Berhane Demissie Joins Safaricom Ethiopia Advisory Board

Berhane Demissie, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Cepheus Growth Capital Partners, has joined the Safaricom Ethiopia  Advisory Board, becoming the second Ethiopian to serve on the board after Ermias Eshetu.

Her appointment was approved by the board during its two-day meeting at Safaricom Ethiopia’s headquarters in Addis Ababa. The meeting brought together senior leaders and board members representing Vodacom Group, Safaricom Group PLC, Vodafone, Sumitomo, British International Investment (BII), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Safaricom Ethiopia.

Demissie brings more than 20 years of experience in private equity, investment management, corporate finance and risk management across Ethiopia and the United Kingdom. At Cepheus Growth Capital Partners, an Ethiopia-focused private equity firm, she provides growth capital to high-potential businesses and supports their long-term development.

Before co-founding Cepheus, Demissie served as a senior consultant to Ethiopia’s Public Financial Enterprises Agency, where she supported reforms within the country’s public financial institutions. She previously worked at Citigroup in London in its Corporate and Portfolio Risk Management divisions, gaining experience in financial analysis, investment and risk management.

Demissie holds a BSc (Hons) from the University of Greenwich, a Diploma of Imperial College (DIC), and an MBA from Imperial College London.

Her appointment strengthens Ethiopian representation and local expertise within Safaricom Ethiopia’s governance structure, while bringing additional local market knowledge and international experience to the company’s strategic decision-making as it expands its network, services and investments in Ethiopia.

Demissie joins Ermias Eshetu, who became the first Ethiopian member of the Safaricom Ethiopia Advisory Board in March 2025 and was subsequently appointed chairman of the board, effective November 2025.

With Demissie’s appointment, Safaricom Ethiopia is increasing the role of Ethiopian expertise in shaping the company’s strategic direction and its efforts to connect more people, businesses and communities to opportunities in the country’s growing digital economy.