Vanakkam,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here's what I've got for you today:
- CEO favouritism allegations rock MTN Group
- Global banker joins Flutterwave as CFO
- YouTube's teen shield activated
CEO favouritism allegations rock MTN Group
MTN Group is currently investigating claims of favouritism involving its CEO, Ralph Mupita.
Per a report by The Sunday Times on September 1, some executives have threatened to resign, alleging that Mupita gave special treatment to a female executive. The report didn't specify how many executives were involved or name any sources.
In response, MTN’s board has said they are looking into the allegations and will communicate with stakeholders once the verification process is complete.
Mupita himself has acknowledged that the board is handling the situation.
Despite the allegations, nine out of MTN’s 15 executives have reportedly signed a memo supporting Mupita.
The Public Investment Corp, MTN’s largest shareholder, has expressed concern over any corporate governance failures, warning that these could harm the company’s operations and shareholder value.
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Mupita, in a letter to staff, reassured everyone that MTN has governance processes in place to handle leadership matters and that the board is taking the necessary steps to address the situation.
Global banker joins Flutterwave as CFO
Flutterwave has appointed Mitesh Popat as its new Chief Financial Officer, nearly ten months after the previous CFO, Oneal Bhambani, stepped down in November 2023.
Popat brings over 20 years of experience in global financial services, including key roles at Citi and in Global Equities Sales and Trading.
In his new role, Popat will oversee corporate finance, ensure proper resource allocation, and drive business execution. He mentioned his experience in the African market and plans to help Flutterwave grow while optimising its business model for profitability.
Flutterwave’s CEO, Olugbenga Agboola, welcomed Popat and expressed confidence that his financial leadership would benefit the company's enterprise and retail customers and the African fintech space.
Popat’s hire could be a part of Flutterwave’s broader push to strengthen its leadership as it prepares for a public offering, with the company bringing in talent from major firms like PayPal, Stripe, and Citi.
YouTube's teen shield activated
YouTube is stepping up to protect teens from harmful content by cutting back on videos about fitness and weight in global markets. They're targeting videos that compare physical features, glorify certain body types, or push the idea of “ideal” fitness levels.
But that’s not all. YouTube’s also cracking down on videos showing "social aggression" — things like non-contact fights or intimidation. While a single video might seem harmless, seeing too many can really mess with how teens view themselves.
So why does this matter? YouTube’s recommendations are based on what users watch, so it’s easy for teens to get bombarded with these types of videos. That’s why YouTube is stepping in to stop repetitive recommendations that could mess with teens' self-esteem. They’ve pointed out that seeing unrealistic standards over and over can have a major impact on young minds.
To top it off, YouTube has launched a new tool that lets parents link their accounts with their teen’s, giving them more insight into what their kid is watching.
This adds to YouTube's parental controls, similar to what we’ve seen on TikTok and Instagram, so parents can keep an eye on their teen’s online activity.
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Have a fun weekend!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.
