Strive Masiyiwa

Strive Masiyiwa, the Zimbabwean billionaire businessman and philanthropist, has had a remarkable journey that spans continents and industries. Born in Zimbabwe in 1961, Masiyiwa's family left the country during Ian Smith's government's declaration of independence from the UK. He completed his education in Zambia and Scotland, earning a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wales in 1983.

Masiyiwa's global influence is reflected in his various international appointments and board memberships, including notable organizations such as Unilever, Netflix, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Bank of America. He has also served on several UN Advisory Panels and is the only African member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Committee on Conscience.

Throughout his career, Masiyiwa has received leadership and international accolades, being named one of the 25 Leaders of Africa's Renaissance by The Times of London in 2011 and one of the 50 most influential business leaders in the world by Fortune Magazine in 2014. He has been recognized for his philanthropic efforts, mobilizing resources for Africa's response to the Ebola outbreak and receiving awards such as the Freedom Award by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in 2015 and the Norman E. Borlaug World Food Prize Medallion in 2019.

Masiyiwa has built a successful business empire, initially starting with an electrical engineering business in Zimbabwe and later diversifying into telecoms. He has established various businesses across Africa and is the founder of Econet Global, a privately held international technology group with operations in over 20 countries. He has also been involved in numerous philanthropic and humanitarian initiatives, including supporting education for orphans in Africa and co-chairing campaigns against infectious diseases.

On a personal front, Masiyiwa is married to Tsitsi and has six children. He resides in London, England, and owns two adjacent apartments atop the Eldorado Tower in New York City. In 2022, he became the first black billionaire on the Sunday Times Rich List with a net worth of £1.6 billion.