Frehiwot Tamru

Speaker Bio

Ms. Frehiwot Tamru is the Chief Executive Officer of Ethio telecom, Africa’s pioneering and largest telecom operator, through a period of historic transformation. Since her appointment in 2018, she has spearheaded a bold modernization agenda that has redefined Ethiopia's digital landscape.

Under her leadership, Ethio telecom successfully executed the BRIDGE and LEAD three years growth strategies, doubling annual revenues to ETB 331.5 billion and expanding the subscriber base to over 83 million. She is the visionary behind telebirr, a transformative mobile money platform that reached over 54 million users in four years, facilitating trillions in transactions and driving national financial inclusion.

Ms. Frehiwot is currently driving the “Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond 2028” strategy, which aligns with the Digital Ethiopia 2030 roadmap to position the company as a regional digital powerhouse. Her focus includes hyperscale data centers, AI-driven platforms, and cross-border connectivity initiatives like the Horizon Fiber project.

She is a recipient of numerous international accolades, she was named among the 100 Most Influential African Women (2021) and the Choiseul 100 Africa Economic Leaders of Tomorrow (2023). Ms. Frehiwot holds a Master of Business Administration from the Open University (UK) and a BSc in Information Systems.