WE HAVE FOUND TWO MAJOR CHALLENGES SPECIFIC TO THE AFRICAN MARKET ; THE THIN COMMERCIAL MARKET AND THE WAY IN WHICH RETAILERS MANAGE CREDIT .
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The credit system in South Africa also works differently from other markets . Shoppers look to receive credit from the retailer , as opposed to going to the banks . This is a very different offering in the product space , from a retail perspective . This is a huge component that needs to be considered for retailers moving into the region .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
I believe there are two main areas of investment in the IT industry in South Africa – skills development and offshoring . South Africa has a severe shortage of software developer skills .
As a result , businesses are wrestling to employ the best in the industry . This has resulted in an unrealistic spike in salaries , which is unsustainable and will ultimately drive investment elsewhere .
South African companies have noticed this trend and have started to help develop skills locally . This is the sort of investment that is not seen as a definitive return on investment , but rather as a contribution to the betterment of society .
There is a strong financial incentive linked to offshoring for European based companies into countries like South Africa . Our time zones , work ethic , weak rand and availability of English speaking skilled individuals makes South Africa a premier destination for offshoring .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Africa ?
We have found two major challenges specific to the African market ; the thin commercial market and the way in which retailers manage credit . African countries have a niche retail market as they are more focused on growing their infrastructure , telecommunications and mining industries . As a result , retailers tend not to prioritise custom software development and instead look to build new technologies on top of their current systems .
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WE HAVE FOUND TWO MAJOR CHALLENGES SPECIFIC TO THE AFRICAN MARKET ; THE THIN COMMERCIAL MARKET AND THE WAY IN WHICH RETAILERS MANAGE CREDIT .
In the last year , I have focused quite strongly on the redPanda Software culture . Building good ICT solutions requires dedicated , hard-working people and to do this our leadership team have worked on creating an environment for employees who share the same values and company ethos .
Our staff need to be inspired and challenged to become the best versions of themselves and our role is to enable that through our Way to Grow initiative .
Our international expansion into the United Kingdom , which became a reality earlier this year with the official opening of our new office in Coventry , was a significant priority for me and I ' ve spent a large portion of my year developing the best model customised for the UK market .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain C-level position in your industry ?
I believe that it is not a process that can or should be rushed . You need to give yourself enough time and space to think . It ’ s about continuous growth and discipline , paired with time and experience .
Through time , you can become an expert in your respective field . Being known as the ‘ go-to ’ guy helps to build confidence and it is with this knowledge that you can form a strong opinion that could improve or change the industry .
From here you are best prepared to lead the company that personifies this improvement or change . •
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