Strive T. Masiyiwa

One of the pioneers of the mobile telecoms industry in Africa, Strive Masiyiwa is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Econet Group which comprises Cassava Technologies and Econet Wireless.

More than 20 years ago Mr Masiyiwa had a vision to create an entire ecosystem of digital solutions to connect people and businesses across the continent. Cassava Technologies now encompasses Africa’s largest open access cross-border fibre broadband network spanning over 110,000km (68,000+ miles), Africa’s largest network of interconnected carrier neutral data centres, solar renewable energy, cloud and cybersecurity, fintech, and on-demand digital platforms.

In June 2020 Mr Masiyiwa was appointed by the African Union as a Special Envoy for Covid-19 where for almost two years he coordinated the acquisition of medical supplies and vaccines for Africa. He now serves at Special Advisor to African Presidents on the US/Africa Leadership Summit initiative on Food Security. 

A board member of the Rockefeller Foundation for 15 years, Mr Masiyiwa is a co-founder with Kofi Annan, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Bill & 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 Mr Annan, and since stepping down continues to serve as Chairman Emeritus. He is also co-founder of the Generation Africa initiative to support and grow young African entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector.

Mr Masiyiwa served on the African Union Reform Task Force that led to the breakthrough of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the creation of the SMART Africa digital transformation initiative. He also served as co-chair of the Pathways for Prosperity Commission for Technology and Inclusive Development, headquartered at University of Oxford (UK).

Mr Masiyiwa is a co-founder with Richard Branson and others 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 and served on the jury of the Hilton Humanitarian Prize. At the invitation of the UN Secretary-General, Mr Masiyiwa served on two UN Commissions: Financing Global Education Opportunities and Sustainable Energy for All.

He is also a philanthropist with a family foundations focused on social impact investment in human capital to build thriving individuals and communities, especially education; health; rural transformation and sustainable livelihoods; and disaster relief and preparedness, with a focus on communities, women, and children.