Strategy

Dr Leah Miano, head of information communication and technology at the Universities Fund, Geoffrey Gitagia, CIO at Avenue Healthcare and Jaine Mwai, chief technology and operations officer at Standard Chartered share their perspectives on how technology leaders are shaping organisations to become future ready CIOs.

As head of IT at Del Monte Kenya, Kennedy Njenga believes technology leadership begins with people. His approach has been shaped by a conviction that listening matters more than control.

Edgar Malili’s leadership style is all about patience, consistency and practicality. At WEC Lines, he handles complex systems, compliance and cybersecurity with a calm and focused approach. Outside of work, he applies the same discipline to training his seven dogs. For Edgar, success whether in technology or life, is about being prepared, sticking to routines, and understanding both people and animals.

Away from the office, Rita Apell, CIO at Stanbic Bank Uganda, finds balance on the golf course.  She began playing in 2017, drawn in by the precision and focus the sport demands, and is now the lady president of the Uganda Ladies Golf Union. 

As more organisations commit to locally built technology, the focus is turning to execution, sustainability and scale. IT leaders Evans Ngala of Express Shipping & Logistics East Africa, Paul Mandele of Smart Foundry, Russell Akuom of Nation Media Group and Tadeo Kyeyune of Tugende reflect on the realities of building in East Africa, from infrastructure gaps and talent development to open-source tools, partnerships and the long-term vision for homegrown tech.

An African cybersecurity study has revealed that despite growing concerns about safety of information across the continent, users are increasingly likely to share personal information if there's something in it for them.