If you say “MJ,” most people think of Michael Jackson or Michael Jordan, depending on your playlist or your sneaker collection.
But if you’re Kenyan, there’s another MJ who comes to mind: Michael Joseph, the man who helped turn a state telco into a pan-African tech force, and who’s been quietly shaping boardrooms ever since, leaving a lasting legacy at Safaricom.
Now, MJ’s stepping down from two high-profile roles — as Chairman of Kenya Airways and Chair of the Global Partnership for Ethiopia, the Safaricom-led venture breaking new ground in one of Africa’s toughest telecom markets.
You’d think that would signal retirement. But MJ’s not done. Not even close.
“I want to keep doing things that are interesting and intellectually challenging,” he said recently. “I’m not going anywhere.”
From Telco Titan to Purpose-Driven Strategist
At 79, MJ could easily walk off into the sunset, collect accolades, and fade from the headlines. But that’s not his style.
Instead, he’s shifting his energy into areas that matter deeply to him: conservation, clean energy, and agri-tech.
He remains Chairman of the Lewa Conservancy, a wildlife reserve he’s deeply passionate about.
He sits on the board of Pula, a Kenyan agri-insurance startup using data to protect smallholder farmers.
And he’s on the board of Circle Gas, the parent company of M-Gas, which provides smart-metered LPG to low-income urban homes, helping people cook safely and affordably.
MJ isn’t chasing headlines anymore. But he’s still chasing ideas. Especially the ones that solve real problems for firms like Safaricom.
Safaricom Was His Crown Jewel. KQ Was His Toughest Battle.
When MJ first landed in Kenya in 2000, it was more of a corporate detour than a dream job. A European telco had passed him over, saying he was “too abrasive.” Their parting shot? “You’d be better off in Africa.”
He came. He built Safaricom.
Under his watch, it became one of Africa’s most profitable companies and launched M-Pesa, the mobile money platform that changed how Africans pay, save, and send money.
Years later, he returned to help launch Safaricom Ethiopia — a bold bet in a complex, tightly regulated market. That move is still unfolding, but MJ was never afraid of going first.
Kenya Airways, though? That was a different story.
“I was asked by the previous government to take over the chairmanship, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” he said. “If I had known, I might’ve said no. But when the president calls, you don’t say no.”
Taking the reins at KQ meant navigating a mountain of debt, pandemic-era flight shutdowns, and political headwinds. There was progress — a turnaround in 2024 — but no miracle.
“KQ is more than just a business. It’s a strategic asset. Losing it would be a blow not just to shareholders but to Kenya.”
He often felt like the airline’s biggest defender in a room full of skeptics. And even now, he says, many still don’t get what’s at stake, much like his journey with Safaricom.
He’s Not Retiring. He’s Just Getting More Selective.
MJ’s not in it for the title anymore. He’s looking for problems worth solving and teams worth backing.
“I’m not a person to sit at home and mow the lawn or whatever people do when they retire,” he says. “I’ll always be busy.”
He plans to split time between West Wales — where his wife is from — and Kenya, where he built the foundation of Safaricom.
“If I had my choice, this is where I’d want to die. But marriage is about compromise,” he says with a smile.
Even now, with nothing left to prove, MJ’s still wide open to what comes next, always influenced by his time at Safaricom.
“I live in the moment. I’m not thinking about what I’ll be doing at 90. I’m thinking about what I’ll be doing next week.”
MJ at a Glance
| Role | Legacy |
|---|---|
| Safaricom CEO (2000–2010, interim 2019) | Grew it from scratch to Kenya’s most valuable company – Revenue growth from $20M to $2.5B; over 42M subscribers |
| M-Pesa Launch | Pioneered mobile money in Africa – Now serves 51M+ users across 7 countries |
| Safaricom Ethiopia | Led market entry into one of Africa’s last telecom frontiers – First private telco in Ethiopia; $850M license |
| Kenya Airways Chair (2020–2024) | Took on a debt-ridden national carrier during COVID and partial recovery – |
| Lewa Conservancy | Longtime chairman, championing conservation – Oversees 62,000+ acres of protected land in Kenya |
| Pula | Board member, driving agri-insurance innovation – Supports agri-insurance for 15M+ farmers across Africa |
| Circle Gas / M-Gas | Board member, pushing affordable clean energy at scale – Expanding access to smart metered clean cooking gas |
Michael Joseph has left the C-suite, but he hasn’t left the arena.
He’s walking away from headline roles — but leaning deeper into meaningful ones. The next chapter might not be as visible, but it might be just as impactful.
In a world full of polished board bios and perfectly timed exits, MJ is doing what he’s always done best: speaking plainly, acting boldly, and choosing the hard problems over the easy wins, as he did at Safaricom.
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