As I sat in the private section of the Royal Dil Restaurant at Acacia Park, eagerly waiting to conduct my first-ever TableTalk, a well-groomed, immaculately dressed gentleman with an easy smile walked through the door. He presented his hand for a firm handshake and confidently uttered the words, “Hello, my name is Hussam.” I was in the presence of Hussam Baday, CEO and Managing Director of Airtel Networks Zambia Plc.

What immediately struck me about Hussam was his polite and self-assured demeanour. It was easy to tell that he had authority but didn’t need to flaunt it. I immediately considered him a high-performance machine, completely at ease smoothly cruising along, all the while ready to accelerate to full throttle as and when needed.

My initial impressions were confirmed as our conversation unfolded. The soft-spoken Hussam possesses a wealth of qualifications and experience, having started his career as a teacher’s assistant before pursuing a BSc in Electronics and Communications Engineering. This was just the beginning, as he went on to earn an MBA from the University of Leicester, a Chartered Institute of Marketing Professional Diploma, a professional certificate in Behavioural Economics from Harvard Business School and completed an Executive Education programme in ‘Leading with Results’ from INSEAD. Clearly, this 46-year-old Sudanese gentleman is far from an “average joe.”

He credits his upbringing with shaping him into the person he is today. His upbringing emphasised modesty, humility, independence, self-discipline, and an inquisitive mind. These values have been the robust chassis upon which Hussam has developed himself over the years.

When asked about his philosophy on life, Hussam replied, “Life is a constant journey of self-discovery which reveals our strengths, weaknesses, passions and values. It takes time and experience to get to know yourself better.

In an ever-evolving world, legacy won’t help you; it is in the past. It is all about adapting, remaining relevant, and staying ahead of the curve.— Hussam Baday,Airtel Zambia, CEO and Managing Director.

After successfully building a career in the telecoms industry with Ericsson and Huawei, Hussam took a leap of faith and transitioned from the technical, engineering side to the commercial aspect of the telecoms business. This career pivot led to his appointment as Chief Marketing Officer at Sudatel Telecom Group (STG). Hussam believes that performance excellence is key to success, believing that one consistently proves themselves to be astute at identifying gaps and providing solutions to close those gaps. Looking at his rich CV, this formula for success is one that he has replicated in each role he has held.

Hands-on experience in all aspects of the telecoms business has made Hussam a well rounded leader with practical knowledge of how the industry works. I was curious about his leadership style, and his response was both well-honed and clearly well-applied. Hussam believes in situational and adaptive leadership tailored to the needs of the organisation and the unique team he is leading. He believes that leadership is dynamic and depends on the commitment and competence mix of those he leads. Where he sees high commitment and low competence, he applies “telling, instructing, coaching and directing with a hands-on approach to demonstrate how to improve their delivery.” He adopts a participatory style with teams that exhibit high commitment and competence. When these teams or individuals show increasing commitment and competence, Hussam employs a delegation style of leadership, trusting the highfliers to act in the organisation’s best interest.

Quoting John Maxwell, the American author and speaker, Hussam defines a leader as one who “knows the way, shows the way, and walks the way.” He emphasised knowing the way as being the organisation’s vision carrier, collaborating with the team in the trenches, and sometimes walking behind the team to assess how they are coping with the pace of vision execution. According to Hussam, a true leader must be an effective communicator to translate vision into executable actions across the entire organisation.

Noting the passion with which Hussam spoke about work, I asked him about the elusive work/life balance, often spoken of in hushed tones by those in authority. I wanted to know what he does in his free time. With a hearty chuckle, Hussam answered, “I go to the gym, and I play football – I am a striker, and I score many goals. I also play a bit of tennis.” When I probed further to find out how he managed to fit all that into his busy schedule, Hussam’s response was short and sweet: “Establish a routine and stick to it.”

A leader is one who knows the way, shows the way, and walks the way.— Hussam Baday,Airtel Zambia, CEO and Managing Director.

Hussam advocates for challenging assumptions. He analyses every situation with a strong “why?” in the back of his mind to get to the gist of the drive and thrust behind each action. He does not merely accept the status quo and “go with the flow.” He believes that this is the fundamental starting point in the creative process.

“We realised a long time ago at Airtel that we need to be customer-obsessed before discussing customer service. We need to be proactive and lessen the need for the customer to call us for problem resolution. This stems from ensuring that the customer value proposition is kept simple and always meets the customers’ specific needs. It’s about facilitating solutions for existing communications problems through better quality networks and high coverage. We need to get closer to the customer. If we can do all this whilst managing our costs, we will have succeeded in giving the customers what they want,” said Hussam, with a determined glint in his eyes.

When asked about the secrets to his success, Hussam cited self-awareness, execution excellence and continuous learning as key ingredients.

As our conversation drew to a close, Hussam left me with a thought-provoking insight: “In an ever-evolving world, legacy won’t help you; it is in the past. It is all about adapting, remaining relevant, and staying ahead of the curve.” These words encapsulate the forward-thinking and dynamic nature of Hussam Baday, a true leader who embodies humility and modesty while driving success and innovation.

Quick Facts about Hussam, Airtel Zambia's CEO:

Analogous in a Digital World: Hussam’s foundation in teaching has made him passionate about learning. He is a self-confessed, voracious reader who prefers the tactile feel of printed books over electronic ones.

Leading from Empathy: Hussam believes empathy is invaluable in leadership; to place yourself in your counterpart’s shoes and analyse why they react or operate the way they do before making decisions.

An Illustrious Career: Hussam began his career as a teaching assistant and has worked in telecoms for over 20 years. He began his journey at Airtel Networks Zambia plc as Marketing Director before being promoted to Chief Commercial Officer and now Managing Director & CEO.

An Avid Sportsman: Hussam unwinds with sports, playing soccer, tennis and spending time in the gym.

Our Host - The Royal Dil:

Nestled in the serene Acacia Business Park, The Royal Dil offers authentic Indian cuisine crafted by expert chefs. The warm, inviting ambiance, attentive service, and private VIP rooms make it perfect for intimate dinners or business luncheons.

The beautifully designed bar and wine area feature a selection of fine wines, spirits, and expertly crafted cocktails. Friendly staff provide personalized recommendations, ensuring a delightful experience. Conveniently located near numerous business offices, The Royal Dil is a culinary gem and a welcoming retreat.