Incoming WASPA Chair Motivated to Make “Positive Contribution to Local Telecoms Industry”

Newly-installed chair of South Africa’s Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association (WASPA), Anthony Ekerold, says he is highly-motivated to make a positive contribution to the local telecommunications industry. A partner at BDE Attorneys, Mr Ekerold is clearly the right person for the moment as South Africa rides a wave of optimism following the recent inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the country gears for growth.

Mr Ekerold’s stated commitment to fairness will serve WASPA and South Africa’s mobile consumers well as the country continues down the road of further telecommunications industry liberalisation. His legal training and previous experience as in-house legal counsel for a mobile industry market leader will continue to prove invaluable as WASPA refines, updates and implements the Code of Conduct according to which all 400-plus members must adhere.

Mr Ekerold was elected chair of South Africa’s self-regulating mobile content and applications industry association at last week’s WASPA AGM (Annual General Meeting) in Randburg, Johannesburg. He will work closely with previous WASPA chair and current deputy chair, James McNab, during his twelve-month tenure. Mr McNab’s extensive regulatory experience that proved so invaluable to WASPA during his time as Chair will now be brought to bear in other markets as he takes up advisory positions with several overseas regulators. He will also concentrate on his local business expansion.

Mr Ekerold, as a practicing attorney, is not currently affiliated to any WASP (wireless application service provider). He is a former WASPA Deputy Chair and a longtime WASPA Management Committee (Mancom) member.

Aside from Mr Ekerold and Mr McNab, the other WASPA Mancom members elected last week and their respective portfolios are as follows: Greg Brophy (Treasurer), Lianda Holleman (Code of Conduct), Tanya Howard-Thelander (Lobbying: Networks), Janene Matsukis (Lobbying: Regulatory), Riccardo Vallaro (Lobbying: Commercial) and James McNab (Membership, Communications & PR).

Material changes to the 2018/2019 Mancom structure include the merging of the Membership, Communications & PR portfolios and the splitting of the Lobbying portfolio into three sectors to better cover industry sectors important to WASPA.

A non-profit organisation, WASPA was founded on 26 August 2004 with the full support of the three SA mobile network operators (MNOs): Cell C, MTN and Vodacom. WASPA has a detailed Code of Conduct which all members must adhere to and a well-established formal complaints process that is central to responsible self-regulation.

Please see www.waspa.org.za for further information.