In nearly a thousand words, Philip Besimiire, says his time at MTN has come to an end.

Besimiire was announced Vodacom Tanzania Plc Managing Director days ago and starts the new role effective October 15, 2022.

In a message on his LinkedIn account, Besimiire says he is looking forward to new challenges.

The Message

Friends, my time at MTN has come to an end. I take a moment to pause and reflect on all the awesome MTNers I’ve worked with. It’s been an absolute pleasure serving customers, collaborating with stakeholders and working with each MTNer all these years. Together, MTN accomplished great things over the many years. I am proud to have been even a small part of that success. It has been a real pleasure in every respect.

To say MTN was a magnificent start to my career would be an understatement. My roles challenged me, allowed me to grow both personally and professionally, and provided rewarding experiences and connections I’ll always treasure. I’ve worked alongside some of the smartest people I’ve ever met and learned as much as I could from them; lessons that will be invaluable in the months and years to come.

To the MTN Group EXCO, past and present, thank you for trusting me with various Executive responsibility since 2008, when as a rookie at MTN Uganda, I was promoted to CMO MTN Eswatini and later went on to work with amazing teams, in MTN Zambia, MTN South Sudan, and MTN South Africa and indirectly with folks across the MTN footprint; folks that have become friends and family. I know that you helped shape my career in ways that I may not even fully recognize until later in life. For that, and for so much more, I sincerely thank you.

To my coaches and mentors – you have shared your knowledge with me, I am confident I would never have gone this far without your guidance. Thank you for your support and guidance.

I offer this message as a means to thank those who supported me during my tenure, to express my gratitude for the strong network I’ve built through my time with MTN, and to demonstrate value for the strong professional experience I’ve developed. These have all led me to the next steps in my career. I wouldn’t be near the person I am without the encouragement of people who took a chance on me at MTN. Thanks for everything!

But most importantly, I’m forever grateful to my beautiful family that have supported me along this journey. My wife Shantal, and our children Kwezi and Kente – I love you and appreciate you. I thank God for the blessings that my family are and for His continued favour upon us.

I am looking forward with excitement to my new challenge and to starting a new phase of my career. To new beginnings!