Paratus co-founders unpack the company’s 20 years of success

What's Next with Aki Anastasiou

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Barney Harmse, Rolf Mendelsohn, and Schalk Erasmus – the three co-founders of Paratus – reflect on the company’s 20 years of success in the telecommunications industry. Barney Harmse is the Executive Chairman of the Paratus Group and has guided the company to become a major telecommunications player with a substantial footprint in Africa. He also boasts a unique skill for spotting talent, which has allowed Paratus to grow rapidly. Rolf Mendelsohn is the Chief Technical Officer of the Paratus Group and has also served as the CEO of Paratus Angola (formerly ITA) for the last seven years. He plays an instrumental role in ensuring the company’s infrastructure is comprehensive and effective, with the latest example of his efforts being a deal struck in the DRC to activate hundreds of kilometres of fibre. Schalk Erasmus is the Group CEO of Paratus and works closely with Harmse to implement the company’s vision for changing Africa’s connectivity landscape through exceptional digital infrastructure and customer service. He has led several of Paratus’ most recent projects, including landing the Equiano subsea cable in Namibia and launching the newest Paratus data centres in Windhoek. In this What’s Next interview, Harmse and Mendelsohn discuss how Paratus was founded in Angola in 2003. Erasmus then unpacks the company’s key achievements over the past 20 years, as well as its current projects — which he believes will double their revenue in the next five years. Harmse also highlights what sets Paratus apart from the competition and how the company is working to transform Africa through affordable, reliable connectivity solutions. Mendelsohn then explains why Paratus has entered the data centre market, before the three co-founders conclude by outlining their vision for Paratus in the next 20 years.