A
PUBLICATION
Providing Unparalleled Technology Intelligence
ISSUE 29 // www.intelligentcio.com
Making
inroads
Internet of Things is
continuing to make inroads
into South African industries
Transforming
Botswana
Expert discusses the possibilities
for Botswanan firms who are
embracing digital initiatives
Right
tools needed
The integration of healthcare
data remains a crucial
challenge for the industry
EDITOR’S
NOTE
H
ello and welcome to the latest edition
of Intelligent CIO Africa. This month’s
front cover is about a leading
Ethiopian bank that has digitally innovated
its business thanks to the help of VMware.
The Bank of Abyssinia (BOA) needed to scale
and improve both its production and disaster
recovery environments, and be a more
digitally inclusive business, but was inhibited
by exorbitant costs of new equipment and
long delivery cycles.
Established in 1996, BOA is one of the
largest banks in Ethiopia, boasting over one
million customers and more than 5, 825
employees. But its systems were becoming
unstable, so the company identified a need
to update its production data centre as well
as improve its disaster recovery environment.
The Bank of Abyssinia, a leading bank in Ethiopia, has digitally innovated its
business thanks to the help of VMware. The firm needed to scale and improve
both its production and disaster recovery environments.
Intelligent Business
Solutions Partner
Global ICIO
Knowledge Partner
Intelligent Data Security
Partner
Global
Innovation Partner
Intelligent
Supporting Partner
Intelligent
ITSM Partner
Intelligent
Partner
Intelligent Threat
Management Partner
Intelligent Partner
Intelligent Banking
& Finance Partner
Intelligent Education
Partner
beginning to not only know how to extract
data but are now beginning to truly grasp
the power that lies in that data and can now
extend the influence of IoT beyond internal
and into partnerships, service delivery and
customer experience. while you can also read about a strategic
relationship between Bisk Education, a global
leader in digital learning, and CCL Kgolagano
Business School (CCLK), for the delivery of
executive education certificate programmes
to businesses and professionals in Botswana.
Our second feature is about disaster recovery
and how organisations can successfully
manage risk in a digital world. We hear from
Kate Mollett, Regional Manager for Africa
at Veeam, who says the best way to ensure
survival is by being prepared and having
plans in place. To round off the magazine, we learn
what makes Philippe Kubbinga, Regional
Director, Middle East & Africa at Axis
Communications, tick in ‘Get to Know’,
while in ‘Final Word’, Fabio Assolini, Senior
Security Researcher, Global Research and
Analysis Team, Kaspersky Lab, tells us about
the rise in SIM fraud swap and the best ways
to avoid being the next victim.
BOA therefore selected WebSprix/ASA
Trading as its partner in the project and,
working together, identified the flexibility
offered by VMware and its vSAN solution in a
hyperconverged setup that was the right fit. Research conducted by the International
Data Corporation (IDC) revealed that 90%
of CIOs in Africa and the Middle East are
either currently engaged in, or are planning,
some level of Digital Transformation. With
this mind, we asked three industry experts
what tips they would offer organisations
who are looking to undertake Digital
Transformation. You can find out what they
had to say from page 25.
Internet of Things (IoT) continues to
make inroads into South African industries,
ensuring that businesses will always know
where everything is and be able to keep
track of even more data. Kabelo Ngwane,
Customer Success Manager at CRS
Technologies, tells us that companies are Talking about Digital Transformation, this
month’s country focus is Botswana and
the possibilities that are available for the
Botswanan government and firms who
are embracing digital initiatives. Ricardo
Flores, Senior Regional Manager of SADC
Applications at Oracle, gives his thoughts,
www.intelligentcio.com
BANKING ON SUCCESS
As ever, the magazine is packed with
the latest technology news from across
the region, as well as our usual features.
If you would like to contribute towards
future content, please email me at
[email protected]
Paul Rogers
Editor
INTELLIGENTCIO
29