Safaricom PLC has announced the appointment of Frankline Okata as the Acting Chief Enterprise Business Officer, following the exit of Cynthia Karuri-Kropac, who served in the role for two years. The leadership shift signals a renewed focus on local talent and enterprise innovation at Kenya’s largest telecom provider.
Cynthia Karuri-Kropac: A Legacy of Global Experience
Cynthia Karuri-Kropac joined Safaricom in September 2022 after an extensive 19-year career at AT&T Inc., where she held senior roles in mobile and enterprise solutions. Her career highlights include:
- Senior Director, Enterprise Mobile & IoT Technologies at AT&T
- Director, Mobile Service Delivery at Cingular Wireless
- Global Lead for Enterprise Solutions
She holds an MBA in Finance from Kent University and has been recognized by Women of Color Magazine as a Rising Star in STEM. She also received the Top Supplier of the Year Award for her work with a leading global healthcare OEM.
Karuri-Kropac’s departure has not been accompanied by an announcement regarding her next professional move.
Frankline Okata: A Homegrown Leader Rises
Frankline Okata’s appointment represents a strategic internal promotion within Safaricom. He began his career with the telco in 2006 as a Customer Care Representative and transitioned into the Enterprise Business Unit in 2011.
Key milestones in Okata’s career include:
- Leading B2B sales, corporate portfolio management, and digital payments
- Secondment to Safaricom Ethiopia (2022–2024) as Executive Head of Merchant Payments
- Return to Kenya to lead Packaged Solutions targeting small and micro-enterprises
- Driving the Safaricom Business Hub, a platform aimed at delivering value-added digital services
Okata brings in-depth local market knowledge, experience in regional expansion, and a strong understanding of enterprise customer needs.
Strategic Implications for Safaricom
This leadership transition comes as Safaricom doubles down on its enterprise and B2B services, a segment that’s increasingly competitive in the East African telecom landscape. The company’s growth strategy includes:
- Strengthening merchant payment ecosystems in Ethiopia and Kenya
- Developing alternative delivery channels (digital, retail, indirect)
- Enhancing digital service offerings beyond core connectivity
Okata’s deep familiarity with both Kenya’s SME sector and regional expansion makes him well-positioned to align Safaricom’s enterprise strategy with evolving customer needs.
The choice of an internal candidate with long-standing institutional experience signals a shift toward sustainable, locally anchored leadership rather than external hires with international backgrounds.
What’s Next?
As Frankline Okata steps into his new role, stakeholders will watch closely to see how he advances Safaricom’s enterprise agenda, especially in light of rapid fintech adoption and rising digital service demand across Africa.
Karuri-Kropac leaves behind a foundation built on global best practices, while Okata is expected to lead with executional depth and regional relevance.
