Lippe is the new BTC CEO

WANETSHA MOSINYI
Staff Writer | Friday September 26, 2008 00:00

 

Len Makwinja said Lippe will takeover the reins at BTC from October 1 on a three-year contract and that the Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Pelonomi Venson-Motoi has approved Lippe's appointment.

'I can confirm we have appointed him,' Makwinja said. 'It's a step forward for BTC and, more importantly, for our mobile business (Be Mobile) because of his experience in the industry.'

Besides being tasked with the challenge of steering Be Mobile to be a fully-fledged competitor with Mascom and Orange, Lippe will also lead BTC to privatisation.

'With our (the Board's) support, I don't see any reason why he cannot succeed,' Makwinja added.

After Lippe left Orange, he had a brief stint at Kenya as Country Manager for Microsoft where he was responsible for the east and southern African market. He takes over from V.T Seretse who left BTC in April.

Business Week first published this story at the end of last month when we reported that Lippe was the favourite to take over as BTC CEO after he was one of the two candidates short-listed and recommended by recruiting agency, HRMC.

At the time, Makwinja said the vacancy at BTC was delaying the appointment of a CEO for Be Mobile because the appointment of a Be Mobile CEO - the first at the new BTC subsidiary - would be made with the input of Lippe.

When the then relatively unknown Lippe was appointed Orange CEO, many doubted his capabilities. But after a year at the helm, the company's profit margins increased by 250 percent.

In 2005, the company had a paltry P800, 000 in its bank account. A year later, its balance sheet reflected a whopping P15 million.

Lippe previously worked for an IT company in the United States before joining BTC briefly. He later joined Orange as IT chief before he was appointed to the top position.