“In a post-pandemic world, African techies are working remotely for companies worldwide. For institutions like Old Mutual, the implications are increasing competition for talent and rising costs. Countering this trend means focusing attention locally and building staff models based on the strategic locations available locally and assessing demand and supply for skills,” says Zureida Ebrahim – chief operating officer at Old Mutual Group.
“One of the cornerstones of our 2030 strategy is to drive a new skills and talent revolution in Africa. Key to achieving what we believe is the first development of its kind on the continent, OML (Old Mutual Limited) is focusing on attracting and retaining South Africa’s top tech talent for the benefit of the entity and Mzansi’s economy in general,” she concluded.
The advantages of establishing a hub were confirmed through OMLs partnerships and collaborations with many of its international partners in the tech industry that have gone this route already.
Attention had naturally turned to establishing an OML Tech Hub in Durban, where a team of expert techies led by a Global Technology Hub Executive can deliver on the strategic business goals.
“Durban has a good pool of tech skills available for the required demand. It is also home to the country’s top technology tertiary institutions and is a chosen location for some large tech companies. Old Mutual has partnered with four of the leading tech institutions in KwaZulu-Natal, two of which are ranked in the top five in South Africa.
The calibre of graduates is precisely what the organisation is looking for,” says May Govender, acting chief information officer at Old Mutual Group.
The Old Mutual Tech Hub already has a staff complement of just over 40 composed of software engineers, infosec and data skills, among others. It is envisaged that this staff complement will grow to over 100 in 2024, says Govender.
