Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 25 | Page 71

GET TO KNOW... On the lighter side of things, we ask the industry experts what makes them tick. . . . Rufus Andrew, Business Development Director, Africa at Corning International What would you describe as your most memorable achievement? Seeing the colleagues in the industry that I have mentored from a junior level rise all the way to C-level positions. I find this very rewarding and a meaningful process of adding value on the human side of the business. What first made you think of a career in technology? I had a few choices of what to study and eventually decided on electronic engineering because I was very interested in the field and wanted to explore the role that technology plays in the artistic and entertainment side of media. I was very fortunate to have landed my first job with a broadcaster. That is how it all started. And at a certain point of my career I felt that the impact of my work would be bigger if I dedicated my knowledge and abilities to the side of the business related to life changing technologies and innovation. I made a transition, and this become my work path that lead me to Corning, where I fully experienced the potential and impact of the business to improve the way we live. What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position? Being with a multi-national and operating within a global matrix organisation, I must be extremely cognisant, tolerant of www.intelligentcio.com diversity, flexible and result driven. Focusing on building and managing relationships with the individuals you work with are key to getting results. I am fortunate that this is very much a part of the global corporate culture of my current organisation. What do you think is the current hot technology talking point? and technology is a key element of it. We don’t just work with physical infrastructure, but also a virtual one that comes with its own requirements and needs. Companies like Corning are enabling us to enter that vestural, digital age, with all its opportunities – a smart connectivity and the transformation of the economy. And all these trends come together to change the way we plan and do business and even I have to say ‘Big Data’, which encompasses many different hot topics such as IoT, Artificial Intelligence, 5G, and Augmented Reality. Today, we are dealing with a completely different business environment “ FOCUSING ON BUILDING AND MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE INDIVIDUALS YOU WORK WITH ARE KEY TO GETTING RESULTS. INTELLIGENTCIO 71