ARC Telecoms introduces telecoms expert as new chairman

ARC Telecoms, a provider of data and voice networking solutions to small and medium enterprises, welcomes Andrew Springate as its new board chairman. Springate has a long track record of building successful telecommunications businesses, from start-ups right through to large listed companies, and brings decades of valuable experience to this young company.

As the chairman of ARC's board, Springate will be providing his considerable expertise in both the telecoms sector and general good governance practices. The latter is critical for the long-term sustainability of new companies, which are often so busy building their business that critical legal, operational and finance systems do not receive the necessary attention.

Springate will also bring to ARC his long experience in negotiating and managing high-level contractual relationships with telecoms operators, vendors and suppliers.

“To be a modern telecommunications provider, you have to have excellent technical and commercial skills internally, but also have strategic partnerships with other service providers. Our customers require a comprehensive portfolio of telecoms services - voice, data and advanced applications. No single service provider can do it all - it needs well-managed partnerships so that customers can get all the benefits of a strong ecosystem, without the hassles of having to manage multiple vendors themselves,” says Springate.

Steve Briggs, CEO of ARC Telecoms, commented: “Andrew's involvement in ARC will make an enormous difference in our growth plans - we now have a very experienced executive to help ensure that the relationships we forge with other providers will benefit ARC's customers over the long-term. He also brings a 'big picture' understanding to ensure we pursue the right long-term strategies, as well as giving a new telecoms entrant like ARC more credibility in the market.”

Springate was born in Johannesburg but raised in Durban, where he was a gifted athlete, playing under-20 rugby for Natal. His professional career started at Shave & Gibson Carton and Print, where he rose quickly to run the regional office in Johannesburg, then assisted in the acquisition of Africard. Springate took over the running of the company, helping quickly build it from a non-financial card manufacturing business to a fully certified VISA and Mastercard card manufacturing plant.

Springate then moved to Australia as Managing Director at Infopage, a telecoms company based in Perth, where he was responsible for the eventual sale of the business to Link Telecommunications.

He returned to SA in 1995 as CEO of the Cellular Division of Radiospoor Group. The company later listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Springate was made Chief Operating Officer of the group, responsible for all seven divisions.

Radiospoor was sold and delisted, and the shareholders bought a mobile payments business, PAYM8. Springate acquired equity in the business and was appointed CEO, a position he still holds.