Ben Roberts, Liquid Telecom’s head of technology and innovation, to leave company after 2 decades of service

Ben Roberts, Group Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (or CTIO) at Liquid Telecom, has announced that he’s leaving the company after 22 years of service.

Via his LinkedIn page, Roberts states that he joined Liquid Telecom (which was rebranded to Liquid Intelligent Technologies in March 2021) as “employee number three and the first Engineer at the Wholesale division of Liquid Telecommunications/Econet Group” in September 2002. Together with his team, they built the network and operational support systems from the ground up, unboxing the equipment, to building the technical systems of a very profitable wholesale voice and data over satellite business.

(TOP: Ben Roberts).

In this role, he led the team to transform the company’s satellite business from GSM and voice trunking into wholesale IP transit and VSAT satellite access. The team also negotiated satellite bandwidth contracts and developed systems in partnership with vendors.

He then rose through the company’s senior management ranks, assuming the role of acting MD of Liquid Telecom Kenya in late 2013. To effectively handle this role and in order to be in close contact with his team, Roberts moved to Kenya in 2013, following the firm’s acquisition of 5 companies in East Africa specifically to lead Liquid Telecom Kenya, overseeing the turnaround and transformation of Liquid Kenya. In April 2014, he was confirmed in the position as the substantive MD, a role he would serve in for the next 3 years before being made the Group CTIO in April 2027.

After his long career at the firm, Roberts this week announced that he is leaving the company.

“Well, after 22 years, it is with immense excitement, and some sadness, that it is time to move on from this great company Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
I’m proud to have built and lead great teams, and with the great work from those teams, built great products, and perhaps the greatest network in Africa.
I would like to thank especially the OGs who have been with me on this journey, you know who you are. But also the new friends, partners and colleagues I have met along the way,” he wrote.

“Too many to name you all, but let me give a special shout out to Nic Rudnick who has been my boss and leader for most of those 22 years and to Kevin Kinnear, the godfather of our pan African fibre network, and the guy who taught me the Latin phrase “ex Africa semper aliquid novi”.

Prior to Liquid and before coming to Kenya, Roberts had stints with other IT firms, including Ericsson, Clarent Corporation, and Newport Components.

Liquid Intelligent Technologies is a subsidiary of Cassava Technologies. Liquid has firmly established itself as key provider of pan-African digital infrastructure with a 110,000 km-long fibre broadband network and satellite connectivity that provides high-speed access to the Internet anywhere in Africa. Liquid is also leveraging its digital network to provide Cloud and Cyber Security solutions through strategic partnerships with leading global players. Liquid is a comprehensive technology solutions group that provides customised digital solutions to public and private sector enterprises and SMEs across the continent.

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