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Strive Masiyiwa

1961 – present

Strive Masiyiwa (born 1961) is a Zimbabwean businessman and philanthropist who founded the telecommunications group Econet after a five-year legal battle against the Zimbabwean state monopoly on mobile services. He later built Econet into a pan-African group including Liquid Intelligent Technologies, and co-founded the Higherlife Foundation with his wife, Tsitsi.

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Life events

Born in Southern Rhodesia
1961

Born in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe; his family later moved to Zambia.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Graduated in electrical engineering from the University of Wales
1983

Completed a degree in electrical and electronic engineering in Wales after schooling in Edinburgh.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Education ✓
Returned to Zimbabwe and joined the state telephone company
1984

Went back to newly independent Zimbabwe and worked as an engineer at the Zimbabwe Posts and Telecommunications Corporation.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relocation ✓
Founded Retrofit Engineering
1988

Left the state utility to start an electrical contracting business in Harare.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Co-founded the Higherlife Foundation
1996

Established with his wife Tsitsi a foundation providing scholarships to orphaned and disadvantaged children in Africa.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Won a Supreme Court ruling ending the state mobile monopoly
1997

After a five-year legal battle, Zimbabwe's Supreme Court ruled that the state monopoly on telecommunications violated the constitution, clearing the way for a private mobile licence.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Launched Econet Wireless Zimbabwe
1998

Econet's mobile network began operating in Zimbabwe and the company was listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Relocated to South Africa
2000

Moved his base to Johannesburg as Econet expanded into other African markets; he later settled in London.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relocation ✓
Joined the board of directors of Netflix
December 2020

Was appointed to the Netflix board, becoming its first African director.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓