Stephen Chege

Speaker Bio

Stephen Chege is Group Chief External Affairs Officer at Safaricom PLC, a position he assumed in October 2025. In this expanded role, he oversees Safaricom’s Regulatory, External and Corporate Affairs, Public Policy, Corporate Communications, Media Relations, Group Corporate Social Investments, ESG & Sustainability, and the integration of purpose into the company’s operations.
His mandate spans Safaricom Group and its subsidiaries, including Safaricom Ethiopia.

Before this appointment, Stephen served as Chief External Affairs Officer at Vodacom Group from November 2021 to September 2025. His portfolio included Regulatory, External and Corporate Affairs, covering Public Policy, Communications, Media Relations, Group Corporate Social Investment (CSI), and Sustainability across Vodacom’s markets: South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, Lesotho, Egypt, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia and Kenya.

Stephen began his career at Safaricom in 2006 as In-House Counsel and progressed through senior roles including Senior Manager, Public Policy & Market Regulation, and Head of Regulatory and Public Policy. In 2015, he was appointed Director of Corporate Affairs, later redefined as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, where he shaped Safaricom’s engagement strategy locally and globally.

He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a Notary Public, and a Certified Public Secretary. Stephen holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Trade and Investment Law and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), both from the University of Nairobi. With over 20 years of experience in telecommunications, including at Vodafone Group UK, he has been instrumental in shaping regulatory frameworks, advancing corporate responsibility, and strengthening partnerships that drive growth and sustainability in Africa’s telecom sector.