Cassava Technologies continues to advance Africa’s digital landscape with the appointment of telecom veteran Marco Gagiano as the global head of connectivity, a role he will officially assume in September.
In a statement released yesterday, Cassava highlighted that Gagiano’s addition to the leadership team is a strategic move to bolster its position as the premier digital solutions provider in its targeted markets.
This appointment coincides with Cassava’s aggressive initiatives to shape Africa’s digital future. Earlier this month, the company partnered with Accenture to broaden its sovereign AI capabilities across the continent.
Moreover, during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Strive Masiyiwa, founder and executive chairman of Econet Global and Cassava Technologies, unveiled ambitious plans to establish Africa’s first network of AI factories. These facilities, expected to be powered by NVIDIA GPUs, are projected to be operational by 2026, intending to integrate Africa more significantly into the global AI economy. The initial AI factories will be set up in South Africa, with subsequent expansions planned for Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria.
In light of Gagiano’s hiring, Cassava stated, “Marco will oversee the connectivity operations across Africa, which encompasses all of Cassava’s fibre, satellite, wireless, and wholesale voice and connectivity services.”
Gagiano brings over 20 years of extensive leadership experience in the telecommunications and technology sectors. He previously held senior executive positions at MTN, Vodacom, and Vodafone Group, where he focused on product strategy, digital transformation, and commercial growth.
