Meet the CIO | Schalk Visser on Cell C’s big pivot
Schalk Visser has worked in telecommunications for more than 20 years, first at Telkom, then at Vodacom and now at Cell C, where he has served as chief information and technology officer since 2020.
Visser, an engineer, joined Cell C 13 years ago – during the tenure of former CEO Alan Knott-Craig – as an executive in the company’s programme management office, where he helped lead a renewal of its radio access network.
TechCentral’s guest in the latest episode of the publication’s Meet the CIO podcast, Visser tells host Duncan McLeod about his career journey in telecoms before delving into his work in helping transform Cell C’s technology stack – with a focus on recent years as the operator moved to shut down its own radio access network in favour of partnerships with other mobile operators.
In the interview, Visser chats about:
• Where his interest in technology began;
• His time with Telkom and Vodacom, including his experience helping build Vodacom’s network in Mozambique;
• The changes that have occurred at Cell C in recent years and why they’re significant – including a look at the network partnership with MTN and Vodacom, and what that’s allowed the company to do differently;
• His day-to-day role as head of technology at Cell C;
• The role of technology in supporting what is essentially a technology business;
• The changes he has brought to Cell C’s technology stack and why;
• The recent ransomware attack – what happened, and what’s been done to address it; and
• What’s exciting him about what’s coming down the line in telecoms technology.
Don’t miss a great interview! TechCentral
--------
39:33
--------
39:33
Yosheen Padayachee's unconventional journey into tech leadership
Yosheen Padayachee, group IT director at Tsebo Solutions Group, is our guest in this episode of TechCentral’s Meet the CIO.
--
Yosheen Padayachee was named as one of the top 100 most influential women in technology in 2024 and has been recognised among the Cyber 50 leaders in cybersecurity in Africa.
Padayachee, who serves as group IT director at workplace management solutions company Tsebo Solutions Group, is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of Meet the CIO.
Previously CIO for Africa at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, Padayachee is pursuing a doctorate in technology innovation. She shares her story in this interview.
She unpacks:
• How her career pivoted from healthcare into IT and IT management;
• Her career journey so far, which has included roles in the banking sector at Nedbank and FNB, and important lessons she’s learnt along the way;
• The role of IT at Tsebo Solutions Group;
• The big technology projects she’s currently helping lead;
• Her insights on cybersecurity in modern organisations, and why security must be embedded at the foundation of all digital innovation;
• The impact of AI on the ability of companies to protect themselves from cyber adversaries; and
• Why gender diversity in the male-dominated technology industry is vital – and what needs to be done to encourage more young women to choose technology as a career.
Don’t miss this insightful conversation. TechCentral
--------
52:03
--------
52:03
Meet the CIO | Kerissa Varma on what it takes to be a top CISO
Being a chief information security officer (CISO) in 2025 is a daunting role, but one that TechCentral’s guest in this episode of the Meet the CIO relishes.
Kerissa Varma, who was recently appointed as chief cybersecurity advisor in Africa for Microsoft, previously served as group CISO at Vodacom and before that as group CISO at Old Mutual. She understands what it takes to be a leading CISO.
She tells Meet the CIO about what’s involved in being a leader in enterprise cybersecurity, why she is passionate about developing female talent in the industry – she heads the South African chapter of Women in Cybersecurity – and what it takes to “make it” in what is very much still a male-dominated industry.
Varma chats about her experience as group CISO at Old Mutual and Vodacom. She also unpacks:
• How she became a leader in the enterprise security space;
• The role of a CISO in the modern enterprise – and why interpersonal skills are just as key as understanding technology;
• The top functions and priorities of today’s CISO;
• Strategies to fight the cybercrime scourge – including a look at how South African companies should be dealing with ransomware;
• Artificial intelligence and how it is transformation the infosec space – the impact, the threat and the opportunity;
• Quantum computing and the impact it could have in years to come;
• The gender imbalance in the infosec space and why it’s a concern to her;
• Skills development in cybersecurity in South Africa; and
• Her new role at Microsoft.
Don’t miss a fascinating conversation. And if you missed any of the previous episodes of Meet the CIO, you can find them here. TechCentral
--------
43:57
--------
43:57
Meet the CIO | The Capital Hotels' José Soares – from gamer to director of IT
José Soares, director of IT at The Capital Hotels, Apartments and Resorts, fell in love with computers when his dad brought home a Sinclair ZX81.
Through a series of upgrades – from the Commodore 64 to early Apple machines and eventually his first PC – Soares developed a passion for gaming and technology.
Meet the CIO is presented by Wipro
That passion led him to co-found a mobile gaming company and eventually to pursue a career in IT management.
Our guest in the latest episode of Meet the CIO, Soares tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about the journey that led him to The Capital Hotels group.
Soares also discusses:
• The assets owned by the group and why it’s focus is a little different to other companies in the hospitality industry;
• What the group’s IT stack looks like, and the big projects Soares is leading;
• How the internet and modern technology have transformed the hospitality industry;
• His strategic priorities as head of IT;
• The role of artificial intelligence in the hospitality industry, and how The Capital Hotel is approaching AI;
• The qualities that make for a good CIO; and
• The importance of developing the next generation of IT talent.
Don’t miss a great conversation! TechCentral
--------
57:09
--------
57:09
Standard Bank Group CIO Jörg Fischer – mission-critical IT
At more than R23-billion/year, Standard Bank Group has the biggest IT budget of any company in South Africa – and quite possibly in the whole of Africa.
The man charged with ensuring the continent’s largest financial services provider is spending that money optimally is group CIO Jörg Fischer, who is TechCentral’s guest in this episode of Meet the CIO, the publication’s monthly interview series presented by Wipro, where, instead of focusing on the vendors of technology, we interview the end users of IT – banks, retailers, manufacturers and more – about how they’re using modern technology to grow their businesses and drive their strategic agendas.
In this episode of Meet the CIO, Fischer chats about the technology function at Standard Bank Group, the role of a CIO in the financial services industry, the big strategic IT projects which the bank is involved with – and much, much more.
Among other topics, Fischer discusses:
• The career trajectory that resulted in him becoming a top IT leader;
• Why Standard Bank Group spends as much as it does on IT, and where that spending is directed;
• How IT aligns with the group’s strategic focus areas;
• The decision to migrate to SAP’s core banking solution, what was involved, the lessons learned and how the platform is working for the bank in 2024;
• What Standard Bank’s technology stack looks like, and its investment in the cloud;
• What makes a good CIO in 2024, including the skills that are important in the role;
• How Standard Bank is approaching AI – and what it can actually achieve for the bank and its clients;
• How technology is changing the banking industry;
• Standard Bank’s approach to cybersecurity; and
• How Standard Bank attracts and retains IT talent.
Don’t miss a fascinating conversation that provides great insight into how IT has become mission critical in modern banking. TechCentral
Meet the CIO is a podcast series produced and published by TechCentral and published monthly. We talk to IT leaders across South Africa about the role of technology in their organisations.
South Africa