Microsoft appoints new South Africa and Africa heads

3 years ago 3

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Tech giant Microsoft has appointed Lillian Barnard as Microsoft Africa president, while Kalane Rampai will replace Barnard as managing director for Microsoft South Africa.

Barnard has over 25 years of experience in the ICT industry, including stints at IBM and Vodacom, and has been serving as Microsoft South Africa’s managing director since 2019.

Microsoft said Barnard’s new position would be dedicated to unlocking opportunities for African organisations by providing them with the technology they need to “elevate and expand” their businesses.

“As African organisations of all sizes, and across every sector, pivot and adapt to changing business and customer needs, they are looking for partners that can accelerate their agility, flexibility and competitiveness, while also cutting costs and driving efficiencies,” Barnard said.

“I am deeply passionate about unlocking the potential for growth using technology to deliver real impact for businesses, communities and economies across the continent.”

Rampai has over two decades of experience in management consulting.

Microsoft said he has industry experience and a proven track record in helping customers transform their businesses, creating sustainable change and stimulating innovation to create a competitive advantage.

Rampai’s main task will be strengthening the country’s role as a key contributor to Africa’s growth through broadscale digital innovation.

“It’s an exciting time to step into this role, and I look forward to advancing the competitiveness of customers and businesses of all sizes and across industries in South Africa and the broader continent, enabling them to benefit from our strong partner ecosystem and best practices in ongoing digital transformation,” said Rampai.

Microsoft president for Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Rampai Samer Abu-Ltaif, said that Barnard and Rampai’s appointments represented a significant milestone in Microsoft’s journey to unlock opportunities for growth and innovation in Africa.

“Both Lillian’s and Kalane’s deep expertise in the ICT industry and proven success in delivering transformative solutions make them the ideal candidates to help us achieve our mission of creating a more connected, innovative, and prosperous Africa,” Rampai said.

“With Lillian and Kalane at the helm of our regional and local operations, respectively, we are confident that Microsoft will continue to play a pivotal role in Africa’s economic growth and success.”

The company added these two leadership appointments were part of its plan to deepen its commitment to accelerating customer transformation in Africa.

“The company was the first hyper-scale cloud provider to launch an enterprise-grade data centre region on the continent and continues to invest in a robust technology ecosystem to promote economic growth.”

Microsoft said an IDC study estimated that Microsoft and its partners would spend about $3.7 billion in Africa for services and products over the next three years.