Nairobi – More than 120 of East Africa's most influential IT and business decision makers are set to gather online tomorrow (June 10) for the 8th annual installment of the IDC East Africa CIO Summit. Hosted on IDC's industry-leading virtual platform, the event will bring together senior business leaders, influential IT heads, and respected industry analysts to share their collective expertise around the theme 'Innovative Digital Strategies: Evolving to the Demands of a New Reality'.

"The end goal for any business looking to thrive in the new reality must be the enablement of a 'Future Enterprise'," says Mark Walker, IDC's associate vice president for Sub-Saharan Africa. "At IDC, our vision of the future enterprise is an organization that leverages technology to underpin every single process, initiative, and value chain. To reach this state, organizations must prioritize the creation of dynamic work models, innovative services, and pervasive experiences."

The IDC East Africa CIO Summit 2021 will combine presentations, panel discussions, real-life use cases, and individual technology tracks to give delegates exclusive guidance on overcoming the challenges and disruptions that continue to lie in wait. IDC's chief research officer, Meredith Whalen, will present the Summit's keynote address, 'The Future Enterprise: Developing Digital Resiliency', in which she will warn the region's businesses that COVID-19 will not be the last disruption they face.

"The digital economy — which relies heavily on the continued flow of goods and services around the globe, as well as on transformational technology platforms and business innovation — will create more cycles of disruption to business operations and models than any other economic period," says Whalen. "Organizations looking to succeed in this new reality will need to employ a new C-Suite agenda if they are to become masters at pivoting rapidly, capitalizing on change, and driving innovation in times of uncertainty."

For the very first time, this year's IDC East Africa CIO Summit will also incorporate a dedicated CIO Masterclass Arena that attendees can access throughout the course of the event. This section of the virtual platform will showcase a series of exclusive CXO best-practice presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions with more than 30 international and regional industry thought leaders.

The CIO Masterclass Arena will host technology-based sessions on the future of work, security, artificial intelligence, and cloud, as well as a series of vertical-focused sessions targeting the latest challenges and developments in specific industries, featuring exclusive insights from international and regional industry pioneers such as: 

  • William Braun, CIO, Chevron Corporation (USA)
  • Louise van der Bank, CIO, AfriSam (South Africa)
  • Vipin Gupta, CIO, Toyota Financial Services (USA)
  • Nick Burton, Chief Information & Digital Officer, Avon International (UK)
  • George Njuguna, Director, IT, Safaricom (Kenya)
  • Tim Youngblood, Former CISO, McDonald's Corporation (USA)
  • Itumeleng Makgati, CISO, Standard Bank (South Africa)
  • Samresh Ramjith, Deputy CISO, ABSA Bank (South Africa)
  • Tobe L. Nnadozie, Head of Technology & Innovation, Central Securities Clearing System (Nigeria)
  • Francis Ngari, Head of Digital Innovation, Resolution Insurance (Kenya)
  • Chris Clark, Senior Vice President & CIO, Levi Strauss & Co. (USA)
  • Bharathi Viswanathan, Chief Information & Digital Officer, Coca-Cola APAC (Singapore)
  • Ghinwa Baradhi, CIO, Middle East, North Africa & Turkey, HSBC (UAE)
  • Raphael Onyango, Head, Innovation & Strategy, ECLOF Kenya (Kenya)
  • Arthur Kwesiga, Director, ICT, Uganda Registration Services Bureau (Uganda)

IDC is excited to have a wide range of partners on board for the IDC East Africa CIO Summit 2021, including:  Summit Partners: VMWare and Dimension Data; Platinum Partners: Palo Alto Networks / Redington, Dell Technologies, Oracle, and Citrix / Redington; Technology Focus Group Partners: ManageEngine, Checkpoint, Darktrace, FireEye, and Commvault; Silver Partners: Poly  and Telkom Kenya.

To learn more about the IDC East Africa CIO Summit 2021 , please contact Sheila Manek at smanek@idc.com or on +971 4 446 3154. You can also join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #IDCEACIO.

About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a subsidiary of  IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com  . Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC. 

IDC in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa
For the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa region, IDC retains a coordinated network of offices in Riyadh, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, Cairo, and Istanbul, with a regional center in Dubai. Our coverage couples local insight with an international perspective to provide a comprehensive understanding of markets in these dynamic regions. Our market intelligence services are unparalleled in depth, consistency, scope, and accuracy. IDC MEA currently fields over 130 analysts, consultants, and conference associates across the region. To learn more about IDC MEA, please visit  www.idc.com/mea . You can follow IDC MEA on Twitter at @IDCMEA.

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