Biography
Freedom Phuthuma Nhleko (born 7 April 1960), professionally known as Phuthuma Nhleko, is a South African businessman who is the Executive Chairman of MTN Group.
This company operates GSM mobile networks.
He is also the chairman and one of the founding members of Worldwide African Investment Holdings.
Worldwide African Investment Holding has interests in oil, information technology and telecommunications.
Through his hard work and planning, Phuthuma Nhleko has built the company to a book value of approximately 3.3 billion Rand.
He is best known for serving as the executive chairman of MTN Group Ltd from 2006 to 2016.
He played a key role in the development of MTN Group, now the largest GSM Mobile Network Operator in Africa.
South African businessman
Phuthuma Nhleko |
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 Phuthuma Nhleko: History, Biography, Pictures |
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| Wiki Events & About Data | |
| Full name: | Freedom Phuthuma Nhleko |
| Stage name: | Phuthuma Nhleko |
| Born: | April 7, 1960 (age 64) |
| Place of birth: | Kwa-Thema, Stream, South Africa |
| The children: | Nonkululeko Nhleko, Nosipho Nhleko, Fikile Nhleko, Mpumelelo Nhleko |
| Nationality: | South Africa |
| Parents: | Do not have |
| Height: | Do not have |
| Siblings: | Do not have |
| Wife • Husband/wife: | Nontokozo nee Sibiya (d. 1989) |
| Job: | Businessmen |
| Net worth: | 120 million dollars |
Early life
Phuthuma Nhleko was born in Gauteng, South Africa on 7 April 1960.
He attended St. Marks High School in Swaziland for his high school diploma.
He went to the United States to pursue graduate studies at Ohio State University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1983.
He received his MBA in Finance from Atlantic University in 1987.
Phuthuma Nhleko enjoys being involved in a highly challenging work environment, which prepares him for the challenging situations required in life.
He is not easily discouraged and always wants to be an entrepreneur without running away from the risks involved.
Career
Phuthuma Nhleko’s first job was working for the Ohio Department of Transportation as a Civil Engineer. He left because he wanted to learn more, which led to his MBA from Atlantic University.
Phuthuma Nhleko has been the Chairman of MTN Group for ten (10) years and during that time MTN Direct has expanded its operations from 5 African countries to twenty-one (21) African and Middle Eastern countries.
In addition to leading MTN Group, Phuthuma Nhleko is also the chairman of African Worldwide Investment Holding. He stepped down as chairman of MTN Group in March 2011.
Phuthuma Nhleko also has a company called Arostyle Investments. An integral part of his career was the founding of Pembani Group Proprietary Limited with the late Max Maisela and others in 1994.
He went on to found Afric Oil in 1995 with Beki Shongwe as the company’s director. According to the group’s annual report at the end of 2015, Phuthuma Nhleko owns more than 2 million shares.
Personal life
Phuthuma Nhleko is a very hard working man and considers family as an important and essential factor to his success.
He is married to Nontokozo, née Sibiya, and he strongly believes that his wife is the key factor in his success.
Phuthuma Nhleko has four children (three girls and one boy) namely Nonkululeko Nhleko, Nosipho Nhleko, Fikile Nhleko and a handsome son Mpumelelo Nhleko.
Having to shoulder great family responsibilities and a demanding career was not easy for him.
However, he still considers balancing both as a mandatory responsibility and continuously performs them effectively.
He believed that family plays an essential role in a man’s growth and success and therefore family should not be neglected in pursuit of something else.
Net worth
Phuthuma Nhleko is the fourth richest person in South Africa with an estimated net worth of $120 million.
What’s more important is that in addition to Phuthuma Nhleko’s $120 million business and investments, his home alone is worth a whopping $160 million.
