Mrs. Irene Charnley, is a South African business woman, Non-executive Director of MTN (one of Africa's leading telecommunications players), Non-Executive Director: FirstRand Bank; Director: Johnnic Communications.

She founded Smile Telecoms Holdings Limited in 2007 and currently serves as its Chief Executive Officer. She served as Commercial Director of Strategic Investments of MTN Group Ltd., since August 1, 2001 and an Executive Director from August 1, 2001 to June 13, 2006.

She is a social entrepreneur and was instrumental in transforming MTN into one of the most respected telecommunications operators in the EMEA region. She boasts of a wealth of strategic, business development and operational experience in the telecommunications arena.

Mrs. Charnley was also pivotal to obtaining one of three cellular licenses in Nigeria. Charnley started out as a negotiator for South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers where she spent over a decade co-ordinating various divisions of union operations.

She went on to become an executive director for the MTN Group, which is Africa's largest telecommunications company. Under her leadership several African and Middle Eastern countries (including Nigeria and Iran) were connected into the MTN network. She has an estimated net worth of R1.5 billion.