Alphonzo started as a trainee technician and worked his way up to the role of Openserve CEO.
Telecommunications infrastructure provider Openserve has announced that its CEO Alphonzo Samuels will retire with effect from 31 March 2020, after 36 years of service at Telkom.
In an email to staff, Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko said Samuels has a tremendous impact on the evolution of Telkom’s network. “The fact that Samuels started as a trainee technician and retires as the CEO of Openserve illustrates the kind of man he is,” Maseko said.
Maseko said that Samuels joined Telkom at a time when microwave systems were cutting-edge and when the company was only just commissioning digital electronic exchanges. He has since held various roles, including broadband officer, managing executive for network infrastructure provisioning and group chief technology officer.
According to the email, Samuels had provided “guidance and insight” during the functional separation of Telkom’s wholesale and networks division, which led to the establishment of Openserve.
“He was the foundation on which the process was built and is the driving force behind our ongoing thrust to modernise the network,” Maseko concluded.
