Ralph Mupita, the CEO and President of MTN Group, has been in the spotlight after allegations of misconduct and favoritism surfaced.
These claims centered on Mupita’s close relationship with a senior female executive which caused unrest among other executives. Reports indicated that Mupita was allegedly shifting critical responsibilities to the female executive, sidelining others and leading to discontent at the company.
Rumors of potential mass resignations among senior executives emerged further fueling the controversy. In response, MTN’s board commissioned an independent investigation to address the claims.
The probe found no evidence of wrongdoing, and MTN subsequently issued a statement confirming that the matter had been closed.
“The independent report stated that attempts to engage with the complainant were unsuccessful and found that there was no evidence of improper conduct by those cited in the complaint,” the company said.
“In its deliberations, the board accepted the report finding and is of the view that the matter has been addressed and is now closed.”
Who is Ralph Mupita?
Born on April 11, 1972, in Zimbabwe, Ralph Mupita grew up with dreams of becoming an astronaut. However, those aspirations changed when someone told him his dream was too far fetched.
“My dream career was to go to the moon. I wanted to be an astronaut. But sometime when I was about ten or eleven years old, someone told me ‘No, Africans don’t go to the moon’. It was hard to listen to that person but I did and here I am today,” he said in a past interview.
Though his dream faded, his ambitions remained high. He focused on his studies with the aim of achieving greatness even if that did not involve going to space.
He attended Mutare Junior School, followed by Churchill and Plumtree Schools for his secondary education.
He excelled and earned a spot at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
Being a lover of education, Mupita did not stop at just earning a degree. He pursued an MBA at UCT, and later attended Harvard Business School’s General Management Program where he gained insights on leadership.
Career
After earning his engineering degree, Mupita began his career at Haw & Inglis Civil Engineering in Cape Town, where he worked for three years. However, in 2001, after completing his MBA, he shifted to the financial services sector by joining Old Mutual South Africa. There, he held several strategic roles, including Director of Strategy and Director of Retail for High Net-Worth clients.
Being a multinational with operations in several African countries, the opportunities for career growth at Old Mutual were numerous. Mupita leveraged this and in 2012, he was appointed CEO of Old Mutual Emerging Markets, overseeing operations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
This role, which he held until 2017, allowed him to navigate complex markets and develop a leadership style that would later define his tenure at MTN.
MTN
In 2017, Ralph Mupita joined MTN Group as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). His experience managing Old Mutual’s operation is several countries came in handy and helped solidify MTN’s financial position, especially with the successful listings of the company’s Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda subsidiaries.
Mupita’s efforts earned him a promotion, and in September 2020, he became CEO and President of MTN Group, succeeding Rob Shuter.
As CEO, Mupita has focused on implementing MTN’s “Ambition 2025” strategy, aiming to transform the company into a digital operator across its markets. His leadership has seen MTN navigate a rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape while strengthening its presence across Africa.
Personal life
Ralph Mupita is married to Makole Mupita, a chartered accountant and founder of Mahlako A Phahla Investments. Mahlako also worked at Old Mutual before venturing out on her own.
Mupita credits his wife as a key factor in his success, stating, “Makole is a real partner for me. I probably wouldn’t be where I am today without her.” The couple has four children, balancing their family life with their thriving careers.
