Johannesburg – Vodacom Group has officially announced the strategic appointment of Dr. Leila Fourie as an alternate director to the company’s outgoing Chairman, Saki Macozoma, marking a significant step in the telecommunications giant’s board succession planning.
Effective 9 October 2026, Fourie will assume her duties as an alternate director.
She will serve in this capacity until Macozoma’s scheduled retirement on 20 July 2027, at which point she will seamlessly transition to a full member of the Vodacom Board.
A Strategic Board Succession Move
The appointment positions Fourie as a direct successor to Macozoma’s board duties, ensuring continuity in leadership.
While serving as an alternate director, Fourie will have full voting rights and responsibilities, providing her with a comprehensive handover period before she officially steps into a permanent board seat next year.
In addition to her directorial duties, Vodacom confirmed that Fourie will join the Nomination Committee and the Remuneration Committee immediately upon her appointment.
Who Is Leila Fourie? A Career Spanning Global Finance
Fourie brings a formidable track record in payments, investment banking, retail banking, and capital markets to the Vodacom board. Her resume includes some of the most influential financial institutions across three continents.
Key career highlights include:
- Chief Executive Officer of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) – a role she held from 2019 to 2026.
- CEO of the Australian Payments Network Ltd.
- Managing Director of the Card Division and Global Director of Credit Analytics & Portfolio Management at Standard Bank Group.
- Held senior executive positions and directorships in the UK, America, and Australia.
Fourie is no stranger to high-level governance.
She previously chaired and co-chaired prominent global bodies, including the UN Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance, Diners Club South Africa, and the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges.
She currently serves as an independent non-executive director on the board of Australian payments company Cuscal Limited.
Her ongoing global advisory roles include board positions with the United Nations Global Compact, WWF South Africa, the Youth Employment Service (YES), the Henley Advisory Board in London, and a membership on the Sustainability Consultative Committee of the IFRS/ISSB Global Advisory Board.
Fourie holds a Ph.D in Economic & Financial Sciences from the University of Johannesburg.
Revised Board Committee Structures
With effect from 9 October 2026, the revised composition of Vodacom’s key board committees will be as follows:
Nomination Committee:
- S.J. Macozoma (outgoing chairman)
- K. Shuenyane (chair-designate)
- L. Fourie
- L. Wood
- J. Ludlow
Remuneration Committee:
- C.B. Thomson (Chairman)
- L. Fourie
- L. Wood
- J. Ludlow
Looking Ahead
Fourie’s arrival signals a continuation of Vodacom’s commitment to world-class corporate governance, leveraging her deep expertise in financial markets, sustainability, and global regulatory frameworks.
As Macozoma prepares to retire after a distinguished tenure, Fourie’s progressive integration into the board ensures a smooth leadership transition for the telecom powerhouse.
*This article first appeared in our sister publication techfinancials.co.za
