Entersekt, South Africa’s leading provider of mobile-based user and transaction authentication, today announced that it has appointed Elias Badenhorst as vice president, customer projects. Badenhorst most recently served as executive head of mobile engineering project management at Vodacom, South Africa’s largest mobile network operator and a major player in Sub-Saharan Africa with over 60 million customers in South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Badenhorst will take responsibility for Entersekt’s product implementations and all customer interactions associated with the rollouts globally.
Welcoming him to the team, Entersekt’s chief executive officer Schalk Nolte highlighted Badenhorst’s impressive track record: “A man of Elias’ stature is invaluable to a young, dynamic company like Entersekt. We have set ourselves ambitious goals for the next few years, with a special focus on serving the digital security requirements of the fast-evolving emerging market financial services industry. I’m positive that we and, indeed, our growing customer base will benefit enormously from Elias’ insight and experience in getting things done.”
Badenhorst’s three-decade-long career has spanned the gamut of fixed-line and wireless telecommunications in the domestic and other African markets. In his time at Vodacom, he gained extensive experience in managing complex implementations of cutting-edge mobile technology on a large scale. Prior to joining Vodacom in 1995, he spent 14 years at Telkom, South Africa’s largest full-service telecommunications provider. He holds a Master’s diploma in technology from Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa).
“An innovative mobile technology company with a passion for broadening access to secure, convenient financial services? Entersekt feels like a perfect fit,” said Badenhorst about his new role. “Mobile is transforming financial services like nothing that has come before, and Entersekt’s unique mobile push-based authentication products and portfolio of patented technologies are set to unlock even greater things from the channel. I look forward to working with our business development team to boost our responsiveness to customers and demonstrate to prospects the opportunities Entersekt makes possible.”
The new appointment comes as Entersekt opens a satellite office in Sandton, Johannesburg’s financial hub. Set to be occupied from mid-August, The Business Exchange at 150 Rivonia Road is two kilometres north of Nelson Mandela Square and the Sandton Gautrain station, and within walking distance of the headquarters of Entersekt clients Nedbank, Investec, Old Mutual, and Discovery.
“Opening an office in South Africa’s business capital and the country’s most outward-looking city is a natural next step for Entersekt as we ramp up business on the African continent,” said Nolte. “This is the first of several developments we have in the works as we adjust to the growth we are experiencing here and abroad. Watch this space.”
