Stephen Kiptinness has been appointed the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for Safaricom effective May 1, 2022, subject to relevant regulatory approvals.
Stephen will be responsible for the organisation’s reputation management, public policy, legal and regulatory affairs. He will also steer the development and implementation of Safaricom’s corporate investment strategy as well as oversee the telco’s internal and external communications. He will also lead the development of a roadmap that will embed purpose in everything we do at Safaricom and among our stakeholders.
Stephen has over 27 years of cumulative legal experience. He joins Safaricom from Kiptinness & Odhiambo Associates LLP where he was a Senior Partner heading the Technology and Intellectual Property practice for the last 10 years. Before starting his practice, Stephen worked at Telkom Kenya Orange, heading Regulatory Affairs for three years, from 2009 to 2012.
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Prior to his role at Telkom Orange, he held various legal roles including Legal Officer and subsequently Senior Legal Officer at the Communications Authority of Kenya, and Legal Manager at the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, having commenced his legal career as a Trainee Advocate at Oraro & Co. Advocates. Stephen also teaches at the University of Nairobi School of Law.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL. B Hons) from the ILS Law College, University of Pune, a Diploma in Computer Science, a Certificate in Human Resource Management, a Post graduate Diploma in Law and a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Information Technology & Telecommunications Law from the London School of Economics.
Stephen is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a Member of the Law Society of Kenya and is a Certified Public Secretary with Institute of Certified Secretaries.
Stephen’s appointment follows the retirement of Joe Ogutu, who served as the Chief of Special Projects and Acting Chief Business Development & Strategy Officer. Joe will be retiring at the end of this month.
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Joe has held several roles since joining Safaricom in May 2005 as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer. In 2008 he was appointed to serve as Chief Human Resource Officer before taking on the role of Director – Resources, following a reorganization in March 2011.
In October 2012, he was appointed Director – Strategy & Innovation, where he worked closely with the CEO in formulating the strategic direction of the business with a focus on developing Safaricom’s position as an industry leader in driving innovation in products and services.
In his current role as Chief Special Projects and Acting Chief Business Development Officer, he was part of the team that coordinated the company’s successful bid for the second telecommunications license in Ethiopia. He also effectively steered the company alongside former CFO, Sateesh Kamath, when the late Bob Collymore was on medical leave, and has been the Chairman of Safaricom Foundation since 2012.
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Joe’s experience in the communications industry spans more than 35 years of which the last 20 have been at the Executive Committee level. He is accredited with, among many other achievements, being actively involved in reforming of the telecommunications sector and establishing the institutional framework for the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy).
Joe will continue to serve as the Chairman of Safaricom Foundation where he has been instrumental in driving partnerships that transform the lives of millions of people and enable communities to be self-sufficient.
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