Gigabit January 2019

AFRICA
changes to absorb this new talent into the
technology landscape.”
Creating an inclusive environment could also
help. Having studied in apartheid times in South
Africa, as well as being a woman in the technology
field, Saki is all too aware of the hurdles
facing workers trying to make their mark on the
technology sector. “From the very beginning it
was really hard to be taken seriously as a woman,”
she reflects. “Even if you said something that
had value, you had to say it a number of times,
justify it a million times more, and sometimes
even demonstrate it for you to be taken seriously.
“I think what helped me was that if I feel an
issue is important, I’ll create a prototype of the
suggestion which allowed me to demonstrate
my ideas clearly.” On top of this, there’s also the
issue of work culture. In the corporate world,
where competing egos are commonplace, Saki
is keen to point out the importance of remaining
humble, particularly when you’re in a leadership
position. In doing so, she says CIOs can create
an approachable and inclusive IT environment
that works with, not in tangent, to the wider business
operation. “I try to keep myself humble and
approachable,” she says. “It’s important to be able
to explain technology in a way that makes sense
to businesses so that they can really comprehend
how IT can benefit the organisation.”
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