Melanie Forbes: Cell C hires another former Vodacom executive

Cell C has hired another former Vodacom executive into a senior management role. This time, the mobile operator has appointed Melanie Forbes as chief marketing officer.

Forbes has experience in telecommunications, IT and consumer electronics and has worked for the likes of Philips, NetFlorist, Siemens Telecommunications, Nokia Siemens Networks and, most recently, Vodacom, where she was managing executive for consumer marketing, insights and research.

“Her extensive background spans both business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets across various African markets,” Cell C said in a statement on Monday.

“During her almost 15-year tenure at Vodacom, Forbes held key executive positions, demonstrating her ability to drive impactful initiatives in commercialisation, governance and operationalisation, products and services, profit and loss management, regional operations, brand management, and marketing. She played a pivotal role in shaping the brand’s strategy and she was instrumental in the rebranding efforts from blue to red.”

She was also responsible for Vodacom’s recent summer campaigns as well as the development of segmented propositions that drove growth across consumer segments.

Growing list

Forbes joins a growing list of former Vodacom executives to join Cell C, including recently appointed CEO Jorge Mendes, and new chief of staff, strategy and business transformation, Rachael Ayo-Oladejo.

In Monday’s statement, Mendes said of Forbes’s appointment: “We have solid plans to drive sustainable, profitable growth, and her proven leadership, strategic acumen and deep understanding of the industry will be instrumental in the implementation of innovative marketing plans to elevate our brand.”  — © 2023 NewsCentral Media

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