In a recent interview on Radio 702’s Shapeshifters, Evan Jones, CEO of The Collective X, discussed the organisation’s mission to double South Africa’s output of in-demand digital jobs…
Ziaad is the Chief Commercial Officer and Member of Exco at EOH, one of the largest technology services companies in Africa, where he is responsible for the overall go-to-market proposition, which includes sales, consulting, channel and OEMs, commercial constructs, investments, solutioning and marketing, as well as the Software Technology Business.
Ziaad is a notable figure in the ICT space. He chairs the South African branch of 4IR on BRICS and leads the ICT 4IR Public Private Growth Initiative (PPGI) Business Advisory Group, advising the President. His passion for community upliftment is evident through his roles as the independent non-executive chair of Qode, chair of the Parktown Girls Governing Body, non-executive Director of Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa, and Executive Member of D1GIT NPO.
Ziaad holds a postgraduate honours degree in Law with distinction from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and an MDP Business Management degree with distinction from the GIBS
Vukani is the CEO of Accenture Africa, a role that showcases his extensive consulting experience and deep understanding of local markets on the continent. He has dedicated over two decades to leveraging his technical expertise and business acumen to deliver impactful digital solutions for both public and private sector clients.
In 2019, Vukani was appointed Commissioner for the Presidential Commission on the 4th Industrial Revolution. This role underscores his commitment to advancing digital technologies.
Vukani is deeply invested in assisting clients to achieve the agility needed to thrive in today’s fast-paced environment. He is a strong advocate for the adoption of emerging digital technologies, believing that these are not just tools for improving service delivery and financial performance but also pivotal in nation-building across the African continent.
He holds a BCom degree in Business Information Systems and Accounting from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Pieter is the co-founder and CEO of Clickatell, a frontrunner in the chat commerce space and the first African company to receive backing from American venture capital firm Sequoia Capital. Under Pieter’s leadership, Clickatell has flourished into a global company with operations spanning multiple continents.
Pieter has over 23 years of experience in global telecoms, mobile messaging, and mobile payments, 10 of which he spent in Silicon Valley. Apart from his corporate achievements, Pieter is deeply invested in fostering entrepreneurship as a catalyst for economic and job growth. He is a business mentor for Endeavour and the founder and chairman of SiMODiSA, an organisation focused on accelerating start-up success for South African entrepreneurs. He is also committed to enhancing digital skills in Africa, which he views as a more significant opportunity than mining or agriculture.
Pieter has been recognised for his exceptional leadership and contributions to the mobile industry by numerous industry organisations and publications, including Global Technology Business (GTB), which named him one of its “top 40 under 40” executives in 2011, and the San Jose Business Journal, which awarded him its Social Economic Impact Award in 2012.
Nicola is a business leader and social innovator, driving multi-sector partnerships for systems change and inclusive economic participation.
As Executive Director of Yellowwoods Holdings she leads the investment group’s efforts to drive inclusive and sustainable growth through, and with, its portfolio of businesses. She also leads Yellowwoods’ social innovation hub, impact financing and grant-making.
Under her leadership, Yellowwoods has incubated a portfolio of African social enterprises, including the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. Other impact focus areas include Impact Sourcing, Inclusive Carbon initiatives and Early Childhood Development.
She is currently active on numerous private sector and social sector boards, a member of the South African Presidential and Ministerial advisory on youth employment and digital skills, and a member of the advisory board of the Africa Leadership Group, the Aspen Global Leadership Network, and a McNulty Prize laureate. She won the Skoll Award in 2019 and the World Economic Forum/Schwab Foundation award for Corporate Social Intrapreneurship in 2020.
Nicola was a Fulbright Scholar and holds a bachelor’s degree in Film, Politics and Psychology from Wits University and a master’s degree in Cinema and Media Studies from New York University. She has also completed the Leadership for Systems Change programme at Harvard.
Evan is the CEO of The Collective X, bringing together leaders of industry to address the critical shortage of digital skills in South Africa.
Evan is leading the charge as the initiative sets to double South Africa’s output of high-demand digital jobs in the next three years while simultaneously enhancing youth digital skills, boosting employment and injecting a substantial R300 billion into the economy.
Evan was previously the Strategy Director of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, where he managed portfolios ranging from digital strategy, new market development, and Harambee’s leadership in priority sectors like globally transacted services.
He joined Harambee from Webhelp South Africa, a French/UK-based global operator, where he served as COO to rapidly scale the organisation’s South African operations to nearly 2,000 staff. Previously, Evan worked at Discovery Health to transition their North American operation, at TalkTalk (Carphone Warehouse) to manage their contact centre outsourced relationships covering 3,500 staff; and as Director of Operations for Merchants South Africa, managing large-scale outsourced operations across various verticals and geographies.
Evan also served as chairman of BPESA from Nov 2018 to Oct 2021.
Mteto is the Executive Chairman of BSG, a prominent consulting and technology company focused on strategy execution. He is the chairman of the board of The Collective X. His extensive leadership experience has included roles as Group Chief Executive of Altron, CEO of MTN South Africa, and Managing Director of Microsoft South Africa. He also served in various leadership positions at IBM over a 12-year tenure in South Africa and Europe. Mteto’s exceptional leadership has garnered recognition, winning the EY World Entrepreneur Award Southern Africa in 2021 and CNBC Africa’s All Africa Business Leaders Awards’ Business Leader of the Year in 2019.
Aside from corporate success, Mteto authored the best-selling autobiography “Betting on a Darkie,” recounting his journey from a shopkeeper’s son to a respected business leader. Committed to mentorship, he guides executives, CEOs, and emerging professionals. In 2021, the University of Johannesburg awarded him an honorary doctorate for his contributions to IT Management. Mteto, a World Fellow at Yale University in 2004, holds a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of KwaZulu Natal, reflecting the technical foundation underpinning his business achievements.
Lebo’s adept communication and problem-solving abilities contribute to the efficient functioning of the entire team. In the dynamic tech landscape, Lebo is the indispensable force behind the efficiency, and smooth-running, of The Collective X’s operations.
Hina is the Programme Manager for The Collective X and plays a pivotal role in driving and enabling technology platforms for the mobilisation of organisation. Her focus extends to partnerships and solutions, which help bridge the digital skills gap and grow the talent pipeline in South Africa. With her qualifications and extensive experience in management consulting, she has worked across industries to deliver customer strategies and innovative technology platforms.
As the head of Partnerships and Strategic Client Engagements at The Collective X, Fran is deeply invested in addressing unemployment in South Africa. Her role involves creating impactful solutions to bridge the digital skills gap in the country. Through her work, Fran has contributed to the establishment of a national digital skills initiative, coordinating efforts to deliver essential digital skills efficiently and effectively.
Charity serves as the Finance Executive for The Collective X. Her responsibilities include overseeing Opex and Sustainability, Governance policies, Financial Modeling, Legal and Contracting, as well as preparing Annual Financial Statements for the entity. She has 30 years of experience in finance, primarily in the corporate and banking sectors. Charity is a Wits Alumni with various qualifications in Financial Accounting and Tax.
Tim focuses on Partner Enablement and Funding Innovation at The Collective X, leading initiatives to bridge the digital skills gaps in South Africa. He has worked in corporate finance and private equity and also founded a technology business, taking Google’s Enterprise and cloud solutions to market as a premier partner in South Africa. Tim holds an Honours degree in Investment Management from the University of Johannesburg.