Leading JSE-listed ICT group, Altron, has been announced as the platinum sponsor and global group Huawei as the silver sponsor of the 2017 Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) President’s Awards and 60th anniversary banquet.

IITPSA, marking its diamond anniversary in 2017, will host a gala banquet in Johannesburg next month to celebrate South African ICT progress over the past 60 years, as well as to honour noteworthy ICT stakeholders, including the IT Personality of the Year and Visionary CIO of the Year.

IITPSA CEO Tony Parry welcomed the sponsorship, saying: “We look forward to celebrating South Africa’s ICT leaders and visionaries in partnership with sponsors of this calibre.”

Altron Group Chief Executive Mteto Nyati, a previous winner of the IT Personality of the Year Award, says Altron has come on board as the main event sponsor in recognition of the important role the IITPSA plays in helping create an enabling environment for South African ICT sector development as a whole, a key driver for social and economic growth.

“Innovation is key for the new streamlined Altron. Our strategy is to build on the company’s innovation heritage and deliver solutions that have a positive and meaningful impact on society in South Africa, the African continent and globally. As we move into a brave new era of ICT, we – like the IITPSA – recognise the importance of remaining agile, catalysing innovation and entrepreneurship and supporting those who drive progress in our sector. There are many opportunities ahead for the ICT industry. To be a success in today’s fast paced technology sector, companies need to build a great pool of ICT talent to continue to research and develop solutions to the challenges we face. Altron, with a proud history in the South African ICT sector, supports the IITPSA’s aims and thanks them for their long service to all ICT professionals in the country,” said Nyati.

Steven Wu, CEO of Huawei Technologies South Africa, says the multinational firm is heavily invested in skills transfer and development across South Africa and the continent as a whole. “Huawei is committed to creating a larger, more skilled pool of ICT professionals. We see this as a crucial element to achieving our aim of creating a better connected South Africa. Huawei’s skills development activities include ongoing training of ICT professionals and various projects with ICT students and graduates.”

Huawei’s skills development activities include ongoing training of ICT professionals and various projects with ICT students and graduates.

“Our association with the IITPSA, complements our strategy of developing ICT professionals and practitioners and closing the skills gap in the sector,” he says. “One way to incentivise ongoing professional development is to acknowledge and celebrate achievement. The IITPSA President’s Awards are a prestigious accolade and we therefore support this initiative to celebrate achievement and encourage their growth in the sector.”

The IITPSA President’s Awards and 60th anniversary banquet will be held at Urban Tree in Eastgate Business Park, Sandton, on Wednesday 8 November.

The finalists have been announced for this year’s prestigious IT Personality of the Year Award and Visionary CIO of the Year Award. View the bios and indicate your support for an IT Personality Finalist and Visionary CIO here.

To secure your place at this celebration of South African ICT excellence, please click here or contact Michelle at Fizz Marketing at Tel: email: michelle@fizzmarketing.co.za