Awards 2018 – Judges

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Annual President’s Awards 2018 – Judges

“Adrian is CIO at the Gordon Institute of Business Science where he focuses on leveraging digital opportunities disrupting the sector. He feels the modern IT leader is becoming schizophrenic, balancing disruption with “responsible” duties. He is outspoken in challenging the inertia of the current ICT sector.

He is founding director of an ed-tech start-up and was partner in an e-tourism venture pre-dotcom. His corporate experience extends across higher education, micro-finance, insurance, and consulting, covering a wide range of technology specialisations.

He originally studied civil engineering, which he claims grounded his thinking, but credits running the Engineers’ Pub for his commercial acumen (and for why he moved into computers, being an IBM child with the punch-cards to prove it).

He is passionate about education, both personally and as a calling.

In his “spare” time he can be found tinkering with Arduino boards and wishes he’d learned to solder better.”

Ranka is a founding member and editorial director of ITWeb – South Africa’s leading technology-focused publisher, with media products and services that span diverse digital platforms, print and events.

Since 1997, Ranka has led ITWeb’s editorial team and helped establish ITWeb Online as South Africa’s premier source of IT news and information for business technology users and decision-makers. In 2001, Ranka helped launch ITWeb Brainstorm, which remains the most influential business IT monthly in SA. She serves on the advisory board of ITWeb events and often presents findings of ITWeb’s surveys and research reports at ITWeb’s and other industry conferences.

Ranka has established an annual ITWeb Journalism Scholarship and internship programme, and has been a mentor to a great number of journalists, editors and other young professionals.

Prior to joining ITWeb, she was editor of InformationWeek Southern Africa and deputy editor of ComputerWeek. She immigrated to SA in 1994 from Yugoslavia, where she had worked as a teacher, lecturer, literary translator and IT journalist.

Neville has more than 40 years experience in the IT industry. He spent 29 years at IBM where he held various senior executive positions such as Neville has more than 40 years experience in the IT industry. He spent 29 years at IBM where he held various senior executive positions such as:

• General Manager, Banking
• Managing Director, Corporate Business
• Solutions Executive

After leaving IBM, he took up a position as Managing Director of Conscripti (Pty) Ltd, the local representatives for Tata Consultancy Services. He then joined META Group South Africa as Sales Manager and joined Gartner Africa as Consulting Manager when they acquired META Group in 2005. In 2010 he assumed responsibility for Sales and Consulting. In 2017 when Gartner came directly into South Africa, Neville was appointed Senior Managing Partner, Gartner Consulting.

Ulandi Exner has been in the ICT industry for almost 20 years. She is a Director and the current President of the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa.

Ulandi holds a BCom in Informatics and is also a CISSP and CISA. She is passionate about technology and is dedicated to helping people develop their skills and raise their professional standard.  With an intimate understanding of both business and technology, she is fully aware that the field of ICT has moved beyond “keeping the lights on” and therefore must be regarded as one of the business’s key decision drivers.

Ulandi has been actively involved with the Institute for a number of years and has served in many roles. One of several projects that she is involved in currently is to promote and drive Women in IT programmes and initiatives.

Adrian Schofield’s day job of researching trends in the ICT sector feeds his contributions to the industry through his roles within IITPSA (where he has served as President), IP3 (where he is Vice Chair, responsible for Standards & Accreditation) and AfICTA (Vice Chairman).

He was appointed as a Councillor for the B-BBE ICT Sector Council in 2015 and as a governance committee member for the City of Joburg in 2017.

He says the rest of his biography can be discussed over a glass of wine.

Tshifhiwa has over 20 years of experience in IT, with most of her experience in the role of CIO.   She has held key IT positions at Telkom, Standard Bank and most recently at the Financial Services Board.  Tshifhiwa specialises in developing and implementing IT turnaround strategies within complex business integration processes, as well as driving change in business architecture through technology implementation.

Tshifhiwa holds a Master of Information Technology degree from the University of Pretoria.  She also holds an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science, an achievement for which she received the top student award in the elective “leading others through storytelling.” This unique skill empowers her to communicate complex topics to non-technical stakeholders.

Tshifhiwa’s accolades include the Visionary CIO Award from the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (formerly CSSA), in association with ITWeb, GIBS and Gartner Africa for demonstrating visionary leadership in using technology to drive strategy and innovation in the organisation.  She has been on the Gartner Africa Symposium Advisory Board since 2015.

Moira de Roche is an independent consultant.

She is the Chair of IFIP IP3, and has been involved with this body since 2007. She is a Director on the Global Industry Council, an IFIP body comprised of senior people from all parts of the globe who are involved with ICT.

She is a Professional Member and Fellow of IITPSA (Institute of IT Professionals South Africa) and a proud recipient of the “EngineerIT/CSSA Distinguished Service in ICT” award. She is a Director of (IITPSA). She was President of this body for four years.  She considers herself as an Ethics Evangelist.

She is a trustee of the South African Computer Olympiad.

Moira is passionate about issues facing women in the workplace, with a special focus on how to interest more girls in ICT careers, as well as how to ensure that women can achieve their potential.

For more details za.linkedin.com/in/moiraderoche

Ahmed Ismael – Smiley

COMMUNITY ICT ACTIVIST, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR, CHANGEMAKER DIGITAL DIVIDE TRANSFORMATION ENABLER

with over 40 years of ICT experiences and community activism.

FOUNDER:  Siyafunda Community Technology Centres,   Community ICT Digital Villages  2014 IITPSA PRESIDENT’​S

The impact of the digital age and e-learning has transformed the world’s access to information and inter-connectedness, making computer competency an essential skill in equipping future leaders and enabling people to participate in the global economy. With a vision to empower, educate and e-connect communities, and make computer literacy and access to an email address available to everyone, Mr Ahmed Ismael-Smiley Founder of the concept, opened the first Siyafunda Community Technology Centre in Palm Ridge in 2006. The core values of sustainability, affordability and access, remain key project drivers.

Barry Dwolatzky is an Emeritus Professor in Wits University’s School of Electrical and Information Engineering. He is passionate about the South African ICT sector and has spent most of the past 25 years educating experts, carrying out research and driving initiatives that aim to nurture and grow this critical part of the economy. He launched the Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) at Wits University in 2005 and since 2014 has been the driving force behind the establishment of the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

In recognition of his contribution to the South African IT industry Barry Dwolatzky was named the joint winner of the “South African IT Personality of the Year” in 2013 and received an award for “Distinguished Service to IT” from the Institute of IT Professionals of South Africa (IITPSA) in 2016. Also in 2016 Wits University presented him with the “Vice Chancellor’s Award for Academic Citizenship”.

The Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa ’s (IITPSA) Annual President’s Awards event is a major highlight of the year for many in the industry, combining prestigious long standing awards (since 1979) with unparalleled networking opportunities. It is an event that highlights the talent and commitment of individuals within the ICT industry. Nominees include a number of prominent people in various spheres of the ICT industry in South Africa.
IITPSA, in partnership with leading ICT media publications and other prestigious award partners, presents the following awards:
IT Personality and Visionary CIO of the Year
The IT Personality of the Year Award, is presented by the IITPSA in association with ITWeb, the Gordon Institute of Business Science and Gartner South Africa. It recognises a person who has made an outstanding impact on the SA ICT industry over the past year and a significant contribution to the IT profession. – The Visionary CIO of the Year Award, also presented by the IITPSA in association with ITWeb, the Gordon Institute of Business Science and Gartner South Africa, recognises a personality on the other side of the IT vendor and service provider sector – an executive in the corporate IT environment who has demonstrated visionary leadership in applying technology to grow and transform business.
Award Partners
The Distinguished Service in ICT Award is awarded jointly by EngineerIT and the IITPSA and recognises a significant, career length contribution to the ICT profession and / or the ICT Industry.
Award Partner – Distinguished Service in ICT Award
Fellowship of the Institute Award, given in recognition of an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the institute or the profession as a whole.