Mmaki Jantjies

Mmaki Jantjies is one of the foremost thought leaders in digital transformation and innovation in South Africa. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Warwick (UK) and she is currently serving as the Group Executive for Innovation and Transformation at Telkom South Africa, where she established the group innovation office. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of the Western Cape and serves as a member of the South African National Advisory Council on Innovation.

In her executive role, Mmaki drives digital innovation transformation through an open innovation ecosystem to support new products and service development, scaling corporate venturing initiatives that invest in and partner with startups and SMMEs. She has also driven the adoption of emerging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, iOT and immersive technologies in one of the largest South African telcos. She continues to drive research and development collaborations with over 16 university centers of excellence and has cultivated a strong culture of innovation within and beyond the organization impacting innovation ecosystem within South Africa and the African continent.

Mmaki is a prolific scholar in technology for development with her work focused on digital inclusion in Africa, and she is passionate about building inclusive ecosystems for economic advancement. She has served in various senior academic leadership roles, at the North West University, the University of Cape Town and the University of Western Cape, having also supervised Masters and PhD students. Furthermore, she founded a non-profit organization Peo Ya Phetogo to promote digital literacy, impacting children nationwide by educating teachers in digital skills, and has launched partnerships with UN Women, Google, and the Mozilla Foundation. Prof. Jantjies is recognized internationally for her work and was a recipient of the Aspen New Voices fellowship, a member of the South African young academy of scientists (SAYAS). Her work has garnered significant recognition, emphasizing her contributions to South Africa and the African continent technology landscape.