In 2019 we have grown substantially as a business not only in terms of revenue, but also in terms of people. With the acquisition of two new subsidiaries and additional talent to enable us to deliver exceptional service to a new large multinational client, our workforce count increased to over 1,200 people. It is important that all our new recruits understand and share AYO’s vision and future direction. So, my focus, to a large extend, has been on internal communications – making sure that our people are informed of our narrative, of who we are and what our role in contributing to South Africa’s digital transformation is.

I have also dedicated a large amount of time, together with the remuneration committee, on reviewing and optimising AYO’s employee value proposition. Our vision of becoming the leader of 4IR in South Africa and beyond cannot be achieved without talented, engaged and motivated employees, so transforming AYO into the ICT “employer of choice” in the country has been our top priority.

2019 started with a brand-new executive team for AYO – not just myself, but also a new CEO (Howard Plaatjes) and CFO (Tatenda Bundo). It wasn’t the smoothest of starts into this new tenure for us, as the Company was challenged on a number of levels during the period – from regulators to media speculations. Our interim unaudited financial results had to be audited. The value of our business and subsidiaries was contested. So, a large proportion of our time was spent responding to queries, defending our integrity and explaining our position, rather than driving growth for the business and creating value for our stakeholders.

Nevertheless, we managed to stand strong and achieve some very important milestones amidst putting out all these fires. We have streamlined many of our business processes, set up collaborative platforms for our subsidiaries and assembled an excellent team. We are confident our business is solid and has proven its resilience, is geared to move forward driving innovation, value and growth for our customers and our society.

So 2020 is a year we look forward to with great enthusiasm. We feel like the tedious (if I can call it that) groundwork has been done and while we will, of course, continue to improve and optimise our processes, we have some exciting projects in the pipeline that we will be bringing to life.

My focus going into the new year is on stakeholder relationships. While, we have done some very important work and have contributed to having an impact on people and various areas of the business, I feel like we could have done a better job at sharing those successes with the broader community. Proactive and timeous communication with all stakeholders is what builds brand trust and today, more than ever, customers and society need brands they can trust and rely on. We will engage with the various stakeholder clusters in our ecosystem; invite them to communicate and collaborate; share our plans, progress and stumbling blocks as well as encourage their participation and welcome their input.

We are currently in the process of redesigning our website and overhauling other communication channels to not just become more accessible to our stakeholders but also to add value to their lives – be it via introducing them to the latest technology innovations from around the globe, sharing best practices in terms of process optimisation, for example, or hosting technology summits. As we have said on numerous occasions, AYO’s vision is to drive the 4th Industrial Revolution in South Africa, and our online presence is the first step in that direction. The internet is now firmly established as the go-to information source for everyone on any topic and it is important that our “virtual home” provides the information, inspiration and tools that enable our audience to join and benefit from this “digital progress”.

Broadcast media is also at the heart of our communication plans for 2020 with some very fresh and exciting collaborations currently in the making. Our engagement with media in the past has been largely reactive and we haven’t been taking full advantage of the opportunities such channels present to connect with the public. So, we have developed an innovative concept for the new year to better utilise the media networks, which aims to delight and entertain but simultaneously create real opportunities for individuals and small businesses to enter and grow into the exciting field of ICT.

This will be supported by further investment in and development of the AYO Academy, our ground-breaking skills development initiative, which again, delivers real value and opportunities for participants.

Essentially our communication plans are based on “show” rather than “tell”. AYO is a company with strong vision and capabilities. We are confident that we will deliver positive results for all sectors of business and society. 2020 is the year we are turning our plans to reality. Through implementing bold projects we will take our rightful place as the leader of the South African ICT industry and 4th Industrial Revolution. Ultimately, AYO’s success is measured by how we contribute to improving livelihoods, while delivering superior returns to our shareholders and adding significant value to all our employees and stakeholders.