Pan African Towers Limited, a leading provider of digital infrastructure in Nigeria, has announced the addition of Jyoti Desai and Vivek Gupta to its board as non-executive directors. The appointments, effective from May 21, 2024, bring the total number of board members to six, joining existing directors Adefolarin Ogunsanya, Daniel Adeoye, Marc Stoneham, and Azeez Amida.
Jyoti Desai, formerly the group chief operating officer at MTN, brings over 35 years of experience in the banking and telecommunications sectors. Desai has been instrumental in leading significant changes in banking, focusing on cost reduction and improved customer service.
Her extensive background includes more than 15 years in financial services and telecoms throughout Africa and the Middle East, with notable expertise in startups and advancements in 3G, LTE, UMTS, and 5G technologies.
Vivek Gupta, a pioneer entrepreneur and telecom veteran, is the founder and director of iSON Group. Gupta has established a robust network of businesses in IT & ITeS, BPO, and telecom infrastructure, employing over 20,000 people across 40 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
He started his entrepreneurial journey in 2008 with Zamil Infra, iSON’s initial joint venture with the $8 billion Saudi conglomerate, Zamil. Gupta’s leadership expanded iSON Group into various sectors including renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and digital healthcare. With a 20-year career in telecom, including positions at Ericsson and IBM, he was recognized as “IBM’s All-Star Salesman” in 2008 for securing over $5 billion in deals with major companies such as Bharti Airtel, Idea, and Vodafone.
Azeez Amida, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Pan African Towers, stated, “Both Desai and Gupta bring a wealth of global experience and substantial contributions to the advancement of telecommunications, technology, and infrastructure development. Their expertise will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our operations in Nigeria and expand our digital infrastructure footprint.”
