Ahead of this year’s Women in Tech Africa conference in Cape Town, running from 18th-19th March, we checked in with four of our inspirational speakers.
Here’s what you can expect from Shavani Naidoo, Wambui Kinya, Joylynn Kirui and Asha Patel at this groundbreaking conference in South Africa. These ladies will be sharing their knowledge of the sector and tips on how to succeed in a male-dominated industry, encouraging other female tech workers to progress in the field and smash that glass ceiling. They join over 70 speakers from a selection of the world’s leading technology companies and more than 300 attendees at our two-day event.
Women in Tech Africa is part of the world's largest Women in Tech World Series.
To view the agenda, click here. To request a brochure, click here.
Shavani Naidoo – Senior Expert - Data Science @ Primedia
'Creating An Enterprise Roadmap to Data Science' – 12:10, 18th March, The Future of Africa is Tech.
Businesses that choose to improve their algorithmic and data science capabilities will find more success in 2019. In light of the trend towards augmented analytics that automate tasks using machine learning or other data science techniques that extract greater insight, this session will define how to move beyond performing pockets of analytics.
Key takeaways:
• Learning how to embed data science capabilities across your enterprise as a core part of your day-to-day business.
• Identifying how these data points can be used to enable a raft of innovation.
• Clarity on the steps to securely gather, store and access high quality data.
• Gaining a clear understanding on how to deliver maximum ROI through data strategy and modelling.
• Identifying how to grow, motivate and retain the right data science-related talent.
Wambui Kinya – VP, Success @ Andela
'Top 10 Hot Tech Roles on the Rise in Africa' – 12:25, 18th March, Sustaining Africa's Next-Gen Workplace & Talent.
It is more important than ever to define the skillsets needed to survive and thrive in a digital Africa. This session will present the hottest tech-roles right now and what you need to do in order to get there. What jobs will be disrupted in this drive to digital and which roles will be susceptible to automation? Come to this session to uncover the specific roles and skillsets you need to know in order to stay relevant.
Key takeaways:
• Defining the most in-demand roles, skills and job titles in tech in 2019 and the forces shaping it.
• Understanding how digital and emerging technologies are changing the future of work.
• Learning about approaches for companies and institutions to find the right talent and retain it.
• Gaining strategies for businesses to redeploy and up-skill their current employees.
• Identifying the roadmap to future-proof your skillset so that advancements in AI and robotics won’t threaten your employment opportunities.
Joylynn Kirui – Senior Technology Security Assurance Officer @ Safaricom
'Implications of AI & Blockchain on Cybercrime and Security in Africa' –12:30, 18th March, The Future of Africa is Tech.
AI can both be weaponised as a cyber-threat and be autonomously deployed to fight back against in-progress attacks. On the other hand, blockchain can also be used to weaponise DDoS attacks, Decentralised ID, Fraud protection, or even private messaging. This session will navigate the advances of AI and blockchain, addressing the 'immune system' model for cybersecurity and the limitations of legacy approaches to information security for Africa.
Key takeaways:
• Exploring the 2019 threat landscape in Africa.
• Understanding how AI & Blockchain can take cybersecurity to the next level - from DDos attacks, Malware, Spyware, Phishing and more.
• Gaining best practice on the tools needed for intelligence information sharing.
Asha Patel – Head of Marketing @ Google South Africa
'5 Important Career Lessons Most People Learn Too Late in Life' – 14:30, 19th March, Gamechangers in Diversity & Inclusion.
Throughout your career, you will always receive good and bad advice – but if you're smart, you'll be able to learn as much as possible from the mistakes of others and avoid the pitfalls that mature veterans experience late in their careers! This session will share 5 of the most valuable bits of career advice and how they still adhere to today.
Key takeaways:
• Defining key career lessons everyone working in tech should take to heart early in their careers.
• Learning from the top mistakes people make when progressing in their career.
• Hearing anecdotes about rising through the ranks in Africa's tech scene.
Click here to register for tickets and supercharge your career like these women. We hope to see you at the conference!
