MTN Group appoints former Deloitte Africa CEO Lwazi Bam as Group Chief Risk Officer

Chartered accountant with two decades of senior leadership joins pan-African telco as it launches its Ambition 2030 strategy.

MTN Group, the Johannesburg-headquartered telecommunications company operating across Africa and the Middle East, has appointed Lwazi Bam as Group Chief Risk Officer, effective June 1, 2026. Bam will sit on the Group's Executive Committee and take responsibility for enterprise-wide risk management and compliance functions.

Bam comes to the role after serving as CEO of Deloitte Africa and Southern Africa, where he led the integration of a pan-African professional services business. A chartered accountant by training, he has held board positions at Standard Bank Group, Standard Bank South Africa, SAICA, ZEDA Limited, Valterra Platinum and Woolworths, and has worked directly with regulators and supervisory bodies across multiple markets.

MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita framed the appointment in the context of the company's strategic direction: "Lwazi Bam joins MTN at an exciting time in our journey, as we embark on our Ambition 2030 strategy. He brings with him strong leadership and experience in leading large, complex businesses across multiple markets, combined with a deep understanding of risk, regulatory and governance frameworks. I believe this will stand MTN in good stead as we work to lead solutions for Africa's progress."

Bam acknowledged the scope of the role he is stepping into: "I am inspired by the impact MTN Group is making across the continent and excited to be joining a company whose purpose is leading digital solutions for Africa's progress."

MTN described the hire as part of a broader series of leadership changes designed to support execution of its growth strategy, which is focused on data adoption and financial inclusion across the African markets where it operates.