Couceiro leaves a happy man

Been with Mascom for 17 years

Jose Couceiro, the now former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of local telecommunications giant, Mascom has stepped down after 11 years at the helm of the company.  

He leaves a happy and fulfilled man. “My plan was to spend just two years at Mascom and here we are 17 years later,” he said.

The now wise Couceiro joined Mascom 17 years ago as a fresh faced executive and rose through the ranks to leave the company on the verge of a Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) listing, a welcome development which the founder Strive Masiyiwa, announced a few weeks ago.

Dzene Makhwade-Seboni will act as the interim CEO whilst the recruitment process for the substantive chief executive is being concluded.

Speaking at a farewell dinner in his honour at the Gaborone International Convention Center (GICC) last week, the Portuguese native, Couciero promised that he will come back to Botswana as he believes he has made a life for himself and his family in the country.

He noted that in his extensive experience with the local business, he is most thankful for the staff he headed at the company and implored them to afford the new CEO the same support they have afforded him over the years.

With 24 shops countrywide, Mascom also participates in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives such as setting up of Mascom Kitsong Centres in a total of 105 villages around the country; the Mascom eSchools Connectivity Project which forms part of the Economic Stimulus Programme initiatives has connected 453 schools around Botswana and has supported many sporting activities.