Appointment: 25 September 2019
Appointed Group Executive Chairman: August 2022
Barney Harmse is the Group Executive Chairman of Paratus Group, a pioneering force in African connectivity and digital transformation. A Namibian national, Barney has over three decades of experience in ICT and telecoms, having co-founded and led several major ventures that shaped the region’s telecommunications landscape.
Beginning his career as a programmer in Namibia’s public sector, Barney later discovered his passion for WAN networking while working at BCS Computers. He was instrumental in establishing commercial internet in Namibia and co-founded UUNET Internet Africa (now MTN) in 1996, serving as its Managing Director for seven years.
Over the past 20 years, Barney has co-founded and scaled telecommunications companies across Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa. These ventures were consolidated into the Paratus Group, which now operates in more than 16 African countries. Under his leadership, Paratus has become a pan-African network provider delivering advanced infrastructure, fiber, satellite and connectivity solutions.
Achievements & Highlights:
