The Company
The Main One Cable is owned by Main One Cable Company Mauritius; a company with a Pan-African vision to build a private sector led and funded international telecommunications highway between Africa and the rest of the world via Portugal. Having secured pioneer fibre optic cable licenses in Nigeria and Ghana, Main One is well positioned to be the premier and preferred wholesale international bandwidth provider in these markets. Main One Cable Company Mauritius serves as the holding company for operational subsidiaries to deliver wholesale international telecommunications services and land cable in various African countries. It has operational subsidiary companies in Nigeria, Ghana and Portugal.
Main One Cable Company is led by Ms. Funke Opeke , an experienced telecommunications executive who returned to Nigeria as Chief Technical Officer, MTN after a twenty-year career in the United States. Prior to her return, she was Executive Director, Verizon Communications Wholesale Division. Subsequent to MTN, Ms. Opeke advised Transcorp on the acquisition of NITEL and briefly served as interim Chief Operating Officer, post acquisition. She obtained a first degree in Electrical Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Nigeria and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, New York.
Mr. Bernard Logan to the management team to oversee business development activities as Commercial Director. Mr. Logan has been involved in submarine cable systems for over 20 years and became a Senior Project Manager for STC (Standard Telephone Company) in 1988 where he held P&L responsibility for subsea projects. After STC was bought by Alcatel’s ASN, he held positions of both Bid Manager and Senior Projects Manager in France and Singapore on a number of projects including SeaMeWe3, TAT12/13, Telic Phil and Jakarta Surabaya. He joined Tyco Telecommunications in 1998 as Director of Sales and Marketing in the UK, responsible for business development within the EMEA region and contracts with his specific involvement included Yellow; TWA1; Esat2; Hugo; SMW4; Farice.
Mr. Johnnie Coleman is in charge of Business Development for West Africa. Prior to joining the Company, he worked at the leading edge of network and system integration for over sixteen years. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in broadband network operations in West Africa and projects in the United Kingdom and United States with proven competence in technology management and product architecture. Prior to his appointment with Main One he served as the Chief Technology Officer for Internet Solutions Operations in Nigeria and Ghana, General Manager for Technology in Accelon before moving into the position of Chief Technology Officer for the group. Mr. Coleman had also had a stint as Acting CEO for Silicon Wireless (the Broadband subsidiary of Intercellular Nigeria Limited). He had previously been employed in several senior management positions including CTO for Third Rail (DiscoveryTel Ghana) and Africa Online.
Ms. Opeke is advised by a Board of Directors led by:
Mr. Fola Adeola, Chairman, is an entrepreneur, private investor and philanthropist who is founder and chairman of Fate Foundation, a charitable foundation to promote entrepreneurship among the youth of Nigeria. He is the founder and served as pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive of Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria for twelve years. Mr. Adeola also served in his personal capacity on the Blair Commission for Africa. He sits on the Board as a representative of Main Street Technologies Limited.
Dr. Dapo Oshinusi sits on the Board as a representative of Main Street Technologies Limited. He is the founder and Managing Director of Mansfield Energy. Mansfield Energy is a leading provider of drilling and well completion solutions with sand control services for the oil and gas industry in West and South Africa. He managed the business of Schlumberger for more than 20 years in the Middle East, West and South Africa and Europe. He was chairman of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Lagos section 1999-2000.He is an executive member of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), an association committed to the development of the Nigerian content with the transfer of technology to Nigerians in the oil and gas sector.
Mr. Solomon Asamoah sits on the Board as a representative of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC); an international organisation established in Nigeria and operating as a hybrid investment and development finance institution. He has over 20 years experience in Investment Banking and Management and is currently the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Investment Officer of the AFC. He has worked in various investment advisory capacities within the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Softbank Emerging Markets, HSBC Markets and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). He graduated from Imperial College, London and holds a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering.
Mr. Timothy Oguntayo sits on the Board as a representative of Skye Bank Plc; one of Nigeria’s foremost banks. He is the General Manager for the Investment Banking group and has over 10 years of core banking experience, with responsibilities in financial advisory services, market and credit analysis, corporate banking, customer relationship management, and foreign exchange treasury Operations. He is a member of the Executive Committee Asset & Liability Management Committee (ALCO) and an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. He holds a degree in Accountancy and Business Studies, from the University of Uyo, Nigeria.
Mr. Taiwo Okeowo sits on the Board as a representative of First Bank of Nigeria Plc (FBN); one of the oldest banks in Nigeria which has successfully transformed itself to be continually relevant and able to compete with the new-generation banks. Mr. Okeowo is a seasoned professional with over 19 years of investment banking experience. He joined FBN Capital (a subsidiary of FBN) in 2006 from First Bank where he was the Head of the Corporate Finance group. Prior to joining First Bank, he was a pioneer staff of IBTC (now StanbicIBTC). He has significant experience in deal structuring and fund raising in various sectors. He has specific experience in project finance, mergers, acquisitions, restructuring and securities underwriting. He advised on the two largest non-oil transactions to date in Nigeria namely the $1.2bn acquisition of Vmobile by MTC/Celtel and the $480m project financing of Obajana Cement. He has a first degree in Computer Science and a Sloan Masters (MSc.) in Management) from the London Business School. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
Dr Ini Urua heads the Heavy Industry Department of Africa Finance Corporation. Previously Ini was the Manager of the NEPAD Division of African Development Bank in charge of development and implementation of multi-country infrastructure projects and programs across the whole continent. He worked for more than 10 years with BOC Group plc, England in Process Development and Design, Technology Marketing and Management, Strategic Planning, and Technology Transfer. Ini holds a honors bachelors degree (1st Class honors) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Ife, Nigeria, a Masters and Doctorate degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London and an MBA in International Business Management from Ecole Europeenne des Affairs (EAP), Paris. He is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineer, a member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, UK, and a chartered and registered Engineer.
Mr. Alwyn Wessels sits on the Board as a representative of the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF). He is the Chief Investment Officer of Harith. Before joining Harith he has over 10 years of experience as Senior Consultant for Absa Capital, responsible for Project and Infrastructure Finance. Prior to this he enjoyed success in various senior positions in the construction and manufacturing industries.
Mr Sipho Makhubela is an Investment Director of Harith and has over 7 years of structured debt experience. Prior to joining Harith, he worked for Investec Bank, Coronation Capital and African Merchant Bank. He spent the last two years running his own investment company with investments in the ICT and Energy and Manufacturing. He has also been involved in investments in Nigeria and Benin. Mr. Makhubela represents Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund (PAIDF) on Main One board of directors.