The Leadership Council Biographies: Meet The Minds Shaping African Tech
Explore their biographies to learn about their achievements, visions, and the roles they play in shaping the future of the continent's tech and business landscapes.
Funke Opeke
Founder & CEO
MainOne
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Funke Opeke, is the founder and CEO of MainOne, a leading Digital Infrastructure service provider that built West Africa’s first open-access submarine cable system interconnecting Nigeria; Ghana; and Portugal in 2010. In 2015, the company launched its data center operations in West Africa with MDXi – a $40M investment resulting in West Africa’s largest Tier III data center in Lagos, Nigeria, and now with presence in Accra and Abidjan. In 2019, she chaired the Presidential Committee to develop Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan for 2020 – 2025. MainOne was acquired by Equinix, the global digital infrastructure company as its entry point to doing business in Africa on April 1, 2022.
Richard Cazalet
Exec: Strategy and Transformation
Telkom SA
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Richard is an experienced business leader with over 25 years’ involvement in the telecommunications industry over a wide range of technology and business areas. Prior to Telkom, he worked at Deloitte and Accenture, proving business consultancy services to fixed and mobile service providers in Africa and the Middle East. He also held various technical and sales roles at Siemens and started his telecommunications career manufacturing optical fibre in a production facility in South Africa. He holds master’s degrees in Applied Physics and Business Leadership and is married with two daughters. He enjoys road running, swimming, sailing, and hiking / camping.
Kuseni Dlamini
Chairman
Aspen Pharmacare
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Kuseni Dlamini is the Chairman of JSE-listed Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd, the leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in the southern hemisphere with operations in over 50 countries. He was recently appointed co-Chairman of the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), one of South Africa’s leading business schools and is a member of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in SA. Kuseni is the former CEO of Old Mutual South Africa and Emerging Markets. Prior to this, he was the Head of Anglo American South Africa and a member of the Executive Committee of Anglo American plc in London and was Director of Anglo Platinum.
He is also the former Executive Chairman of Richards Bay Coal Terminal Company (RBCT) Ltd and a former Chairman of Anglo Operations (Pty) Ltd. As part of his career in mining he held a number of senior positions at Anglo Gold Ashanti and De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd in South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Kuseni is a graduate of the Universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, and Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In March 2008, he was named a ‘Young Global Leader (YGL)’ by the World Economic Forum and, during the same year and month, Miningx selected him as one of the top 100 most influential people in South African mining. In June 2008, the Mail & Guardian named him as one of the top 200 young people worth taking to lunch and in the same year and month, The Economist referred to him as “A Rare Commodity’. In 2010, the World Economic Forum appointed him a member of the Global Agenda Council on Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation. In 2011, he was appointed co-Chairman of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa Summit which brings together Heads of States, leading politicians and business leaders to debate the state of Africa in a changing world on an annual basis.
Nollie Maoto
Chief Data and Analytics Officer – Merchant Services
FNB South Africa
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Nollie Maoto is the Chief Data and Analytics Officer at First National Bank, one of South Africa's largest banks, and holds significant roles within the global Data and Analytics community. She has earned multiple accolades including Chief Data Officer of the Year and Data Analytics Leader of the Year for 2022, and Inspirational Leader of the Year 2023. A recognized advocate for gender equality in data and analytics, Nollie runs a female-only mentorship program through her non-profit and has been honored with numerous leadership awards, including a top finish at the Accenture Gender Mainstreaming Awards 2023. Additionally, she contributes to CDO Magazine, participates in international tech councils, and is a frequent speaker at global data conferences. Nollie is also an author and regarded as a thought leader in future data trends and education technology.
Velma Corcoran
General Manager, Middle East Africa
Airbnb
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Velma is a firm believer in the potential of technology to drive inclusive growth and entrepreneurship across Africa. As Airbnb’s regional lead for Africa and the Middle East, Velma leads Airbnb’s Campaigns work across the region, including the creation of the Airbnb Africa Academy and the Africa Travel Summit. She is passionate about how Airbnb can redefine travel in Africa and take tourism to people and places that need it most, and the role technology will play in unlocking this potential.
Velma joined Airbnb in March 2016 as the Regional Market Manager for Sub Saharan Africa. Prior to this she led marketing for Cape Town Tourism, where her team won numerous awards for destination marketing leadership, including with the UNWTO, Travel & Leisure Smitty Awards, and Cannes Gold.
Hennie Heymans
CEO,
DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa
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Heymans is the Chief Executive Officer for DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa and currently oversees a team of 4000+ professionals across 51 countries. He joined DHL Express over twenty years ago as Direct Business unit manager for South Africa. From here he held various roles within the organization, including Managing Director for Central Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands (CENIO). He then moved on to become MD for DHL Express South Africa where he was instrumental in driving change and implementing new innovative processes and strategies for the ZA business division.
Heymans is very passionate about Africa and believes that the continent will rise on the global agenda as the last real growth frontier. As a result, he was an active participant in the World Economic Forum 2019 Africa, winner of the Accenture Rising Star Award 2020, and International panelist at Africa Go Trade Summit 2022.
Heymans is an invited member of the DHL Express Global Management Board. He is highly passionate about people and regards employee satisfaction and engagement as a key component to cultivating business commercial success
Simbah Mutasa
Managing Director
Bank of America
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Simbah is a Managing Director in the Investment Banking team at Bank of America and has a career spanning over 15 years. Simbah started his career at Citi in London in the Telecoms, Media and Technology Investment Banking team. During his career he has also spent time in the M&A team at Liberty Global and heading up Southern Africa for Norfund. Simbah holds a BSc (Hons) in Business Mathematics and Statistics from the London School of Economics and a Master in Finance from the University of Cambridge.
Faith Burn
Chief Information Officer
Eskom Holdings
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Faith Burn has extensive business experience which includes the following industries: Pharmaceutical; Services, Facilities management; Telecommunications; Financial Services; Aviation & Aerospace; Construction; Education; Services and Mining. She holds an MSc in Mathematics from University of Johannesburg (then RAU) and an MBL from UNISA. She has attained a CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) and has internationally recognized and/or accredited certifications in the fields of Project Management, Business Continuity Management and Computer Science. She currently serves as the Chief Information Officer of Eskom Holdings.
Previously the Group CIO of Tsebo Solutions Group responsible for the IT services in 28 countries across 5 large divisions. At Novartis, prior to Tsebo Solutions Group, she was the Head of IT Africa responsible for IT and Information Governance Management in 43 countries across 3 large divisions. She is currently a non-executive director on the board of the South African National Blood Services (SANBS).
Among Ms Burn’s vast achievements, the one true to her heart is her passion for the care and advancement of women and children. This has led her to be co-founder and director of a non profit organization called Kingdom Consultant Center (known as KCC) which aims to educate children from disadvantaged communities. In 2012, she co-founded a non-profit woman focused organization called Hlahlamelisa, which at the time aimed at empowering professional women through education, networking and mentorship.
Mary Mahuma
CIO, Southern Africa
Philip Morris
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Mary Mahuma is a seasoned Information Technology Leader, currently serving as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Southern Africa at PMSA. With 23 years of expertise across Banking, Financial, Insurance, Telecommunications, Security, Education and FMCG industries, Mary has excelled in driving digital transformation, managing IT portfolios, and establishing strategic partnerships.
Mary holds diverse educational background with qualifications, including Executive Business Leadership certificate from Yale University SoM and a Master of Business Administration Essentials from University of Stellenbosch Business School. Her academic achievements also include a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Public Administration, as well as a Baccalaureus Administrationis degree.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Mary actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion, serving as Chairperson for various organizations. Beyond her corporate role, she plays a pivotal role in spearheading social change and community development.
Mary envisions a future where digital transformation drives profound societal change, fostering economic growth, sustainability, and human empowerment. She dedicates herself to driving transformative initiatives that optimize business operations, address global challenges, and enhance customer experiences.