Agenda

Agenda

CSO Conference is where you see what success looks like and learn from the best. Check back soon for 2025!

Agenda

IDC South Africa CIO Summit 2025

One day event

8:00 am

Registration & Networking Kickstart Connections, Unlock Opportunities!

9:15 am

Welcome Address: Powering Up the Event: A Warm Welcome to the Future of IT

Mark Walker

Mark Walker

Vice President, Data & Analytics (META), IDC

9:25 am

Advisory Council Felicitation

Keynote
One day event
9:40 am

IDC Keynote: The AI Moment: Strategies for CIOs in South Africa

AI, predicted to have a $19.9 trillion impact on the global economy by 2030, is reshaping economic landscapes, creating new revenue streams, and redefining competitive advantages. This session will provide unique insights and analysis drawn from IDC’s extensive study of CIOs and key decision-makers across South Africa. It will provide a deeper understanding of current and planned AI strategies and use case road maps, covering key topics such as AI-ready data, unified governance, fit-for-purpose and scalable infrastructure, and AI talent.

Jonathan Tullett | IDC

Associate Research Director, IT Services Sub-Saharan Africa

Read Bio
10:10 am

Unleashing Efficiency: The Synergistic Relationship Between AI and Low-Code Process Automation

The power and promise of AI have led many government and business leaders to adopt an “AI Everywhere” mindset. The successful implementation of AI across South Africa necessitates a robust foundation of automated processes. AI and low-code process automation have a synergistic relationship, enabling and enhancing the other. Participants will explore how low-code automation enhances operational capabilities and provides the necessary data, consistency, and scalability for AI to thrive. This will enable to fully realize the potential of AI-driven innovation.

Ask Questions, Rate the Session & Stand a Chance to Win a Nespresso Machine

Nadim Touma

Nadim Touma

Regional Sales Director – Growth Markets, Nintex

10:30 am

Accelerate AI Innovation with the AI Factory

Ask Questions, Rate the Session & Stand a Chance to Win a Nespresso Machine

Danie Robberts

Danie Robberts

Senior Solutions Principle, Dell Technologies Services

10:45 am

Tea / Coffee & Networking Break

11:25 am

Panel Discussion: Delivering Superior Customer Experiences Through AI

Advances in AI are now powering the next level of customer experiences, including hyper-personalization, deep insights, automated customer interactions at scale, and augmented customer services. This session will discuss the latest CX strategies and how AI and data can enable these strategies to provide organizations with a competitive advantage.

Mark Walker

Mark Walker

Vice President, Data & Analytics (META), IDC

Jaco Coetzee

Jaco Coetzee

CIO, FNB Cash Investments

Luyanda Ntuane

Luyanda Ntuane

Group Chief Information Security Officer, Motus Holdings

12:05 pm

Entertainment

12:10 pm

Summit Tracks (Parallel Sessions)

Summit Track A: The AI Revolution: Navigating the Cyber Landscape in the Modern Era

12:10 – 12:15 > Session Overview
Jaco Coetzee

12:15 – 12:30 > Understanding the Impact of AI on Identity Security
AI is everywhere right now – and it’s changing the way we work and solve problems. But while it brings exciting opportunities, it also opens the door to new risks. Cybercriminals are now using AI to make their attacks smarter, faster, and harder to detect. By training AI systems on malware and other malicious tools, they are taking cyberthreats to a whole new level.

Join Brendon Meyer, Senior Solutions Engineer at BeyondTrust, as he walks you through how AI is impacting Identity Security. He will break down how our digital identities and privileges are being targeted in new ways, and how BeyondTrust uses its Modern PAM strategy to help keep organizations safe from evolving AI-driven threats.
Brendon Meyer

12:30 – 12:35 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple HomePod Mini

12:35 – 12:50 > AI Powered Data Resilience
WeExplore how AI is transforming data resilience into a strategic advantage for business agility and security. This session highlights Veeam’s latest innovations, including AI-enabled admin assist, intelligent threat detection, automated recovery, and the Model Context Protocol. Learn how Veeam Guardian and seamless ecosystem integration deliver end-to-end protection across dynamic enterprise environments.
Ian Engelbrecht

12:50 – 12:55 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple HomePod Mini

Summit Track B: AI + Automation: The Dynamic Duo Driving Smarter Business Productivity

12:10 – 12:15 > Session overview
Devi Moodley

12:15 – 12:30 > The Future of AI-Powered Automation
AI provides the intelligence and cognitive capabilities required for automation systems to understand, learn, and make decisions. Automation performs tasks and processes based on insights and decisions provided by AI. This session will show how, together, they can streamline operations and improve efficiencies so businesses can boost productivity and enhance experiences.
Raphael de Souza

12:30 – 12:35 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple HomePod Mini

12:35 – 12:50 > How to use Generative AI to discover, analyze and respond faster to threats
What is step one for protecting cloud environments? A sea of native tools, traditional Vulnerability Management or a collection of acronyms and buzz words?

In this session learn how to improve your cloud security quickly and simply by understanding security findings in context — workloads, infrastructure, identities, network, sensitive data — and then prioritizing risks that matter most by aligning to business priorities in a Cyber Exposure Management platform. Join this session to see how a unified platform empowers stakeholders to drive risk prioritization and remediation across complex cloud and hybrid environments.
Nick Black

12:50 – 12:55 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple HomePod Mini

12:55 pm

Fuel Up & Connect: Lunchtime Networking for Big Ideas

1:45 pm

Platinum Tracks (Parallel Sessions)

Platinum Track A: Workplace Security: Enhancing Collaboration in The Age of AI

13:45 – 13:50 > Session Overview
Kevin Wilson

13:50 – 13:55 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session & stand a chance to win an Apple iPhone 16

13:55 – 14:05 > Securing AI Deployments with Resilient Platforms
How the right infrastructure solutions can help build trusted, secure and resilient AI and application modernization platforms that future proof the business in the AI and digital revolution, incorporating thinking that includes both on-premise and hybrid cloud architectures.
Morgan Malyon

14:05 – 14:10 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session & stand a chance to win an Apple iPhone 16

14:10 – 14:20 > The Evolving Workplace – Creating Spaces that Drive Engagement and Culture
As organizations adapt to hybrid work models, the challenge lies in designing workplaces that foster engagement, align teams, and reinforce culture. This session explores how workplace strategy leaders and IT teams can reimagine physical spaces as purposeful collaboration hubs to enhance team alignment and employee experience. Meeting analytics, user behavior insights, and adaptive room setups are key elements to make sure technology can help build people-first environments that drive measurable business impact. We’ll examine how Barco’s ClickShare solution addresses key user challenges, ensuring frictionless communication, platform interoperability, and inclusive experiences across remote and in-office teams.
Ekta Puthran

14:20 – 14:25 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session & stand a chance to win an Apple iPhone 16

14:25 – 14:30 > Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

Platinum Track B: AI-Driven Platform: Turning Regulatory Challenges into Strategic Advantages

13:45 – 13:50 > Session Overview
Efa Nkgabutle

13:50 – 13:55 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session & stand a chance to win an Apple iPhone 16

13:55 – 14:05 > Redesigning Perimeter Security: Implementing Zero Trust Architecture
Rik Vietsch

14:05 – 14:10 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session & stand a chance to win an Apple iPhone 16

14:10 – 14:20 > AI Powered Compliance
Daniel Acton

14:20 – 14:25 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session & stand a chance to win an Apple iPhone 16

14:25 – 14:30 > Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

2:35 pm

Technology Focus Group Tracks (Parallel Sessions)

Technology Focus Group Track A: AI & Data: Technology Convergence to Achieve Operational Excellence

14:35 – 14:40 > Session Overview
Eugene Moodley

14:40 – 14:50 > From Data Analytics to Enterprise AI
The most innovative manufacturing companies are applying Industrial Internet of Things concepts and technology to transform product development, supply chains, and manufacturing operations. Over 200 of the leading manufacturers around the globe, including the top 10 auto manufacturers, rely on Cloudera’s data platform to run their operations. Learn how connecting smart products, engineering, the factory floor, and customer experience enable you to speed time to market, improve product quality, and scale your business while holding the line on costs.
Tshepo Leballo

14:50 – 14:55 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple Watch Series 10

14:55 – 15:05 > Leveraging AI for Real-Time IT Financial Intelligence
This session explores how IT financial management is being transformed with the power of AI. As IT spend becomes more dynamic and complex, financial leaders need more than just reports — they need real-time intelligence. This session showcases how generative AI, automation, and natural language can be combined to deliver actionable insights that align IT investments with business value. Attendees will gain practical insights into how leading enterprises are driving cost efficiency, enhancing governance, and accelerating strategic outcomes through AI-powered financial transparency
Blake Davidson

15:05 – 15:10 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple Watch Series 10

15:10 – 15:20 > Exploring the Importance of Resiliency
Taking breach mentality into consideration and looking at current global statistics on attack surfaces, this session examines how organizations can maintain complete immutability, resilience, and data security across their operations for assured recovery and business continuity.
Lloyd Timcke

15:20 – 15:25 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple Watch Series 10

Technology Focus Group Track B: Securing the Digital Surge amidst a cybercrime storm: Rethinking Cybersecurity Strategies in an Accelerating World

14:35 – 14:40 > Session Overview

14:40 – 14:50 > Software Supply Chain Attack Trends in 2025: Malicious Code, Exposed Secrets, AI, Containers, and More
Modern software development technologies and processes have given rise to a software supply chain rife with vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. To help enterprise development and security teams understand what they are up against, we will dive into some of the fastest growing, and most damaging, types of software supply chain attacks. We will present practical measures that enterprises can take to protect themselves against each of these specific attack vectors, and conclude with a holistic approach that enterprises can take to achieve comprehensive software supply chain security.
Shabir Bhat

14:50 – 14:55 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple Watch Series 10

14:55 – 15:05 > Digital Transformation and Security – Doing More with Less
In this 10-minute presentation, we explore how organizations can drive digital transformation and enhance cybersecurity under the pressure of limited resources both from a financial perspective as well as a skills perspective. The session begins by framing the modern challenge: balancing innovation, agility, and protection while constrained by tighter budgets and leaner teams.

By comparing the IDC ICT management trends from 2024 to 2025 we highlight a clear shift from foundational technologies toward operational resilience, AI integration, and proactive threat management. This evolving landscape calls for smarter investments and more efficient delivery models.

By introducing the People, Process, and Technology framework as a strategic lens to do more with less, we investigate the importance of reskilling teams, streamlining operations through automation and agile practices, and adopting technologies like zero trust and AI to enhance both performance and protection. This will lead to a Unified ICT Management solution with Service Management as the foundation.

Security needs to be developed and seen as a value driver, not just a cost center. Through strategies like continuous threat exposure management and security automation we will enable organizations to maintain strong defenses without expanding their footprint.

We conclude with the ManageEngine Value proposition of Integration and Automation of ICT Management solution that creates efficiencies leading to doing more with less and achieving the objectives of Digital Transformation and Security.
Alan de Waal-Smit

15:05 – 15:10 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple Watch Series 10

15:10 – 15:20 > The Hidden Crisis: What CIOs Must Know About AI, Data Leaks, and the Race for Relevance
In an era defined by rapid digital acceleration, CIOs face a silent but urgent crisis. Employees that are turning to free online AI tools to boost productivity are unknowingly putting sensitive enterprise data —and their company’s competitive edge — at serious risk. Data leaks, intellectual property exposure, and compliance breaches are already making headlines, with major companies paying the price.

However, there is another threat just as dangerous: the opportunity cost of standing still.

`This talk confronts the uncomfortable truth about how much value organizations are losing by delaying the adoption of enterprise-grade generative AI, intelligent agents, and agentic tools. Through real-world examples from leaders like EY, IBM, Salesforce, and ServiceNow, this session explores how these companies are not just adopting AI but also transforming their workforce, enhancing productivity, and future proofing their operations. Participants will want the list of use cases at the end of this talk to speed up their journeys.
Ethel Heine

15:20 – 15:25 > Ask Questions, Rate the Sessions, Stay until the end of the track session to qualify for an Apple Watch Series 10

3:25 pm

For The CIO- By The CIO Tracks (Parallel Sessions)

Track A: IT Teams for the AI Future: Attracting, Retaining, and Upskilling Talent

Track B: Driving Innovation While Safeguarding Against Spiraling Costs: Smarter IT Spending

3:55 pm

Partner & Speakers Felicitation

4:05 pm

Mega Raffle iPhone 16

4:10 pm

Cocktails & Networking

4:50 pm

Close of Summit

Stay tuned for exciting news!

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Dui egestas in senectus suspendisse enim.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur.