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What do you think is the current hot technology talking point ?
Most businesses will be looking to ‘ survive to thrive ’ in a highly constrained economy , with COVID-19 still very much dominating the landscape . This will place increasing emphasis on cost reductions and cost optimisation – and leaders will be looking to technology as an enabler to drive tangible cost reduction . I believe the other major theme for this year will be ‘ hyper automation ’ – and the ability to use automation to become more cost effective and efficient in delivering services . This is a theme that every leader should be taking seriously and looking to investigate this year .
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office ?
My son and I are avid golfers , and I play competitively at a club level ( which regularly takes me out of the work zone ). From a spiritual perspective , my faith and Christianity keep me centred and balanced . I believe that we all need to find something that ’ s bigger than ourselves and which gives us an external source of energy and strength to see us through the difficult times .
If you could go back and change one career decision what would it be ?
I did have the opportunity to work abroad , but at the time I thought it would be too difficult to relocate with my family . Looking back , I would have loved to work in a different territory and bring that experience back to South Africa .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
We need to invest in the development of skills and expertise , and enable people to become productive far more quickly . As mentioned earlier , hyper automation should also be in focus , using automation to bring simplicity into the overly complex landscape of enterprise IT . Simplicity will be the secret sauce !
There ’ s no substitute for experience – and it ’ s critical that you put yourself out there and into situations in which you will be challenged and stretched .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Africa ?
In South Africa and indeed across the region , leaders are looking for two things : cost effectiveness and the ability to deliver high quality solutions remotely . A major question is , ‘ how do you enable that strong customer partnership component to deliver solutions according to spec , in a remote working environment ?’ This is going to require that we really understand and hear the voice of the customer to deliver according to expectations . Service providers and teams which can master this and remain in tune when working remotely will have a major competitive advantage in the years to come .
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 ?
I ’ ve had to find and adopt various different channels to communicate with colleagues and stakeholders , and within this , I ’ ve had to find new ways of communicating purpose and keeping people engaged while working remotely . In addition , I ’ ve had to become a lot more technical ( and impactful ) in discussions with clients and potential customers . Meetings have been shortened and there is a far smaller window of time in order to make your point and demonstrate value .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
Firstly , there ’ s no substitute for experience – and it ’ s critical that you put yourself out there and into situations in which you will be challenged and stretched . Then , resilience is key and if you lack resilience , the C-suite is not for you . Leadership requires that you bounce back from challenges very quickly and know how to keep yourself motivated ( and at peace ) amidst hardship . I am also a firm believer in life-long learning and setting weekly challenges that expand your knowledge and skills ( both in your sector and in other areas ). The generalist will rule and successful professionals will need to have a certain depth and diversity of knowledge in the years to come .
Finally , this is really the time to demonstrate and embody courage . Any form of tentativeness will kill us ! We have to take strategic risks and move boldly in order to get out of this current malaise – whether it be venturing into new markets , mastering a new skill or driving the innovation agenda . Courage will be paramount to success ! p
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