Kershnee Ballack, Old Mutual

The CIO will often be called upon to articulate the business value of IT, and this can be an uncomfortable conversation, for a couple of reasons. First, IT’s impact on the business can be hard to measure, and it’s also a challenge to communicate IT’s relevance to business leaders. The blame can probably be laid at both the doors of business and IT. The CIO, of course, is expected to deliver what the business wants, but business can’t articulate its needs, and is still struggling to digitise its own, often archaic, processes.

The CEO, meanwhile, should own the organisation’s digital strategy, and should look to the CIO as the enabler. As the headwinds buffet business, technology leaders are being asked to deliver cutting-edge technology. The economy has managed to grow by just 0.4% during the first three months of 2023, and South Africa has just missed a recession by the narrowest of margins. As everyone knows, loadshedding has exacted a terrible toll on businesses, especially for those without deep pockets. Brainstorm polled technology professionals in Cape Town and Durban to gauge how they’re faring.