IT Personality, Visionary CIO shortlist revealed

The public is invited to vote for their star candidates for the 2014 IT Personality and Visionary CIO awards.

The search for the IT Personality and Visionary CIO of 2014 has reached the second round. Top 10 candidates for both categories have been selected from dozens of nominations received from the IT community, ITWeb readers and the public.

A judging panel selects each of the top 10, all of whom have made notable contributions to their organisations and SA’s ICT sector.

Top 10: IT Personality

Here’s the 2104 IT Personality shortlist, in alphabetical order:

1. Abraham Thomas
Country GM, IBM SA

2. Alison Gillwald
Executive director, Research ICT Africa

3. Ahmed Ismael
Director, Siyafunda Community Technology Centre

4. Bertie Buitendag
Computer science lecturer, Tshwane University of Technology

5. Bevan Ducasse
CEO, WiGroup

6. Charles Pritchard
Founder and CEO, Entelect

7. Denis Smit
MD, BMI-TechKnowledge

8. Gian Visser
CEO, Afrihost

9. Jarred Cinman
MD, Native, chairman of IAB

10. JJ Milner
Founder and MD, Global Micro Solutions

The IT Personality of the Year Award is presented by The Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA, formerly CSSA), in association with ITWeb, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and Gartner Africa, and is now in its 36th year.

Past winners include IT industry notables Alan Knott-Craig, Andile Ngcaba, Aleta Ling, Mark Shuttleworth, Ivan Epstein, Mardia van der Walt Korsten, Asher Bohbot and Rob Stokes. Last year, Mteto Nyati, then Microsoft SA MD, and Barry Dwolatzky, director of the Joburg Centre for Software Engineering, shared the title.

Top 10: Visionary CIO

Here’s the 2104 Visionary CIO shortlist, in alphabetical order:

1. Brendan Haskins
CIO, Cloud On Demand

2. Danny Naidoo
CIO, Woolworths

3. Darryl Thwaits
Group CIO, Tiger Brands

4. Jacques Barkhuizen
CIO, Deloitte

5. Libisi Maphanga
CIO, Independent Electoral Commission

6. Michael Greer
Group CIO, Chubb

7. Robert Boccia
CIO, Lion of Africa

8. Sandra Hutchison
CIO, Aon Corporation SA

9. Tim Brown
CIO, Stanlib

10. Tshifhiwa Ramuthaga
CIO, Financial Services Board

Now in its seventh year, the Visionary CIO Award recognises an executive who has demonstrated visionary leadership in using technology to support and drive their companies to be more innovative and strategic. Past winners include Rabelani Dagada, Carl Louw, Patrick Monyeki, Sandi Macfie, and in 2012, Sello Mmakau, CIO of Home Affairs. In 2013, Sal Laher, CIO of Eskom, won this prestigious award.

We need your vote!

The next stage in the process is the selection of the top five finalists in each category, taking into account the results of public voting. 

Each member of the public is allowed to vote only once in each of the two categories.

Click here for criteria to consider and cast your vote by 21 September.