Cynthia Karuri-Kropac, a seasoned global telecom executive, has left Safaricom where she was a key architect of the firm’s digital transformation, blending U.S. corporate leadership with on-the-ground execution in Kenya’s dynamic tech ecosystem.
Until recently the Chief Enterprise Business Officer at Safaricom PLC, Cynthia Karuri-Kropac played a pivotal role in reshaping Safaricom’s enterprise and digital infrastructure strategy, particularly around artificial intelligence (AI), broadband connectivity, and small business empowerment.
Her recent departure from Safaricom, part of a broader executive reshuffle, marks the end of a critical chapter but signals the beginning of what could be a new regional or global leadership role in technology, infrastructure, or policy.
From Accenture and AT&T to Safaricom
Karuri-Kropac began her career at Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting), where she worked for seven years as a senior manager before transitioning to telecom giant AT&T in 2003. There, she spent nearly two decades rising through the ranks from IT client account management to overseeing Enterprise Mobile and IoT Technologies.
Her roles at AT&T were far-reaching: she led mobile service delivery for Cingular Wireless (a joint venture between BellSouth and AT&T), spearheaded global enterprise solutions, and was eventually responsible for innovation in emerging telecom technologies.
In September 2022, she was appointed Chief Enterprise Business Officer at Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telco, becoming one of the few women at the executive level in East Africa’s technology sector.
Reimagining Enterprise at Safaricom
At Safaricom, Karuri-Kropac inherited a portfolio poised for change. With voice and SMS revenues stagnating, her task was to transform Safaricom’s enterprise division into a high-growth engine focused on cloud, IoT, AI, and digital services.
Her tenure saw the rollout of Grow with Safaricom Business, a nationwide initiative designed to provide small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) with not just connectivity, but also digital tools, e-commerce integration, and financing solutions. The goal was to turn Safaricom into a technology firm not just a telco for Kenya’s 7.4 million SMEs.
She also emphasized enterprise connectivity and smart infrastructure, aligning Safaricom’s offerings with the needs of hospitals, logistics firms, agricultural cooperatives, and schools.
Leading the Call for AI Infrastructure in Africa
In May 2025, Karuri-Kropac made headlines at the Connected Africa Summit in Nairobi, where she delivered a widely discussed keynote titled “Building the Rails for AI.” There, she called for continent-wide investments in digital infrastructure to support AI’s rapid integration into everyday life from finance to farming.
“Africa must not just consume AI—we must build and own the rails on which it runs,” she said, advocating for $500 million in infrastructure investments over the next three years.
She linked AI development to economic empowerment, citing studies that project $1.2 trillion in GDP gains for Africa if AI infrastructure is developed domestically and responsibly.
Central to her message was the idea of data sovereignty keeping African data within the continent and developing local AI models that reflect regional realities and ethics.
Leadership Transition
In July 2025, Karuri-Kropac exited her executive post as part of a strategic realignment initiated by Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa. Her successor, Frankline Okata, is a long-serving internal executive with deep knowledge of the enterprise segment.
While her departure was framed as part of a broader shift, insiders say Karuri-Kropac’s profile global, future-facing, and policy-savvy could see her landing a regional or multinational role in AI, digital policy, infrastructure strategy, or board leadership.
As of this writing, no official announcements have been made about her next position.
What’s Next for Karuri-Kropac?
With a career that spans global telecom, enterprise technology, and digital transformation, Cynthia Karuri-Kropac is well-positioned for roles that demand both strategic vision and operational execution.
Potential next moves could include:
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A pan-African infrastructure initiative focused on AI or data centers.
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A board seat on a regional tech or fintech firm.
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A return to a global operator in telecom or cloud services.
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Advisory roles with African governments on digital economy strategy and AI policy frameworks.
In a region where executive talent with global exposure and local insight remains scarce, Karuri-Kropac is a rare blend and her next chapter is likely to be just as consequential as the last.
Legacy in Brief
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Transformed enterprise services at Kenya’s largest telco.
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Championed AI infrastructure and data sovereignty for Africa.
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Advocated for SME digitization and inclusive growth.
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Maintains one of the most globally mobile executive profiles in African tech leadership.
As Kenya and the continent at large race to digitize economies, Karuri-Kropac’s influence whether inside boardrooms or on the global stage is unlikely to fade.
