Former Ethio Telecom CEO Takes Helm at Tele Mobile South Sudan

The former CEO of Ethio Telecom, Andualem Admassie (Ph.D.), has been appointed as the new CEO of Tele Mobile South Sudan (TMSS), a telecommunications service provider in South Sudan.

Andualem, who led Ethio Telecom for five years, received his letter of appointment on January 18, 2023, at a ceremony held in South Sudan’s capital Juba.

According to a statement shared on the operator’s website, the company was founded by Ethiopian investor Aisheshim Teka and is currently the fourth largest provider of mobile communication services in South Sudan after MTN, Zain, and Digitel.

Aysheshim Teka has spent the last 15 years residing in Juba, South Sudan, and is well known for engaging in a variety of business ventures. In recognition of his contributions to world peace, development, and humanitarian aid while residing in South Sudan, the government of that country awarded him honorary citizenship in 2019.

Andualem, who holds his Ph.D. in Business Administration from Bulacan State University, was replaced by Frehiwot Tamiru from his leadership position in Ethio Telecom in 2018 and was later appointed as Director for the Higher Education Relevance and Quality Agency (HERQA).

Andualem’s new chapter in Juba comes after Ethio Telecom’s senior management team, led by Frehiwot, visited South Sudan, which has one of the lowest mobile penetration rates in Africa, last month.

Ethio Telecom also signed a strategic partnership agreement with Tele Mobile South Sudan to work together in the areas of international internet gateways and communication lines, telecom infrastructure expansion, and provisioning of telecom services, among others.