GDS International's CIO Africa Summit Set To Tackle Top IT Leadership Topics in Africa for 2012

BRISTOL, England, January 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

On 17-19 April, leading CIOs from the region's biggest firms will be descending on South Africa's Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa for what promises to be the best attended and most well respected event for information technology professionals in Africa during 2012 - the CIO Africa Summit.

Kevin Kinyanjui, CIO at Kenya Airways; Malcolm Laing, Group CIO at Investec; and Colin Prince, CIO at Petro SA, are among the delegates scheduled to attend the upcoming summit. IT leaders from First National Bank, GE, De Beers, SAB Miller and Absa Bank are also attending.

Samuel Phogishio, Kenyan Minister of Information and Communication, attended the previous event at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. "This kind of conference is very important for networking, and is something that Africa needs to do more of," he said. "CIOs will definitely benefit from this, and knowing that CIOs from major - if not mega - companies are in attendance really gives us a benchmark and sets the standard."

The event is designed specifically to help forward-thinking CIOs meet today's IT challenges while planning for those of tomorrow. As well as comprehensive workshops, the summit will involve panel discussions offering delegates moderated, peer-led discussions on major industry issues. One-to-one meetings give delegates the chance to meet with business analysts and solution providers to discuss strategy and technology demands in a rapidly evolving business climate.

Alastair O'Hara, Director at GDS International - the global business event company behind CIO Africa - believes the summit's high calibre of speakers and exciting content, combined with fantastic opportunities for networking, give delegates and sponsors real value for money and return on their investment and ensures that CIO Africa stands out against other events.

"This year's CIO Africa Summit is designed specifically with the CIO in mind - exploring and defining the emerging disciplines critical to organisational effectiveness," he says. "Now more than ever, CIOs will only respond and commit to those solution providers who can link tangible cost benefits with the solutions they provide. The CIO Africa Summit will provide a vital forum for communication and the ideal framework for new business relationships to flourish."

See what previous delegates had to say about the event at http://www.cioafricasummit.com/

About GDS International:

GDS International is one of the most innovative events and media companies worldwide and a globally renowned producer of business-to-business summits, conferences, online information and advisory group gatherings.

Founded in 1993, GDS International specialises in meeting the B2B marketing needs of our clients. Having a strong presence in mature industrial sectors but a finger on the pulse of emerging markets - as well as up-and-coming B2B business verticals - means we are perfectly placed to capitalise on the exciting developments brought about by the advent of a globalised economy.

Our value proposition is simple: we deliver tangible business results from world-class events. http://www.gdsinternational.com  

Contact: Rachel Sandeman (Rachel.Sandeman@gdsinternational.com) Tel: +441179261450