Innocent Rwetabura finds joy in fostering success. For him, a fruitful career is about more than just making profit. He hopes to leave a lasting impact on his mentees and help them achieve their goals.
If Yas Tanzania CFO Innocent Rwetabura could choose another career, it would be information technology (IT). He finds excitement in the field, which he sees as the epitome of innovation and creative problem-solving.
“What I like about IT is that sometimes, even without knowing there's a problem, you develop something that solves that problem. Maybe before, nobody would have thought there's a problem,” he says.
Ironically, all of Innocent’s career highlights bear the hallmark of a creative problem-solver. In 2022, when he was the interim CEO of Yas (then Tigo), he oversaw a merger in which Madagascar’s Axian Telecom Group acquired Tigo and Zantel, the two brands formerly operated by Millicom Group in Tanzania. As part of its vision to become a notable player in Africa’s telco industry, Axian Telecom was keen to create a unified Pan-African brand that would redefine the company as an ally to its customers, driven by commitment to deliver impact across Africa.
“Under my leadership, we were able to transition from Millicom to Axian Telecom and merge these two organisations. We were also able to absorb all the staff. We did not let go of a single one. We decided that if some people left the company, we wouldn't replace them. We would just adjust here and there until we reached an optimal level. I would say that in two years, we reached that optimal level. Now we're expanding and recruiting more,” he says.
The merger has injected new life into the telco, which rebranded to Yas in November 2024 and already has several new product offerings in the pipeline. According to Innocent, the company intends to launch an integrated digital transformation package that will allow corporate customers to connect seamlessly between branch offices, provide data security, and link systems for data management and automation. The product will also integrate mobile financial services for fast payment processing and information retrieval.
Finding joy
“Sitting here as CFO, I need to make sure we do a proper margin analysis on all the solutions that we are proposing. They need to make sense in terms of profitability. We must offer products that will solve the problems our customers and potential customers have, but also be able to make something and maximise sales as well. Again, because the industry we are in has a lot of risk associated with it, I need to make sure we profile the risks and make appropriate decisions,” he says.
For Innocent, the joy of his work is in meeting the targets he has set for himself. Although he has become accustomed to working 10 or 11-hour days, he derives satisfaction from the knowledge that his efforts are bearing fruit.
“When you watch boxing or MMA fighting, after all the rounds, the fighters may stand there with their faces swollen and bodies bruised. But when the winner is announced, he will celebrate and forget all of that. When I achieve my goals, I forget about all the struggles I had during the day,” Innocent explains.
Innocent admits that after the successful merger, he did not do anything to reward himself. His modest tone paints the picture of a man used to taking things in his stride. Innocent’s composure has played a part in getting the best out of his team, whom he entrusts with the company’s financial affairs in his absence. He prefers a hands-off approach, as this makes his direct reports feel empowered. He is particularly excited to see his team members grow and receive promotions this year.
“Because most of them started working at the Big Four audit firms, they were cooked to become good applicants. When you blend that with the culture we have here, the teamwork and supporting each other, I know whatever assignments I've given to them will be delivered because they take ownership, and they feel they belong. They feel that they can make decisions, and you trust them. I have two of my team members who are going to group level now because I've mentored them here. For me, that’s a success. It’s fantastic,” he says.
Calm in the storm
Innocent’s measured manner also proved instrumental in finding a way out of a crisis that brewed at a security company where he headed the finance function over a decade ago. At the time, the company’s major clients were yet to remit their payments, resulting in cash flow challenges and delayed salaries. The security guards, who were armed, marched to his office and demanded immediate payment. Fearing for his safety, Innocent took the diplomatic route, buying time before finding a solution to their grievances.
“Luckily, I was able to quickly organise a short-term overdraft facility with the bank and secure something. The crisis didn't last for more than two days. We were able to pay them. But after that, I resigned. I said, ‘never again’. That was the most difficult time in my career. It could easily have gone in another direction,” he says.
Innocent advises upcoming finance executives to develop strong leadership skills and become all-rounders to handle the demands of the role. He believes CFOs must go beyond their training, exercise initiative, and network aggressively to keep pace with the challenges of the role and changes in the market.
“When CFO East Africa came to Dar es Salaam, we were able to share experiences and learn one or two things from our colleagues. You're able to develop your leadership style and skills because when you are there, you discuss your leadership style and get to learn other people’s leadership styles. You learn the pros and cons and weigh yourself and try things out. If it works, you keep it, and if it doesn't work, you drop it. That's how we evolve and become good leaders,” Innocent says.
For Innocent, leadership means making an impact in the society he lives in. More than making profit, he wants to make people feel that Yas Tanzania has touched their lives. The company’s discounted mobile data rates for students are a point of pride for him, as this facilitates their learning.
Touching lives
“We are not there just to make money, but we want people to feel like they've been successful because they're getting the service of Yas. For me, to be successful is to leave a mark. How many people have become successful through you? I get satisfaction from seeing other people succeeding because I've contributed something to their success,” Innocent explains.
When he first took up the role at Yas Tanzania, he was an early riser who exercised each day. But the long hours took a toll on him and derailed his sleep schedule, forcing him to rethink how he spent his mornings. Today, he works just as much as he did before but saves the exercising for the weekend. He now runs ten kilometres every Saturday and finishes off the week with some light running every Sunday. The weekends also give Innocent time to unwind, bond with his family, and go to church.
“When I'm in church, I sit with the people. I'm actually a friend of the choir in our church. I speak to them and support them in many ways, including with some finances here and there. I also do a lot of mentorships. Some come back to me and say, ‘the advice you gave me really helped me.’ And that gives me the satisfaction that I've done my part,” he says.
