Armed with his experience as the former chairman of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA), Paris Mashile has taken up chairmanship of Vunani Technology Ventures. He has been appointed CEO of the company's consulting arm, Vunani Electronic Communications.
Mashile has crossed the road from public to private sector, while also literary crossing Katherine Street, in Sandton, as Vunani is situated near ICASA's offices.
Speaking to ITWeb this morning, Mashile confirmed he had been talking to the financial services company shortly before leaving ICASA, and officially took up his position as CEO of Vunani Electronic Communications yesterday.
“I have been in talks with Vunani for some time now and we have identified a synergy between what the company wants to do and achieve, and my background in ICT and the regulatory environment,” explains Mashile.
Vunani is a black-owned and managed diversified financial services company that operates through its financial services and investments services divisions. It was formed through a management buyout from African Harvest in 2004, and was listed on the JSE's AltX exchange in 2007.
In May, ITWeb reported that the group bought a 51% stake in ICT-focused investment firm Jala Group for an undisclosed amount. The merged entity was renamed Vunani Technology Ventures.
In his new role, Mashile will be involved in consultation regarding investment in technology and telecommunications companies, specifically in the convergence of information, telecoms, broadcasting and mobile media.
Converging trends
Mashile believes a paradigm shift in the telecoms industry is geared towards the convergence of once divided technology, which will change the market structure and inevitably the regulations that govern it.
He points to changes in interconnect rates, new generation networks and the move to digital broadcasting, arguing that these will significantly impact competition, bundling and consumer issues within the telecoms space.
Mashile is confident his experience at ICASA will bode well in his consultation with emerging telecommunications companies, as he hopes to prepare these enterprises for upcoming regulatory and technology changes.
Mashile stepped down from his post as chairman of ICASA in July and was succeeded by Dr Stephen Mncube.
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