Learn more about our VIP Council members
The Africa Tech Festival VIP Council brings together senior leaders, and decision-makers shaping Africa’s digital future. As returning VIP guests, our Council members help refine the Festival’s VIP programme, ensure premium experiences for senior executives, and extend the Festival’s reach through their networks. Their insight helps us deliver meaningful content, impactful connections, and an experience that reflects the diversity and ambition of Africa’s tech ecosystem.
Seaparo Phala
Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DAC)
Seaparo Phala has served in government in different capacities and has over 20 years ICT experience in the public sector. He is an unapologetic proponent of open source software systems. His current interests includes AI and Machine Learning and is currently pursuing a post-graduate qualification in Futures Studies (Managing New Technologies). He has received several awards in the ICT industry.
What he says to say about Africa Tech Festival:
“ATF is a meeting of the brightest ICT minds in Africa. It always provides one with a futuristic view of technological developments, trends and patterns”
Tania Langenhoven
CEO, Continent Hotels South Africa
Tania Langenhoven serves as the custodian of the brand, which launched in the country just a year ago. With a deep commitment to excellence in hospitality, she has been pivotal in establishing Continent Hotels as a key player in the South African market.
Under her leadership, the brand focuses on delivering exceptional guest experiences while leveraging innovative technologies to streamline operations and enhance service delivery. Tania is dedicated to expanding Continent Hotels throughout the African continent, fostering partnerships that align with the brand’s vision of quality and connectivity.
With a strong emphasis on collaboration and community engagement, she aims to position Continent Hotels as a preferred choice for travelers across Africa.
What she says to say about Africa Tech Festival:
Attending the Africa Tech Festival last year was a transformative experience. The event provided an invaluable platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and exploring innovative solutions in the hospitality sector. I had the privilege of engaging with industry leaders and tech innovators, which ultimately led to a fruitful partnership that has enhanced our service offerings at Continent Hotels.
The insights gained from the festival have not only informed our strategic direction but also sparked initiatives that embrace technology to elevate our guests' experiences. I am excited to bring these insights to the founding VIP Council and to continue collaborating with like-minded professionals to drive innovation in our industries.
Ms. Gugu Mthembu
Chief Marketing Officer: Telkom Consumer and Small Business, Telkom SA
Gugu Mthembu, with a career spanning over 20 years in ICT and marketing, is as passionate about developing and growing iconic brands as she is about facilitating diversity and inclusion. With a breadth of skills rooted in information technology, she transitioned into marketing, recognising it as the domain where she would add the most value.
Gugu drives the brand and commercial strategy of one of South Africa's fastest-growing telecommunications brands and has been the Chief Marketing Officer for Telkom since 2020. Under her stewardship are the data science & CVM, product development & management, customer experience and segments, brand & marketing communications and digital marketing teams.
A respected voice within the global marketing and advertising communities, Gugu serves as jury, speaker and council member for various industry organisations, locally and globally and also serves on the boards of public benefit organisations as a way of giving back to society and her profession.
Oscar Benjamin
Head of IT for MEA, APAC, and GEM at BIC
Oscar Benjamin is a seasoned Strategic IT Leader with over 20 years of experience driving transformative technology initiatives that align with organizational goals and deliver measurable business impact. Currently serving as Head of IT for MEA, APAC, and GEM, Oscar has a proven track record of managing diverse, geographically dispersed teams and fostering a culture of innovation across multiple industries, including FMCG, Manufacturing, Health & Fitness, and Insurance.
Recognized for his people-centric leadership style, Oscar champions collaboration and empowers high-performing teams to achieve excellence. His passion lies in leveraging technology as a strategic enabler, driving growth & propelling operational efficiency. With a deep expertise in IT strategy, governance, and solution delivery, Oscar consistently bridges the gap between business objectives and technology capabilities, ensuring sustainable success in complex global environments.
Gizelle Simpson
Deputy Chief Education Specialist: Western Cape Education Department
Gizelle Simpson is a creative learning and leadership professional passionate about the intersection of people, technology, education, and innovation. With a background in learning design, digital transformation, creative communication, and leadership development, she brings a human-centered perspective to how technology can empower people and create meaningful change.
Gizelle is particularly passionate about helping organisations and individuals navigate an evolving digital world with curiosity, creativity, and purpose. Warm, energetic, and naturally collaborative, she thrives on connecting people, ideas, and opportunities, and believes Africa’s greatest strength lies in the creativity, talent, and potential of its people.
What she says to say about Africa Tech Festival:
For me, Africa Tech Festival is a reminder that technology is ultimately about people. As I reflect on how quickly our world is changing, I’m increasingly interested not just in what technology can do, but in how we choose to use it, to connect people, open doors, solve real problems, and create opportunities that may not have existed before.
It is always exciting to be part of a space that brings together such diverse voices, ideas, and experiences. I believe Africa has an incredible story to tell when it comes to innovation, creativity, and human potential, and I’m looking forward to listening, learning, connecting, and contributing to that conversation.
James Turuthi
Chairman of the Technology Service Providers of Kenya (TESPOK)
James Turuthi is a seasoned C-suite executive and influential voice in Africa’s digital transformation landscape, with over 15 years of leadership experience spanning technology, governance, and development. His career bridges government engagement, regulatory affairs, policy advocacy, and strategic business advisory across both public and private sectors.
He currently serves as the Chairman of the Technology Service Providers of Kenya (TESPOK) — the country’s leading industry association representing over 120 ICT and telecom companies. Under his leadership, TESPOK continues to champion a resilient, inclusive, and innovation-driven digital ecosystem in Kenya and the wider East African region.
James also serves on the Board of the Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC), the registry responsible for managing Kenya’s country code top-level domain, .ke. Through this role, he supports the growth of Africa’s digital identity and local internet governance frameworks.
In his executive capacity as Deputy CEO at Frontier Optical Networks (FON), James leads strategic operations for one of Kenya’s fastest-growing infrastructure companies, licensed to deliver local, national, and international backbone connectivity across Eastern Africa.
Passionate about Africa’s digital future, James advocates for stronger regional collaboration in governance, infrastructure, and interoperability to unlock the continent’s full data potential.
