IDC Announces 16th Annual South Africa CIO Summit

IDC South Africa chief information officer (CIO) Summit is all set to be held on May 7, where Africa's tech leaders will gather in Johannesburg's Focus Rooms to discuss artificial intelligence and provide valuable insights, foster innovation and encourage collaboration among attendees.

Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC's group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa said, "With AI poised to permeate every facet of business and life, CIOs must prepare for an 'AI Everywhere' future," as per official website.

He added, "IDC forecasts AI-centric spending to exceed $300 billion globally by 2026, underscoring the urgency for AI readiness. Presenting actionable insights and best practices for driving sustained success, the IDC South Africa CIO Summit 2024 offers a unique opportunity for technology leaders to explore the strategic implications of AI in today's digital landscape."

Since the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of problems, African CIOs are using technology to help their companies become stronger as AI became important in this process. The IDC South Africa CIO Summit 2024 will focus on how AI, especially generative AI (GenAI), can change industries, economies and societies for the better.

IDC South Africa CIO Summit will be held under the theme of "The Future of IT: Rethinking Digitalization for an AI Everywhere World," where a host of expert speakers will discuss strategies for creating data-centric platforms, embracing cloud governance, redefining security and nurturing digital talent.

Many well-known experts from the industry will provide useful advice on how to handle the evolving responsibilities, expectations, and ways of working for IT organizations.

Experts include CIOs of FNB South Africa Jaco Coetzee, Tiger Brands CIO Mohammed Gause, Engen Petroleum CIO Aveena Mothilall and Chief Cybersecurity Officer of Sasol Ishaaq Jacobs.

Chief Advisor IT Architect of Eskom Holdings Thabo Mashegoane, Group Head of IT and Network Operations of Johannesburg John Arends and CIO of Spur Corporations Paul Casarin will also attend the event.

The summit will be held a few weeks ahead of general elections in the country, slated for May 29.