MTN Group has announced two internal executive appointments commencing in September 2026, a bid to strengthen its leadership capabilities as the Group firms the execution of its Ambition 20230 strategy.

Ashutosh Tiwary, Operations Executive: Francophone Markets

Tiwary will assume his new role effective, 1 September 2026. He brings more than 27 years of telecommunications leadership experience spanning Africa and India, with a distinguished track record of driving growth, transformation, operational excellence and business turnarounds across diverse and highly competitive markets.

He has held several executive leadership roles within MTN, starting with South Africa as GM: Prepaid Consumer Business where he played a crucial role in stabilising and growing the Prepaid Consumer business. He was later appointed as the Acting CEO of MTN Guinea Bissau where he successfully delivered on the executive mandate of turning around the business and then helping with the portfolio optimisation strategy with the eventual sale of the business.

In his most recent assignment as GM: Customer Operations, he worked with MTN Group Home Broadband Business team building and scaling customer operations through Operational Excellence programmes.

In his new role, Tiwary will serve as a strategic and operational lead for our Francophone markets, supporting the delivery of strategic priorities, driving operational and commercial excellence, strengthening governance and enabling sustainable growth across Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Congo Brazzaville. Additionally, he will work closely with Opco leadership teams to ensure alignment with Group priorities while supporting high-performance execution across the region.

Tiwary’s extensive leadership experience, deep understanding of African telecom markets and proven ability to drive transformation and performance make him exceptionally well-positioned to support the continued growth and success of our Francophone operations.

Ikenna Ikeme, Executive: Group Regulatory Affairs
Meanwhile, Ikenna Ikeme has been appointed as Executive: Group Regulatory Affairs, effective 7 September 2026.

Ikeme joins the Group regulatory leadership team with more than 30 years of experience across the telecommunications, banking and insurance sectors. He brings extensive expertise in regulatory affairs, public policy, compliance, stakeholder engagement and business transformation, together with a strong track record of navigating complex regulatory environments.

Ikeme currently serves as General Manager: Regulatory Affairs at MTN Nigeria and is recognised as one of Nigeria’s leading telecommunications regulatory professionals. During his career, he has led and supported a range of landmark industry initiatives, including regulatory approvals for spectrum transactions, national roaming arrangements, 5G licensing, infrastructure sharing and mobile virtual network operator partnerships.

He has also played a key role in shaping regulatory frameworks that enable industry growth while safeguarding the interests of consumers and other stakeholders.

In his new role, Ikeme will provide strategic leadership across the MTN Group’s regulatory agenda, working closely with the Group Legal and Regulatory Affairs office and teams across MTN’s markets. His responsibilities will include strengthening regulatory governance, managing regulatory risks, driving policy advocacy, supporting strategic business initiatives, and fostering strong relationships with regulators and key stakeholders.

An accomplished legal and business professional, Ikeme holds an MBA from Enugu State University of Science and Technology. He is a qualified Barrister-at-Law, has completed the Advanced Management Programme at MIT Sloan School of Management, and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (Europe).

Tiwary’s and Ikeme’s appointments strengthen MTN Group’s operations and regulatory leadership and bring further depth and experience to its efforts to navigate an increasingly dynamic and competitive operational and regulatory landscape across Africa.