

Target 8.3. Promote policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and small, medium and micro enterprise (SMME) development.

Target 8.4. Improve resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation.

Target 8.5. Achieve productive employment and decent work for all (women, men, young people and persons with disabilities) with equal pay for work of equal value.

Target 8.6. Substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.

Target 8.8. Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers.

HOW WE CONTRIBUTE

8.2, 8.3 and 8.6: we contribute to economic productivity and growth and job creation through:

Operating a resilient and sustainable business underpinned by a strong corporate values and reputation.
Responsibly managing cash flows and securing funding to support long-term growth.
Adopting a customer-centric approach, driven by innovation, to deliver accessible, affordable and relevant products and services.
Enabling the growth of digital economies and innovation across industries through the core nature of our business.
Advancing economic inclusion in South Africa through our B-BBEE initiatives, including support for SMMEs, job creation, youth development and communities as a whole through our CSI initiatives.

8.4: We implement targeted initiatives to promote the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources (especially energy) as well as reducing, recycling and reusing waste generated and water).

8.5 and 8.8: our Code of Conduct, values, governance structures, policies and business partner requirements promote:

Decent work and full compliance with applicable labour legislation.
Diversity, equity and inclusion.
The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and business partners.
Continuous learning and development to support career progression and enhance long-term employability.
Equal access to opportunities, with fair and performance-based remuneration aligned to market benchmarks.
Upholding human rights across our operations and throughout our value chain.

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Meet our Group President & CEO Hardy Pemhiwa:

Hardy Pemhiwa is a seasoned board-level practitioner with extensive senior management experience across Eastern and Southern Africa in financial services, development banking, telecommunications, media and infrastructure.
Pemhiwa was Group Chief Executive and Managing Director of Econet, one of the pioneers of the mobile telecoms industry in Africa, [for six years].
He has over 12 years’ experience as a managing director and co-founder of a regulated financial services firm in Kenya offering investment management and investment banking services across Eastern and Southern Africa. In this role, he helped companies in the region to raise more than $500m in debt and equity capital.
Pemhiwa spent nine years as a senior executive at PTA Bank, of which five years were as an Executive Director and member of the Executive Committee. His responsibilities included overseeing the bank’s project finance portfolio across 18 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, managing relationships with clients and governments and raising capital for the bank’s lending programs from local and global sources.
Pemhiwa holds a B. Eng. from Queen Mary College (University of London) and an MBA Certificate in Finance from the Edinburgh Business School. He is fluent in English, and speaks French, Shona and Swahili.

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Sasai Fintech

Diversified Ecosystem of Services for African ConsumersÂ

Leading the market shift from offline to online transactions,Â and well-positioned to capture significant shareÂ
Fully integrated model with strong network effectsÂ that would be difficult to replicateÂ Â
$4.9bnÂ annual transaction value |Â 21mnÂ individual customers |Â 220,000Â POS terminals deployed by 2025Â

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VAYA Technologies

Unique Platform Enabling Adoption of Digital ServicesÂ Â

WiFiÂ AccessÂ offers consumers affordable internet via 4,000+ existingÂ WiFiÂ and broadband access pointsÂ Â
Strategic blue-chip partnershipsÂ benefiting the entire ecosystemÂ

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Distributed Power Technologies (DPT)

Pan-African Presence with 30MW IT Capacity by End of 2021, Powered by Renewable Energy

Largest network of energy-efficient, vendor- and carrier-neutral Tier III and Tier IV data centres in Africa, with 9 ISO and PCI DSS certified sites servicing regional hubs in 6 countries
Ambitious expansion plan into key economic hubs
ADC 2030 carbon neutrality goal supported by DPT’s efficient and diversified renewable energy

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Africa Data centres (ADC)

Pan-African Presence with 30MW IT Capacity by End of 2021, Powered by Renewable Energy

Largest network of energy-efficient, vendor- and carrier-neutral Tier III and Tier IV data centres in Africa, with 9 ISO and PCI DSS certified sites servicing regional hubs in 6 countries
Ambitious expansion plan into key economic hubs
ADC 2030 carbon neutrality goal supported by DPT’s efficient and diversified renewable energy

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Liquid Intelligent Technologies

Most Expansive Independent Pan-African Fibre Network with Cloud-Based Services

100,000km network connecting Cape to Cairo and East to West
6 pillars of the business including Networks, Sea Cables, Data Centres(1), Cloud, Cyber Security, Technologies
High barriers to entry and 40+ licenses across its footprint

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Our Purpose

We seek to use technology as an enabler of economic prosperity and work to provide digital solutions for individuals and businesses that are inclusive and enable them to realise their economic potential.

Leveraging our digital broadband network, interconnected data centres, solar renewable energy, global partnerships and the passion of our teams, our digital solutions are empowering individuals and businesses across markets.

Through Cassava Technologies, we have brought together our complementary business lines under one experienced and founder-led management team, with proven execution capabilities and deep knowledge and experience across markets. This allows us to deliver on our mission, satisfy our customers and engender trust within the communities in which we operate.

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Tracy Mpofu
Group CFO

Tracy Mpofu joined Econet Wireless as Chief Operations Officer in 2000 from Coca Cola. Tracy has assisted in the establishment of Econet Wireless operations in various countries. Tracy is the Group Chief Operations Officer.

Darlington Mandivenga
CEO Sasai Fintech International

Darlington Mandivenga has served the Econet Group in various senior executive roles in a stable career spanning over almost 20 years, including as CEO and CMO within its Telco Operations. His most recent role before the current one was that of Group Deputy CEO for Econet Wireless Operations which had oversight on all the Group’s mobile network operations . He has tremendous pan African experience across the major markets of influence that include Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa, among others.

Stephane Duproz
CEO Africa Data Centres

Stephane Duproz is A highly experienced data centre professional, Stephane has worked for over 20 years in the sector, including over 14 years at TelecityGroup. Stephane has also served as Chairman of the Board for the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA), and acted as Vice President Member of the French Data Centre Association (CESIT).

Oswald Jumira
CEO Vaya Technologies

Oswald is an international digital technology professional and business executive with more than 14 years’ experience successfully advancing the growth and adoption of digital technology across the African continent. Oswald has worked with start-ups, universities, global technology and venture capital companies to develop and scale up innovative digital solution across Africa. Oswald working with the African Union, Africa CDC and other strategic partners recently led the Econet technical team in developing the Africa Medical Supplies Platform which is the marketplace for Covid-19 medical supplies for Africa governments and businesses.

Norman Moyo
CEO Distributed Power Technologies

Norman has a well-rounded experience gained whilst working in various African countries like Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa. Having begun his career journey at Standard Chartered Bank, he moved into the telecommunications industry when GSM technology was introduced in Africa by being part of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe team. Thereafter he moved to Celtel International as Commercial Director in Zambia before landing the job of Chief Marketing Officer in Nigeria. In 2011 Norman was nominated to the prestigious GTB global top 40 world telecom leaders under 40 years as a result of his work in Nigeria. In addition, his exploits in IOT have recently earned him two Titans of Influence awards (2017) on a national and regional level in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.

Nic Rudnick
Group CEO Liquid Intelligent Technologies

Nic Rudnick became Liquid Telecom CEO in 2004, when the company rebranded from Econet Satellite Services, and has played a lead role in the creation of our Pan-African network, which now stretches over 60,000km. He has been listed in Global Telecom Business Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the telecommunications industry for the last five consecutive years — highlighting his dedication to building Africa’s digital future.

Hardy Pemhiwa
Group CEO & Managing Director

Hardy Pemhiwa has over 12 years’ experience as a managing director and co-founder of a regulated financial services firm in Kenya offering investment management and investment banking services across Eastern and Southern Africa. In this role, he has helped companies in the region to raise more than $500m in debt and equity capital.

Meet our Executive Chairman Strive Masiyiwa:

Strive Masiyiwa is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Cassava Technologies which is built from the strong performance and track record of Econet, one of the pioneers of the mobile telecoms industry in Africa. Strive Masiyiwa set out more than 20 years ago to bring connectivity to Africa. He went on to build Africa’s largest independent fibre network, totaling more than 100,000 kilometers. The business has now grown to an entire ecosystem of digital solutions designed to bring technology to the people and businesses who need it.
Originally from Zimbabwe, Masiyiwa left the country in 2000, and is based in London. Masiyiwa serves on several international boards including Unilever Plc, Netflix, National Geographic Society, and the Global Advisory boards of Bank of America, the Council on Foreign Relations (in the US), Stanford University, the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, and the Prince of Wales Trust for Africa. Masiyiwa is the only African member of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Committee on Conscience.
In May 2020 Masiyiwa was appointed to serve as an African Union Special Envoy to help coordinate Africa’s private sector efforts to procure medical supplies and fight the spread of COVID-19. As Special Envoy he also heads up the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team. He led a similar private-sector initiative to fight Ebola in West Africa in 2014-2015.
Masiyiwa served on the African Union Reform Task Force led by President Kagame that led to the breakthrough of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the creation of the SMART Africa digital transformation initiative. Together with Melinda Gates and Hon Sri Mulyani, Minister of Finance of Indonesia, he served as co-chair of the Pathways for Prosperity Commission for Technology and Inclusive Development, headquartered at Oxford University
A board member of the Rockefeller Foundation for 15 years as one of its long-serving members, Masiyiwa is a co-founder, with Kofi Annan, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, of an initiative to help 400m African smallholder farmers known as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. He then became its second chairman after Kofi Annan, and since stepping down, has continued to serve as Chairman Emeritus. He was honored for this work with the Norman Borlaug World Food Prize Medallion.
Masiyiwa was a co-founder with Richard Branson of the Carbon War Room and the B-Team. He is a founding member of the Global Business Coalition on Education. He previously chaired the Micronutrient Initiative of Canada. He served on the UN Global Commission for Adaptation focusing on climate change challenges, and on the jury of the Hilton Humanitarian Prize. At the invitation of the United Nations Secretary-General, Masiyiwa has served on two UN Commissions: Financing Global Education Opportunities and Sustainable Energy for All.
As a philanthropist, Masiyiwa is a member of the Giving Pledge. In 1996 he and his wife Tsitsi, co-founded what is now known as the Higherlife Foundation which has supported the education of over 250,000 orphaned, vulnerable, and gifted children across Africa, as well as health, disaster relief, and preparedness, and rural transformation programs in conjunction with Delta Philanthropies.
Since 2013 Masiyiwa has devoted his time to mentoring the next generation of African entrepreneurs through his Facebook page, which has a growing followership of 5.8+ million young people. For several years, Facebook identified his platform as having the most engaged following of any business leader in the world. Other awards and recognition include:

1990 — Zimbabwean Businessman of the Year Award (youngest ever recipient)
1998 — Zimbabwean Manager and Entrepreneur of the Year Award
1999 — Junior Chamber International (JCI), Ten Most Outstanding Young Persons of the World
2002 — Times Global Business Influencers List
2003 — CNN/Time Magazine Poll, 15 Global Influencers of the Year
2010 — Builder of the Modern Africa Awards
2011 — Forbes Magazine, 20 Most Powerful Business People in African Business
2011 — Times of London, 25 Leaders of Africa’s Renaissance Award
2012 — Invited by President Barack Obama to attend G-8 Summit at Camp David
2014 — World’s 50 Greatest Leaders, Fortune Magazine
2015 — Forbes Magazine, 10 Most Powerful Men in Africa list
2015 — Freedom Award, International Rescue Committee
2015 — UN Foundation Global Leadership Award for Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Trust
2017 — World 50 Greatest Leaders, Fortune Magazine
2018 — Points of Light Award
2019 — Norman Borlaug World Food Prize Medallion
2019 — New African Magazine, 100 Most Influential Africans
2019 — 9th Annual International Peace Lecture Laureate, Leah & Desmond Tutu Legacy Foundation
2020 — Inducted as JA Worldwide Global Business Hall of Fame Laureate
2020 — Bloomberg’s 50 Most Influential People in the World
2020 — New African Magazine, 100 Most Influential Africans
2020 — Mail & Guardian Continental Edition, 100 Africans of the Year
2021 — Fortune Magazine, World’s 50 Greatest Leaders

An honorary fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, Masiyiwa has received honorary doctorates from Morehouse College, Yale University, Nelson Mandela University and the University of Cardiff where he received his BSc in electrical engineering in 1984.

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Meet our Group President & CEO Hardy Pemhiwa:

Our Purpose

Meet our Executive Chairman Strive Masiyiwa:

Our Values: