The man who started his own business at 7 years old, and now leads a R332 billion industry giant in South Africa

·9 Aug 2026

Shameel Joosub has been the CEO of South Africa’s biggest mobile network operator, Vodacom, for nearly 15 years.

Joosub has been the CEO of the company since 2012 and currently oversees Vodacom’s strategic direction.

This includes its investments in mobile services, financial technology, and digital infrastructure across South Africa.

Joosub was born and raised in Laudium, southwest of Pretoria. He started his entrepreneurial venture at the age of five, when he began selling samoosas and earrings to people living in his neighbourhood.

“I would buy these products for 10c and sell them for 20c,” Joosub told MyBroadband.

From a young age, Joosub showcased his entrepreneurial spirit. By the age of 7, he had already started a small business, and at 12, he was managing his uncle’s bottling factory during the school holidays.

These experiences played a significant role in his development, ultimately helping him become one of South Africa’s top telecom CEOs.

After finishing high school, Joosub earned his Bachelor of Accounting Science degree with honours (BAcc Hons) from the University of South Africa (UNISA).

This degree provided him with a foundation in financial principles and analytical methodologies, which became important for business decision-making.

After his Honours, Joosub earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Southern Queensland in Australia.

Joosub completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and holds an honorary doctorate in Management Sciences from the Central University of Technology.

Vodacom was founded in 1993, just a year before Joosub joined the team at 23 years old.

He began his early career as a senior accountant at Vodacom, where his work in budgeting, procurement, and financial controls honed his analytical skills in business operations.

Working in Vodacom’s general ledger budget control division, he also contributed to the company’s early operational setup. This includes providing Oracle training during the transition to computer systems.

Joosub and Vodacom climb the corporate ladder

Joosub’s rise within Vodacom was rapid. By the age of 26 he was appointed Managing Director of Vodacom Equipment Company, the group’s handset distribution division.

This promotion surprised his first CEO, who was unaware of Joosub’s youth at the time.

However, the CEO quickly embraced the decision, publicly emphasising the appointment to showcase the company’s commitment to promoting young talent.

Joosub’s early contributions, characterised by proactive problem-solving and a willingness to exceed his assigned responsibilities, highlighted his potential in a high-stakes environment.

During his tenure as Managing Director from 2005 to 2011, Joosub oversaw the growth of Vodacom’s subscriber base, which increased from 19.2 million in 2006 to 26.3 million over four years.

This period marked the solidification of Vodacom’s position as South Africa’s leading mobile operator.

In 2010, service revenue rose by 7.5% to R44.2 billion, driven by innovations in data services, which attracted 6.2 million active data users.

In 2007, Joosub was offered the CEO position for Vodafone India, which he reportedly turned down.

“‘I ended up as Group CEO of the Vodacom Group, so I landed up in the right place, but maybe I took the more scenic route to get here,” he said in the CEO X Factor book.

“There are always things that you could have done quicker, and there are always lessons to be learnt,” he said.

Before becoming the CEO of Vodacom Group, Shameel Joosub was the Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone España from April 2011 to September 2012, a position he held for about 18 months.

Under Joosub’s leadership, Vodacom Group has actively pursued significant expansion across Africa, particularly through investments in other markets.

A notable milestone occurred in December 2025 when Vodacom announced an agreement to acquire an additional 20% stake in the Kenyan operator Safaricom.

This acquisition includes 15% from the Government of Kenya and 5% from Vodafone, raising Vodacom’s ownership to 55%.

The group announced that it completed the purchase of an additional 20% stake in Safaricom on 30 June 2026, increasing its shareholding from 35% to 55%.