Peter Ndegwa

Peter Ndegwa – CEO, Safaricom

Peter Ndegwa is a Kenyan-born business leader who made history in April 2020 as the first Kenyan to become CEO of Safaricom, the country’s leading telecoms company and a trailblazer in mobile money through M‑PESA.

Raised at Starehe Boys Centre, where he credits early guidance to the school’s founder, Dr Geoffrey Griffin, Peter went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi, followed by an MBA from the London Business School, and became a Certified Public Accountant (ICPAK).

His career began at PwC, where he honed skills in audit and consulting, which led him to senior leadership roles in East African Breweries Limited (EABL) and later as MD in Guinness Ghana and Nigeria. He then shattered ceilings as the first African to lead Diageo’s Continental Europe business, managing operations across over 50 countries.

At Safaricom, Peter has committed to transforming the company into a digital-first, purpose-led technology powerhouse—not just a telecoms provider. Under his leadership, Safaricom has expanded regionally (most notably into Ethiopia), deepened its social impact via the Safaricom and M‑PESA Foundations, and reinforced its status as a force for innovation and inclusive growth