Unitel: Sonangol has Isabel dos Santos' back against the wall

摘要

Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos,daughter of former president Jose Eduardodos Santos, has a battle that could prove tobe a fatal blow in her fight with the stateownedoil firm Sonangol. As Africa EnergyIntelligence announced ( AEI 836), theMarch 19 general meeting of telecommunicationsoperator Unitel, of which the businesswomanand the public firm each own25%, made sweeping changes to the companyboard in a move that ousted chiefexecutive and Dos Santos’ long-term righthandman Tony Dolton. According to oursources, Sonangol, which has allied withanother 25% shareholder, Brazilian telecomgiant Oi, is more than happy with his replacement,Portuguese national Miguel Geraldes. While Dos Santos was able to keep her seaton Unitel’s board for another mandate, thenew balance of power is likely to affect herability to renew her chairmanship when thenew team meets up for the first time on May6. Other than Geraldes, the board nowincludes Joao Boa F. Quipipa, who servedas chairman of Sonangol’s tax council in 2013and was briefly secretary of state for thetreasury in 2016. Dos Santos had snubbeda proposal for Quipipa to become an executiveboard member in late 2018. She mayhowever still be able to count on supportfrom fellow board member Amilcar Safeca,whose brother Aristides Safeca was thesecretary of state for telecommunicationsduring her father’s tenure.