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Tumi Chamayou, Chief Enterprise Business Officer: MTN Business South Africa

“My affinity is in my appreciation for its opposite: the profound simplicity of the rural setting where I spent my formative years in Limpopo, where I developed a deep respect for the perspectives of communities that remain in contact with their roots. These societies offer grounded wisdom that our increasingly disconnected, modern world desperately needs.

“Technology is the only bridge capable of closing the gap between where a person is born and where they can go. In a rural setting, a lack of connectivity is a barrier to the world. If we don’t connect the voices missing from our accelerating digital dialogue, we lose their unique perspectives. Modern tech and ancient wisdom can crosspollinate to create a more collective future.

“I believe connectivity is a human right. At MTN, I’ve found a platform that matches my mission and vision that all voices are preserved and heard. I am thrilled to make my own contribution to MTN’s story. I feel like I am helping build a legacy that will pass on to the next generation. I am acutely aware of and driven by the velocity of change, the need for relevance and that we no longer have the luxury of slow adoption.

“Companies and leaders who will survive this digital era are those willing to unlearn, let go, and relearn new ways to stay relevant.

“My primary motivator is moving South African businesses from being digital tenants – renting foreign systems—to being sovereign architects of their own futures. My drive for distinction and self-reliance is the same pulse that guides my professional and private life.

“My leadership philosophy can be summed up as `serve with clarity, lead with empathy, and execute with excellence’. In my professional life, this translates to making data-driven decisions while empowering my teams to innovate. I believe in upholding a culture of accountability instead of pointing the finger at why we can’t do things or blaming legacy – a culture where people feel they have agency to feel safe to take risks but are clear on the mission. Whether I am with my family or my colleagues, I prioritise being fully present. In an age of digital distraction, the greatest skill is the ability to truly listen and sense the needs of those around you.

“A particularly meaningful highlight for me is witnessing the trajectory of the people I have managed and mentored, seeing a team member step confidently into a high-level leadership role, knowing I played a part. I mentor and develop high potential women by focusing on the three pillars: exposure, edge and ownership.

“Another highlight is the work we are doing to develop customer-centric solutions that are lifelines for South African enterprises, using the wealth of MTN and our partners’ solutions. Building a solution that helps a local business stay resilient during economic volatility means supporting our country’s backbone.”

Chamayou’s advice to women is to realise that the tech industry doesn’t just need your skills—it needs your perspective.

“Learn how a tool works and why it was built. Technical proficiency is your baseline, but your value comes from your ability to sense where the market is going and translate complex tech into human impact. Seek out the hardest problems. High-pressure environments are where your leadership is truly refined. Build a collective shield – a circle of mentors and peers who will challenge you and protect your vision. The ladder to success in 2026 is about authoring. Don’t just follow the path—build the bridge.”

She says the vibration right now is all about agentic intelligence and converged IoT. “Our clients are no longer asking for more data—they are overwhelmed by data. “They are demanding actionable intelligence. My division takes particular pride in enabling real transformation for our clients – digitising operations, enhancing resilience and uncovering new growth avenues.”

Asked what the UN 2026 International Woman’s Day theme: ‘Rights, justice, action” mean to her, Chamayou says it’s a call to move from symbolism to sovereignty. “Rights mean more than a seat at the table; but the right to co-author the systems that govern our lives. Justice is about correcting the model bias in technology that often overlooks the female perspective. Action is the most critical: it’s about moving beyond rhetoric. At MTN, we build pipelines for our female leaders to have the visibility and the authority to drive the company and our nation forward.”

www.mtnbusiness.co.za