Corporate governance
The Group strives to conduct all business activities responsibly, efficiently, transparently, and with integrity while maintaining respect for all stakeholders.
Salvador Anglada
Chief Executive Officer
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Salvador was appointed as the Optasia’s Chief Executive Officer in 2025. He brings over 30 years of international leadership experience across the telecommunications, technology, and fintech sectors.
Prior to joining Optasia, Salvador served as CEO of e& enterprise, where he led the carve-out and rapid expansion of the enterprise arm of e& (formerly Etisalat Group). Under his leadership, the company executed an accelerated growth strategy built on targeted M&A and strategic partnerships.
Earlier in his career, Salvador served as Group Chief Business Officer at e& for eight years, following over a decade with Telefónica. There, he held senior leadership roles including CEO of Telefónica O2 in the Czech Republic and Managing Director of Telefónica Empresas in Spain.
Salvador currently serves on the boards of Bakcell and RAKEZ. He holds an Industrial Engineering master’s degree from UPM, an Executive MBA from IE, and a PDG from IESE Business School.
Mariusz Dabrowski
Chief Financial Officer
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Mariusz joined Optasia in 2020 as the Chief Financial Officer. He has more than 25 years of experience in managing finance operations in various corporates and banking and insurance consulting firms globally.
Most recently, he was the Group CFO at Kreditech Siemens Network in Germany from 2018 to 2020. Before that, he was CFO at Home Credit in India from 2016 to 2018.
Mariusz holds a Master’s degree from SGW Warsaw School of Economics (Canadian Executive MBA Program) and a Master’s degree in Finance and Banking from the Faculty of Economics at the Academy of Economics in Katowice, Poland.
Yannis Benlachtar
Chief Revenue Officer
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Yannis is an expert in digital and financial inclusion with a strong passion for disruptive technologies and business models as well as a deep knowledge of the innovative solutions Optasia offers. He currently leads the Mobile Financial Services segment of Optasia.
Yannis previously held positions as both Chief Commercial and Chief Product Officer in the past decade at Optasia, as well as Chief Commercial Officer for Ezra, while he also founded fintech startup Wiza in Dubai in 2020. He also held the Pre-Sales & Product Manager position for Upstream.
Yannis holds a PhD in Electronics & Electrical Engineering from University College London (UCL) and has successfully completed MBA courses in the communications industry, finance, entrepreneurship and strategy at London Business School.
Uchenna Agbo
Chief Commercial Officer
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Uchenna has been a part of Optasia’s successful growth for 14 years having served in various roles at an executive level, including as Chief Operations Officer, prior to her appointment as Chief Commercial Officer in 2023.
Uchenna has over two decades of business experience in the technology and telecommunications industries, including as a business IT consultant at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Network Rail UK.
She holds a Global Executive MBA degree from the TRIUM Program; NYU Stern school of business, HEC Paris and the London School of Economics, a Master of Science degree (MSc) in Business Information Technology from Middlesex University UK and Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Antoine Chatzistamatiou
Chief Technology & Innovation Officer
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Antoine joined the Group in 2015 as the Chief Technology & Innovation Officer and currently leads the Optasia’s Technology Department.
He has more than 25 years of experience in the mobile marketing and advertising and software industry. Prior to joining Optasia, Antoine founded MobileMedia in 2005, a business-to-business provider of integrated solutions offering its services through an on-demand, software-as-a-service model.
Antoine holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of Crete.
Stelios Lelis
Chief Data & Risk Officer
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Stelios joined Optasia in 2016 as the Big Data and Analytics Director and became the Chief Data and Risk Officer in 2018.
Stelios has more than 20 years of experience in building and guiding the development of result-driven algorithms and machine learning solutions in various application fields. This experience has been incorporated or lies at the core of many of Optasia’s innovative products and services.
Prior to joining Optasia, Stelios was a Research and Development Specialist at MobileMedia, one of the pioneer companies in mobile marketing, between 2011 and 2015.
He holds a Ph.D. in Informatics from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, a Master of Science degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Crete.
Faysal Al Merabi
Chief Business Development Officer
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Faysal joined Optasia in 2012 as the General Manager (Sales). He became the Chief Customer Officer in 2015 and held this position until 2017. Faysal became the Chief Commercial Officer in 2017, and the Chief Business Development Officer in 2024.
He has more than 15 years of experience in account management. Prior to joining the Group, he worked as a Senior Account Manager at Nokia Siemens Networks in Dubai from 2010 to 2012 and as a Professional Service Manager at DU Telecom in Dubai from 2006 to 2010.
Faysal holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Systems Engineering from the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Blanca Alonso
Chief Strategy Officer
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Blanca Alonso leads Optasia’s global strategic agenda, shaping long-term priorities, driving transformation programmes, and enabling scalable growth across markets.
She has over 15 years of international experience across the technology, telecoms and financial services industries.
Before joining Optasia, Blanca led the strategy function at e& enterprise, where she was instrumental in the carve-out and creation of the company as the B2B digital arm of e&.
Blanca holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) and Technische Universität München (TUM), and a Business Management Masters degree from Universidad Pontificia de Comillas.
James Rutherfoord
Chief Operations Officer
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James has a proven track record of over 25 years in leadership positions at various multinational technology companies. He is driving transformation initiatives across diverse markets and implementing new operating models through his role as Chief Operations Officer for Optasia.
He has previously held General Manager positions in MTN both in South Africa and Nigeria, Regional VP positions in Nokia and Regional General Manager positions for Devices in Microsoft, and also served as Regional VP for HMD Global.
James holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Investment Science from the University of Johannesburg, and an MBA in Innovation from Bond University.
Anne-Marie Headley
Chief People Officer
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Anne-Marie joined Optasia in 2026 and leads Optasia’s global people agenda.
She has over 20 years’ experience partnering with founders and executive teams at companies including Cisco, Uber, Google, Salary Finance and M-KOPA, building leadership structures, people systems and organizational capability needed to scale sustainably. At Uber she led HR across 14 countries through IPO preparation. At Cisco she supported a $1bn engineering group, contributing to a 35% EBITDA improvement. She later built 0-1 HR infrastructure as Chief People Officer at Salary Finance and M-KOPA. She also founded Workforce Buddy a consulting practice supporting scaling companies and underrepresented founders with practical people strategy and fractional CPO expertise.
Anne-Marie has a history of philanthropic work, particularly within education and youth development, reflecting a lifelong commitment to STEM education and widening access to opportunity. She is an Independent Member of the Remuneration Committee at the University of Warwick and a Founding Board Member of the Powered by Africa Campaign Movement.
She holds a PGDip in Human Resource Management from London Metropolitan University and a BA Hons in Psychology and Business Studies from the Manchester Metropolitan University.
The Board of Directors comprises of an Independent Chairman, two Executive Directors, four Independent Non-Executive Directors and three Non-Executive Directors.
The Company has adopted the Board Charter which evidences a clear balance of power and authority at Board level to ensure that no one Director has unfettered powers of decision-making.
The independence of each independent Director has been evaluated and the Board has determined that they have demonstrated they are independent in character and judgement and there are no relationships or circumstances that are likely to affect or could appear to affect their independence.
The Executive Directors are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Group, including the development and execution of its strategies, policies, and performance objectives.
The Non-Executive Directors provide oversight, guidance, and constructive supervision to the Executive Directors, helping to ensure decisions are made in the best interests of the Company and its stakeholders.
The Board serves as the focal point and custodian of corporate governance within the Group. It provides strategic direction; approves policy; oversees implementation by Senior Management; and ensures transparency and accountability through appropriate reporting and disclosure practices. The Board Charter outlines the Board’s roles, responsibilities, composition, and procedural guidelines, and is reviewed regularly to support the Board’s effective functioning and alignment with governance best practices.
Michael Jordaan
Independent Chairman
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Michael Jordaan is an Independent Chairman of Optasia. He joined the Board as a Director in April 2025. He served as CEO of First National Bank (FNB) from 2004 to 2013, where he led the bank’s transformation through innovative technology and customer-focused strategies.
After his tenure at FNB, he founded Montegray Capital, a private investment firm backing startups in fintech, data analytics, education and health. He is also the co-founder and chairman of Bank Zero, a digital mutual bank committed to affordable, transparent, and customer-centric banking.
Salvador Anglada
Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director
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Salvador was appointed as the Optasia’s Chief Executive Officer in 2025. He brings over 30 years of international leadership experience across the telecommunications, technology, and fintech sectors.
Prior to joining Optasia, Salvador served as CEO of e& enterprise, where he led the carve-out and rapid expansion of the enterprise arm of e& (formerly Etisalat Group). Under his leadership, the company executed an accelerated growth strategy built on targeted M&A and strategic partnerships.
Earlier in his career, Salvador served as Group Chief Business Officer at e& for eight years, following over a decade with Telefónica. There, he held senior leadership roles including CEO of Telefónica O2 in the Czech Republic and Managing Director of Telefónica Empresas in Spain.
Salvador currently serves on the boards of Bakcell and RAKEZ. He holds an Industrial Engineering master’s degree from UPM, an Executive MBA from IE, and a PDG from IESE Business School.
Mariusz Dabrowski
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director
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Mariusz joined Optasia in 2020 as the Chief Financial Officer. He has more than 25 years of experience in managing finance operations in various corporates and banking and insurance consulting firms globally.
Most recently, he was the Group CFO at Kreditech Siemens Network in Germany from 2018 to 2020. Before that, he was CFO at Home Credit in India from 2016 to 2018.
Mariusz holds a Master’s degree from SGW Warsaw School of Economics (Canadian Executive MBA Program) and a Master’s degree in Finance and Banking from the Faculty of Economics at the Academy of Economics in Katowice, Poland.
Bassim Haidar
Non-Executive Director
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Bassim Haidar founded Optasia in 2012 and served as Group CEO from its inception until 31 December 2021, and also as Interim CEO between 2024 and early 2025. With over 25 years of experience across multiple sectors in the African market, he has built a legacy of entrepreneurship and leadership.
In 2003, he established Channel IT to supply and service the telecommunications industry in Nigeria. Today, the company operates in Nigeria and Uganda, playing a key role in infrastructure development and service delivery. Earlier, in 1995, he founded GMT, now a leading integrated procurement, finance, and logistics provider in West Africa. His entrepreneurial journey began in 1991 with the co-founding of Intercomm Ltd, a provider of telecommunications equipment and radio links to mobile network operators.
Bassim is also the co-founder and Chairman of Knuru Capital, a venture capital firm investing in technology companies across the GCC, Africa, and Southern Europe, with a focus on fintech and marketplace platforms.
Since April 2024, he has served as Honorary Consul of South Africa to the UK, promoting trade and bilateral business relations. His global leadership includes roles as a Global Council Member of Amnesty International (since 2016), member of the Africa CEO Forum, and contributor to the World Economic Forum, where he engages in dialogue on technology and economic development. He holds a degree from Beirut University College.
Roger Grobler
Non-Executive Director
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Roger Grobler has served as a Director on the Board of Optasia since November 2022, following his previous role as an alternate director. He is the founder and former CEO of Real Insurance in Australia and Quantium India, both of which have made significant contributions to the insurance and data analytics sectors.
He is also a founding partner of Chronos Capital Limited, alongside Nic Kohler, Willem Roos, and Michael Jordaan. The firm invests in businesses that harness data-driven decision-making and advanced technology to drive innovation and growth.
Roger is a member of Optasia’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee as well as the Social and Ethics Committee.
Michael Jensen
Non-Executive Director
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Michael Jensen has served as a Director on the Board of Optasia since November 2018. He is a partner and investment professional at Ethos Private Equity. Prior to joining Ethos, he worked as a Manager in the financial advisory services division at Deloitte South Africa.
He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds two Bachelor of Commerce degrees, in Accounting and in Law, from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa.
Michael is a member of Optasia’s Social and Ethics Committee.
Lytania Johnson
Non-Executive Director
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Lytania Johnson was appointed as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Optasia in December 2025. She has 24 years’ experience in banking in South Africa and into broader Africa and the roles that she has occupied span across finance, risk management disciplines, human capital and business.
She is the Chief Executive Officer of the FNB Personal Segment at FNB South Africa. Lytania Johnson holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Risk Management, from UNISA (University of South Africa).
Ronan Dunne
Chair of audit committee
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Ronan Dunne is an experienced board leader with a career spanning executive and non-executive roles across global telecommunications, retail and technology sectors. He currently chairs Six Nations Rugby and Kore Labs, the RegTech and product intelligence platform. He also serves as a non-executive director of Marks & Spencer and advises several companies in the telecommunications and technology sector.
He previously held senior leadership roles at Verizon Communications, including President and CEO of Verizon Wireless and Verizon Consumer Group and most recently as strategic advisor to the CEO. Prior to that, he was CEO of Telefonica UK (O2), where he led the company to market leadership and brand prominence over nearly a decade.
A Chartered Accountant and Corporate Treasurer by qualification, Ronan is deeply committed to education and equal opportunity through his charitable work. Ronan is the Chairman of Optasia’s Nominations and Remunerations Committee.
Lezanne Human
Independent Non-Executive Director
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Lezanne Human is a South African banking and fintech executive with over 30 years of leadership experience, primarily in financial services. She brings deep expertise in P&L management, digital transformation and strategic growth across both corporate and start-up environments.
As a co-founder and working shareholder of Bank Zero, she played a pivotal role in launching and scaling the digital bank from licence approval through to its successful sale. During her tenure at FirstRand Group, Lezanne led several CEO portfolios- including Mobile Virtual Network Operator, Cash Investments, Share Investing, Fiduciary, and Premier & Private Clients- driving innovation, digital migration and operating-model redesign.
Her earlier career includes serving as CEO of eBucks and holding senior roles at Electric Liberty, Deloitte Consulting (locally and internationally), and AngloVaal Textiles. Known for steering business turnarounds and building ventures from start-up to scale, she excels at linking strategy to operations across digital and physical channels.
Lezanne currently serves on the board of the highly digitised Netcare, South Africa’s largest private healthcare network. Lezanne is a member of Optasia’s Audit Committee and Nominations and Remuneration Committee.
Olusegun (Segun) Ogunsanya
Independent Non-Executive Director
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Segun Ogunsanya is a business leader with over 35 years of executive experience across consultancy, banking, FMCG and telecommunications. He served as Group CEO of Airtel Africa Plc, a FTSE 100 company and currently chairs both the Airtel Africa Foundation and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority. As Co-Chair of the B20 Digital Transformation Task Force for the 2025 G20 Summit, Segun plays a pivotal role in shaping Africa’s digital future.
His leadership at Airtel spanned over a decade, including nine years heading Nigeria operations and later overseeing 14 countries across East, West, and Central Africa. With local knowledge of the African landscape and deep distribution experience, he led the company in maintaining double-digit revenue growth over many quarters and delivering innovative products across the continent. Segun has also held Managing Director roles at Coca-Cola Bottling operations in multiple African markets. He serves on the board of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, the foremost private sector advocacy group in Nigeria.
Segun was honoured with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award for his enduring contributions to Africa’s business landscape. Segun is the Chairman of Optasia’s Social and Ethics Committee and a member of the Audit Committee.
The Board has constituted three board committees.
These board committees comprise of the Audit Committee, the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the Social and Ethics Committee.
The responsibilities delegated to each committee are formally documented in the terms of reference for that committee, which have been approved by the Board and are reviewed annually.
The chairperson of each board committee reports at each scheduled meeting of the Board in respect of matters within the mandate of each relevant Board Committee.
In accordance with the King Code, the chairpersons of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, the Audit Committee and the Social and Ethics Committee are Non-Executive Directors.
The current composition of each of the three committees is set out below:
Audit Committee
Ronan Dunne
Chair of audit committee
Lezanne Human
Independent Non-Executive Director
Olusegun (Segun) Ogunsanya
Independent Non-Executive Director
The Audit Committee supports the Board and the CFO in assessing the integrity of the Group’s financial reporting and by providing constructive engagement and oversight of the Group’s activities and of its combined assurance function, including that of internal and external audit.
The Audit Committee further oversees the effectiveness of the Group’s external and internal assurance functions and services that contribute to ensuring the integrity of the Group’s financial and integrated reporting.
In addition, the Audit Committee assesses the independence and effectiveness of the external auditor and manages the relationship with the external auditor.
The Audit Committee will meet at least four times in a year but ad hoc meetings can be held to consider special business, as required.
Nomination and Remuneration Committee
Ronan Dunne
Independent Non-Executive Director (Committee Chairperson)
Lezanne Human
Independent Non-Executive Director
Roger Grobler
Non-Executive Director
The Nomination and Remuneration Committee is responsible for identifying individuals qualified to be elected as members of the Board and the Board Committees, recommending such individuals to the Board for appointment in terms of the Company Constitution and the Board Diversity Policy, as well as to establish procedures to ensure that the selection of individuals for such recommendation is transparent.
The Nomination and Remuneration Committee will establish formal and transparent procedures for the appointment of Directors of the Company.
According to the terms of reference, the Nomination and Remuneration Committee will meet at least four times in a year.
Members of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee have unrestricted access to information about the Group falling within the committee’s mandate and management of the Group and, where appropriate, may seek the advice of independent professionals on matters within the Nomination and Remuneration Committee’s mandate, at the expense of the Company.
The Nomination and Remuneration Committee also plays an important oversight role in ensuring that the Group’s remuneration policies and practices are aligned with long-term value creation, ethical standards, and sound governance.
The committee is tasked with reviewing and monitoring the integrity, fairness, and transparency of the Group’s remuneration framework to promote and uphold equitable employment practices within the Group.
In fulfilling its mandate, the Nomination and Remuneration Committee adopts a stakeholder-inclusive approach, ensuring that executive and broader employee compensation supports the Group’s strategic objectives and sustainable performance. This includes regular benchmarking against industry standards and global best practice to ensure that remuneration policies remain competitive and effective in attracting, retaining, and motivating talent with the capabilities to deliver on the Group’s long-term strategy.
Olusegun (Segun) Ogunsanya
Independent Non-Executive Director
Michael Jensen
Non-Executive Director
Roger Grobler
Non-Executive Director
In line with the requirements of the JSE Listings Requirements, the Company has established the Social and Ethics Committee to act as the Company’s social conscience and take into account public and stakeholder interests in the Company’s operations.
This committee has been established pursuant to the JSE Listings Requirements (and, for the avoidance of doubt, not in terms of the South African Companies Act as the Company is incorporated in the BVI and is regulated by the BVI Companies Act, which does not require the Company to constitute a social and ethics committee) and it has an independent role, operating as an overseer and a maker of recommendations regarding social and ethical matters, and in ensuring that the Company is a committed socially responsible corporate citizen.
Corporate governance documents
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