Thabo Ndlela: Technology Speaker

Technology keynote speaker and former CIO Thabo Ndlela helps leaders navigate digital disruption, IT governance, and business transformation to create sustainable value and future-ready organisations.

Quick Facts:

  • Highlights:
    • Former CIO across manufacturing, hospitality, banking, and media sectors
    • Board advisor on IT strategy, governance, and digital transformation
    • Regular keynote speaker at major technology and business conferences
    • Specialist in digital disruption, innovation, and enterprise systems
  • Formats:

    Technology keynote speaker and board-level strategic advisor

  • Audience:

    Boards, C-suite executives, CIOs, technology leaders, supply chain executives, and organisations navigating digital transformation.

  • Outcomes:
    1. Clear understanding of digital disruption and innovation trends
    2. Practical frameworks for IT governance and board oversight
    3. Actionable insight to align technology with business strategy
Reading time: 2 min
Reviews: (0 reviews)
  • Travels from: Johannesburg

Keynote Topics

  • Technology Disruption
  • Digital Innovation
  • Business Transformation
  • IT Governance for Boards
  • Supply Chain Management

Talent Short Bio

Thabo Ndlela is a seasoned technology executive, board advisor, and keynote speaker with more than 18 years of practical experience in Information Technology Management, Digital Transformation, and Supply Chain Management. He has an exceptional track record as a Chief Information Officer across multiple industries, including manufacturing, hospitality, banking, and media.

Thabo is trusted by company boards to provide strategic advisory on IT strategy, IT governance, enterprise architecture, and large-scale transformation programmes. His work focuses on aligning technology investments with business strategy to drive sustainability, competitiveness, and long-term value creation.

As an industry thought leader, Thabo is a regular speaker at leading regional and international forums, including Gartner, SAPICS, Manufacturing Indaba, Oil and Gas Africa, ITWeb Events, Marcus Evans, and Brainstorm CIO Forums. His keynote topics span technology disruption, digital innovation, enterprise transformation, mobile and social technologies, IT governance for boards, and advanced supply chain optimisation.

Thabo Ndlela is an exceptional business executive with more than 18 years of practical experience in Information Technology Management, Digital Transformation and Supply Chain Management. He has an impeccable track record as a Chief Information Officer in Manufacturing, Hospitality, Banking and Media Industries.

He provides strategic advisory to company boards on IT Strategy, IT Governance, Enterprise Architecture and Transformation Projects.

Thabo Ndlela is an industry thought leader, research contributor and frequent speaker at conferences such as Gartner, SAPICS, Manufacturing Indaba, Oil and Gas Africa, ITWeb Events, Marcus Evans and Brainstorm CIO Forums.

Thabo Ndlela relates the latest trends of digital technology in layman analogies from his diverse and rich life experiences, from growing up in a rural farming village to be named the 2015 Visionary CIO Finalist.

Thabo has summited Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa; completed the Trans Baviaan, the 247km toughest single stage mountain bike race in the world; and water rafted the Zambezi river, the fourth-longest river in Africa. View full list of Speakers Q-Z

Thabo Ndlela has ticked many bucket list items, including bungee jumping the 110m Victoria Falls, playing golf at the St Andrews Old Course and attended theAbhu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix.

In 2008 Thabo Ndlela initiated the Make a Difference (MAD) housing project that fundraised and built more than 298 houses for the poor.

He has participated in 5 of the Change A Life cycling tours in Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and South Africa that have fundraised more than R30 Million for anticrime charities. Thabo often speaks at conferences to raise money for various charities.

Thabo is the Chairman of Westcon Southern Africa, Non-Executive Director of the IFS Africa Board and Independent Trustee for the Cisco Foundation. Thabo holds a BSc Electrical Engineering Degree, Masters in Information Technology and is pursuing a PhD in Commerce. He belongs to the South African Engineering Council, South African Institute of Electrical Engineers and Institute of Directors.

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