TechCentral

When Nedbank realised early last year that its mammoth core banking overhaul and modernisation programme was going awry, it turned to Marijke Guest for help.

Guest, CIO of Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) and payments and a veteran of the financial services group, tells TechCentral’s Meet the CIO about how the bank realised it was headed for trouble, and what it took to get the project back on track and delivered – all in little under a year.

According to Nedbank, the project was thought to be 80% complete, but when it was reassessed in January 2024, it became clear that only around 20% of the actual scope had been delivered.

“Designs were incomplete,” the bank said. “Engineering practices were out of date. Key components, such as the liability rates engine, product lifecycle workflows and real-time processing, were either broken or unbuilt. The programme was years behind its intended outcomes, and the bank’s reputation was at stake.”

Guest, who has worked at Nedbank for the past 25 years, tells Meet the CIO’s Duncan McLeod about:

• When and why Nedbank first decided it needed to modernise its core banking systems and what the project would entail;

• What’s involved in an undertaking like this, and why there’s potential for things to go wrong that could lead to huge cost overruns – as has happened at other South African banks that have embarked on similar modernisation programmes;

• What Nedbank’s core banking modernisation project aimed to achieve, and why it was at risk of being derailed;

• What she did to get it back on track and motivate the IT teams involved;

• What it took to get everyone to start pulling in the same direction and ensure the project was delivered on time with zero reputational impact to the bank;

• How she coped with the immense pressure she and her teams were under from the board and top management to get the project done right, on time and within budget;

• What Nedbank can do now that it couldn’t do before, and how that positions it next to its rivals – both the traditional banks and the new digital bank challengers that have emerged in recent years; and

• What CIOs who are embarking on similarly complex IT projects can learn from Nedbank’s project – including the pitfalls they should watch out for, and what areas they should be careful not to neglect.

Guest was ultimately awarded Nedbank’s Chief Executive Award for her leadership of the project. No one involved in IT management should miss this fascinating discussion! TechCentral

When Nedbank realised early last year that its mammoth core banking overhaul and modernisation programme was going awry, it turned to Marijke Guest for help.

Guest, CIO of Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) and payments and a veteran of the financial services group, tells TechCentral’s Meet the CIO about how the bank realised it was headed for trouble, and what it took to get the project back on track and delivered – all in little under a year.

According to Nedbank, the project was thought to be 80% complete, but when it was reassessed in January 2024, it became clear that only around 20% of the actual scope had been delivered.

“Designs were incomplete,” the bank said. “Engineering practices were out of date. Key components, such as the liability rates engine, product lifecycle workflows and real-time processing, were either broken or unbuilt. The programme was years behind its intended outcomes, and the bank’s reputation was at stake.”

Guest, who has worked at Nedbank for the past 25 years, tells Meet the CIO’s Duncan McLeod about:

• When and why Nedbank first decided it needed to modernise its core banking systems and what the project would entail;

• What’s involved in an undertaking like this, and why there’s potential for things to go wrong that could lead to huge cost overruns – as has happened at other South African banks that have embarked on similar modernisation programmes;

• What Nedbank’s core banking modernisation project aimed to achieve, and why it was at risk of being derailed;

• What she did to get it back on track and motivate the IT teams involved;

• What it took to get everyone to start pulling in the same direction and ensure the project was delivered on time with zero reputational impact to the bank;

• How she coped with the immense pressure she and her teams were under from the board and top management to get the project done right, on time and within budget;

• What Nedbank can do now that it couldn’t do before, and how that positions it next to its rivals – both the traditional banks and the new digital bank challengers that have emerged in recent years; and

• What CIOs who are embarking on similarly complex IT projects can learn from Nedbank’s project – including the pitfalls they should watch out for, and what areas they should be careful not to neglect.

Guest was ultimately awarded Nedbank’s Chief Executive Award for her leadership of the project. No one involved in IT management should miss this fascinating discussion! TechCentral

A recent management buyout of Britehouse from NTT Data – previously Dimension Data – has put the software development house on a new trajectory.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Duncan McLeod chats to Britehouse executive chairman Graham Parker about the MBO of Britehouse Mobility and what it means for the future of the business.

Dimension Data acquired the 60% of Britehouse it didn’t already own in a 2015 transaction, buying out shareholders that included Remgro and Convergence Partners. The IT group had held a 40% stake since 2007 before buying out other shareholders eight years later.

“Britehouse is embarking on a new era of innovation and independence following a management buyout transaction that effectively acquired the business from NTT Data,” a statement at the time said. “The acquisition from NTT Data marks a pivotal moment in Britehouse’s journey.”

Following the deal, Britehouse Mobility will operate as a fully independent company. The Britehouse brand will cease to exist inside NTT Data, but the latter will retain the enterprise applications business, with specific focus on SAP and Microsoft, it said.

“After several successful years of operating as part of the global NTT Data group, Britehouse is excited to return to its roots as an independent, South African-led business,” said Parker at the time.

Parker tells the TechCentral Show about:

• His history with Dimension Data and Britehouse;

• The story of Britehouse; and

• What the business looks like today, and management’s plans for growth.

Don’t miss the discussion! TechCentral

A recent management buyout of Britehouse from NTT Data – previously Dimension Data – has put the software development house on a new trajectory.

In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Duncan McLeod chats to Britehouse executive chairman Graham Parker about the MBO of Britehouse Mobility and what it means for the future of the business.

Dimension Data acquired the 60% of Britehouse it didn’t already own in a 2015 transaction, buying out shareholders that included Remgro and Convergence Partners. The IT group had held a 40% stake since 2007 before buying out other shareholders eight years later.

“Britehouse is embarking on a new era of innovation and independence following a management buyout transaction that effectively acquired the business from NTT Data,” a statement at the time said. “The acquisition from NTT Data marks a pivotal moment in Britehouse’s journey.”

Following the deal, Britehouse Mobility will operate as a fully independent company. The Britehouse brand will cease to exist inside NTT Data, but the latter will retain the enterprise applications business, with specific focus on SAP and Microsoft, it said.

“After several successful years of operating as part of the global NTT Data group, Britehouse is excited to return to its roots as an independent, South African-led business,” said Parker at the time.

Parker tells the TechCentral Show about:

• His history with Dimension Data and Britehouse;

• The story of Britehouse; and

• What the business looks like today, and management’s plans for growth.

Don’t miss the discussion!

This is Watts & Wheels, a new motoring show hosted by motoring journalist (and “buzzhead” – or is that “electronhead”?) William Kelly and TechCentral editor (and wannabe EV owner) Duncan McLeod.

With a focus on the shift to electric motoring, the pilot season of Watts & Wheels consists of three episodes. The focus of the show is the “lived EV experience”, with the aim of helping “dispel some of the misconceptions” about owning and driving an EV in South Africa.

What else can you expect from Watts & Wheels? We’ll look at the latest EV models – from mild hybrids to plug-in hybrids and full battery-electric vehicles – making their way to South African shores. We’ll also test drive many of them for the show.

We’ll also look at the business of motoring, and the challenges and opportunities facing the local industry amid the tectonic shifts that are remaking the global automotive sector, including the rapid rise of Chinese EV brands.

Whether you’re pondering your first EV purchase, are keen to understand the nuances of local charging networks or are simply fascinated by the future of sustainable transport, let Watts & Wheels be your guide.

In episode 1, William and Duncan dive into:

• The different types of new energy vehicles available in South Africa, explaining terms like EV, BEV, HEV, PHEV and REEV. What do they all mean, and how are prospective buyers to choose between these technologies?

• Should consumers really be worried about long-term battery health in EVs? Spoiler alert: no! In fact, the data now shows battery endurance in EVs has been vastly underestimated.

• The power of VTOL, or vehicle-to-load, technology and how it can be used to power everything from a kettle to your house.

• The electrification of bakkies, including a look at BYD’s exciting new Shark 6 PHEV (and whether it can beat the monstrous 3l Ford Raptor from a standing start to 100km/h); Nissan’s sexy Frontier PHEV (not confirmed for South Africa); and Ford’s new PHEV Ranger (made in Silverton in Pretoria).

• The controversial Jaguar Type 00 – and why William thinks why the critics have it completely wrong.

If you like what you see, please subscribe to Watts & Wheels on YouTube – and share the word with family and friends. It’s also available as an audio podcast in your favourite podcasting app.

In episode 2, out next week, look out for an exclusive look at – and first media test drive of – South Africa’s first 4x4 fully electric bakkie. TechCentral

This is Watts & Wheels, a new motoring show hosted by motoring journalist (and “buzzhead” – or is that “electronhead”?) William Kelly and TechCentral editor (and wannabe EV owner) Duncan McLeod.

With a focus on the shift to electric motoring, the pilot season of Watts & Wheels consists of three episodes. The focus of the show is the “lived EV experience”, with the aim of helping “dispel some of the misconceptions” about owning and driving an EV in South Africa.

What else can you expect from Watts & Wheels? We’ll look at the latest EV models – from mild hybrids to plug-in hybrids and full battery-electric vehicles – making their way to South African shores. We’ll also test drive many of them for the show.

We’ll also look at the business of motoring, and the challenges and opportunities facing the local industry amid the tectonic shifts that are remaking the global automotive sector, including the rapid rise of Chinese EV brands.

Whether you’re pondering your first EV purchase, are keen to understand the nuances of local charging networks or are simply fascinated by the future of sustainable transport, let Watts & Wheels be your guide.

In episode 1, William and Duncan dive into:

• The different types of new energy vehicles available in South Africa, explaining terms like EV, BEV, HEV, PHEV and REEV. What do they all mean, and how are prospective buyers to choose between these technologies?

• Should consumers really be worried about long-term battery health in EVs? Spoiler alert: no! In fact, the data now shows battery endurance in EVs has been vastly underestimated.

• The power of VTOL, or vehicle-to-load, technology and how it can be used to power everything from a kettle to your house.

• The electrification of bakkies, including a look at BYD’s exciting new Shark 6 PHEV (and whether it can beat the monstrous 3l Ford Raptor from a standing start to 100km/h); Nissan’s sexy Frontier PHEV (not confirmed for South Africa); and Ford’s new PHEV Ranger (made in Silverton in Pretoria).

• The controversial Jaguar Type 00 – and why William thinks why the critics have it completely wrong.

If you like what you see, please subscribe to Watts & Wheels on YouTube – and share the word with family and friends. It’s also available as an audio podcast in your favourite podcasting app.

In episode 2, out next week, look out for an exclusive look at – and first media test drive of – South Africa’s first 4x4 fully electric bakkie.

IT security breaches are on the rise in South Africa and worldwide, and with AI tools at their disposal, criminals are scaling up their attacks.

With the risk of attack so high, organisations are forced to look beyond beefing up security – they must prepare for the unfortunate event where their systems are, in fact, breached. One way to do this is to learn from those organisations whose systems have been breached in the past.

This episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, the third in a series of three with First Distribution on how to manage cyber crises – watch episodes 1 and 2 here – sees Microsoft portfolio manager at First Distribution Kejen Pillay back to share more insight on this topic.

Pillay discusses various lessons from:

- The TransUnion breach of March 2022, where 5.2 million records were compromised and a US$15-million ransom demanded;

- The CIPC hack of February 2024 and the media furore that ensued; and

- The National Health Laboratory Services breach of June 2024.

Don’t miss this important discussion. TechCentral

IT security breaches are on the rise in South Africa and worldwide, and with AI tools at their disposal, criminals are scaling up their attacks.

With the risk of attack so high, organisations are forced to look beyond beefing up security – they must prepare for the unfortunate event where their systems are, in fact, breached. One way to do this is to learn from those organisations whose systems have been breached in the past.

This episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, the third in a series of three with First Distribution on how to manage cyber crises – watch episodes 1 and 2 here – sees Microsoft portfolio manager at First Distribution Kejen Pillay back to share more insight on this topic.

Pillay discusses various lessons from:

- The TransUnion breach of March 2022, where 5.2 million records were compromised and a US$15-million ransom demanded;

- The CIPC hack of February 2024 and the media furore that ensued; and

- The National Health Laboratory Services breach of June 2024.

Don’t miss this important discussion.

In cybersecurity, prevention is always better than cure. However, organisations have to prepare for the worst-case scenario, one where their systems are breached by cybercriminals.

This is the second in a series of three podcasts on how to manage cyber crises effectively when they happen. The first episode – watch it here – centred on defining what a cyber crisis is and the different ways cybercriminals exploit an organisation.

In episode 2, Kejen Pillay, portfolio manager for Microsoft at First Distribution, discusses the strategies and tools organisations use to craft an effective crisis response plan.

Pillay delves into:

• The elements of an effective crisis response plan;

• The Microsoft tools businesses can use to prepare for a cyber crisis;

• Backups and other tools that aid in the speedy recovery of operations following a cyber crisis;

• The importance of training non-IT staff on what to do in a cyber crisis;

• How AI tools can help protect organisations; and

• Advice for organisations wanting to begin crafting their cyber crisis response plan.

Don’t miss the discussion. TechCentral

In cybersecurity, prevention is always better than cure. However, organisations have to prepare for the worst-case scenario, one where their systems are breached by cybercriminals.

This is the second in a series of three podcasts on how to manage cyber crises effectively when they happen. The first episode – watch it here – centred on defining what a cyber crisis is and the different ways cybercriminals exploit an organisation.

In episode 2, Kejen Pillay, portfolio manager for Microsoft at First Distribution, discusses the strategies and tools organisations use to craft an effective crisis response plan.

Pillay delves into:

• The elements of an effective crisis response plan;

• The Microsoft tools businesses can use to prepare for a cyber crisis;

• Backups and other tools that aid in the speedy recovery of operations following a cyber crisis;

• The importance of training non-IT staff on what to do in a cyber crisis;

• How AI tools can help protect organisations; and

• Advice for organisations wanting to begin crafting their cyber crisis response plan.

Don’t miss the discussion.