Gigabit January 2019

CIO — AYANDA SAKI
businesses go digital, convenience will be
the differentiating factor. “We’re seeing that
the companies which are succeeding in
digitisation are companies which create
convenience that goes over and above just
buying a product,” Saki reflects. “The better
the customer experience, the more chance
of customers coming back time and time
again.” Data analytics, cloud computing and
other emerging technologies could play
a key role in helping companies realise this
goal, Saki notes.
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TACKLING THE SKILLS GAP
One of the most pressing challenges facing
the technology sector is undoubtedly the
widening skills gap in the market. In a world
where today’s graduates have grown up with
the internet, tablets and mobile devices, Saki
said that young people already have an inherent
understanding of IT, what recruiters need
to watch out for is those who can take this
understanding and do something new with it.
Additionally, she believes there needs to be
a cultural shift that encourages young people
to enter more corporate environments.
“I believe there’s so much value in combining
how older and younger people think, especially
as we move towards a more digital future,”
she observes. “We need to make a lot of
JANUARY 2019