Bio
Romeo Kumalo is a South African entrepreneur, telecommunications expert, media personality and commercial strategist.
He is also the CEO and major shareholder of Washirika (Pty) Limited - a pan African investment holdings and private equity company with investments in the communication, construction, clean energy and ICT sectors.
Romeo, who holds a Masters Degree in Commerce as well as executive management certificates from WITS, INSEAD and Harvard Business School, has worked, lived and travelled extensively over the continent.
In South Africa, his experience in the information, communication and telecoms industries includes his appointment to the Board of Vodacom South Africa as Executive Commercial Director in 2007. He was also a member of the Vodacom Group Executive Committee until 2015.
He was the General Manager of Metro FM from 1997-2000, after which he took up a post as General Manager of SABC TV, a position he held for four years, until 2004.
Romeo married former Miss South Africa, Basetsana Makgalemele, on 9 December 2000, after dating her for three years.
In October 2016 he joined the M-Net reality series Shark Tank South Africa as one of the five "Sharks", in which entrepreneurs go up in front of a panel of investors who are willing to invest their own money and time in potentially lucrative business ideas.