AI EXPO Africa

Speakers

AI Expo Africa 2025

Connecting local, regional & global 4IR thought leadership across Africa

Africa’s Largest Artificial Intelligence & Intelligent Automation Trade Show & Conference – Connecting Enterprise Buyers with Global & Local Suppliers

(3 Day Event) 29th-31st October 2025
Sandton Convention Centre, JHB, South Africa

4 Tracks

As with previous years our speaking programme is broken down into the following 4 tracks with a wide range of global, regional and local presenters, panels and keynotes.

INNOVATION & STRATEGY

Talks showcasing research, innovation, standards, ethics, policy & governance

PLATFORMS & PROCESS

Talks on platforms, tools & business process change utilising AI / IA / RPA or bespoke solutions

CASE STUDIES

Talks showcasing real-world business, societal or AI 4 Good use cases focusing on lessons learned & best practice

TECHNOLOGY DEMOS

Deeper dive demos with a focus on the technical complexity of new & emerging 4IR technologies

Themes for AI Expo Africa 2025

Themes

  • ML / DL / Gen AI Business Solutions
  • RPA / Intelligent Automation
  • Chatbots / Conversational AI / LLMs
  • Big Data / Data Ops / Analytics
  • Cloud / Data Centre / Storage / Super Computing
  • ML Ops / ML Commons
  • Security / DevSecOps
  • IoT / 5G / Mobile / Edge
  • Smart Devices / Hardware
  • Autonomous Systems / Industrial Robots
  • AR / VR / Mixed Reality / Metaverse / Web3
  • Creative Media / Generative AI
  • Training / Education & Skills
  • Women & Youth in AI
  • Applied University R&D
  • AI4Good / Ethics / Privacy / Standards
  • Regulation / Policy / Responsible AI
  • Smart Cities / Smart Society & Smart Citizen
  • National AI Strategies / Community Building / Investing

The amazing speakers that joined us in 2024

This year we were again joined by a truly diverse mix of local, regional and global thought leaders.  Our speakers cover a wide range of disciplines and subjects, including; Enterprise AI and IA deployment, case studies, platforms, strategy, tech demos, Gen AI, LLMs, regulation, ethics,  policy, national strategy, talent acquisition, analytics, development frameworks and CX / UI / UX to name but a few.

AI Expo Africa Speakers, Panelists & Moderators

Deputy Minister Mondli Gungubele

Deputy Minister Dept Communications & Digital Technologies

Simon See

Global Head of NVAITC: Nvidia Corp

Singapore

Sipho Mtombeni

Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager: Google

South Africa

Mlindi Mashologu

Department of Communication & Digital Technologies – DDG

South Africa

Avashna Govender

NLP Research Group Leader: CSIR

South Africa

Robin Kuepers

Director of Solutions, Product & Solution Group: Supermicro

Netherlands

Len Pienaar

Managing Director: AdvanceGuidance

South Africa

Guillem Martínez Roura

AI and Robotics Programme Officer: International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Claudio Fassiotti

EMEA Enterprise Senior Sales Manager – Smart Spaces: NVIDIA

Italy

Thembi Myeni

Head Digital Learning & Experience Design: Nedbank

South Africa

Rod Crawford

Director Software Technologies: Arm

USA

Vladimir Vukovic

Senior Solution Product Manager: Supermicro

Netherlands

Brendan van Staaden

Chief AI Officer MoData: MoData (Pty) Ltd

South Africa

Thomas Basikolo

Program Officer: International Telecommunication Union

Switzerland

Linda Saunders

Director Solution Engineering Africa: Salesforce

South Africa

Francesco Petruccione

Director: National Institute for Theoretical Physics and Computational Sciences

South Africa

Topside Mathonsi

Associate Professor and HoD: Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa

Ed Jones

Strategic CX & Digital Transformation Advisor: Verint

United Kingdom

Charles Murito

Regional Director Sub-Saharan Africa: Government Affairs and Public Policy - Google

Kenya

Celina Lee

CEO: Zindi

South Africa

Russ Bartley

Director: Powercube

UK

Kunal Jain

Founder & CEO: Analytics Vidhya

India

Mark Nasila

Chief Data and Analytics Officer - FNB Risk: First National Bank

South Africa

Daniel Charters

Data Scientist: The KID Group

South Africa

Lydia Gathoni

Manager, Digital Innovations: Jubilee Insurance

Kenya

Greg Williams

Regional Sales VP, South Africa: UiPath

South Africa

Peter Ing

Founder: Ingenuity IoT Pty LTD

South Africa

Ekow Duker

co-Founder: Zindi

South Africa

Nathan-Ross Adams

Founder & MD: ITLawCo

South Africa

Ethel Heine

Business Executive: Intelligent Automation - AIForged

South Africa

Jay Van Zyl

CEO: ecosystem.Ai

USA

Anish Kurien

Acting Director: TUT Hub of AI-ISA: Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa

Thabang Mathonsi

Head of Strategic Amaytics: ABSA Group

South Africa

Matthew Farquhar

Senior Sales Consultant: Yooz / Interface System SA

South Africa

Karen Walstra

Educational Consultant: Karen Walstra Consulting / KWC Evolve School

South Africa

Keith Jones

Founder: Sw7

South Africa

Chris Mabhele

CEO: Akili IT Services

South Africa

Gregg Barrett

CEO, Cirrus AI

South Africa

Tapiwa Chiwewe

Principal AI Specialist: CSIR

South Africa

Samantha Wolhuter

Board Member: Crisis Cognition

South Africa

Dr Nick Bradshaw

Director SA AI Association

South Africa

Daniel Wertheimer

Chapter Lead: Data Science - Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe: Heineken

South Africa

Jacobus Eksteen

CEO: Matogen Applied Insights

South Africa

Dawood Patel

CEO: Helm

South Africa

Eva Spina

Director General and Head of the Department for Digital, Connectivity and New Technologies, Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy

Italy

Jan Hnizdo

CEO: Teraco Data Environment (Pty) Ltd

South Africa

Tshega Mampshika

Technology Director: AlgoAtWork

South Africa

Angus Hay

Regional Executive: South Africa - Africa Data Centres

South Africa

Kabelo Mtshazwe

Co-Founder & CEO: Photon Data

South Africa

Marieme Diop

VC Investor: International Finance Corporation

Senegal

Charl Muller

Executive Head: Personalisation COE, Digital Money Manager (PFM) and Data Science Mastery Programme - Standard Bank Group

South Africa

Harrison Li

Solution Architect: Huawei

South Africa

Omar Jagne

Partnerships Lead: AI and Data for Sustainable Development, UNDP

USA

Werner Stucky

CEO: Stubber Inc

South Africa

Michele McCain

Head of Interconnection & Peering: Teraco Data Environment (Pty) Ltd

South Africa

Julius Segole

Head: Technical Sales & Operations: Boxfusion

South Africa

Nanjun Zhang

Senior IT Product Manager: Huawei

South Africa

Ruchir Patel

VP - Business Development: Rysun Labs (Pty) Ltd.

South Africa

Simon Stewart

Head of Engineering: The AI Shop

South Africa

Naomi Molefe

Conferences and Seminars: HR Corporate Speaker

South Africa

Venkatesen Mauree

Programme Coordinator: ITU

Switzerland

Jonathan Duncan

Technical Director: Vertiv Africa

South Africa

Jacques Visagie

General Manager: AI & Services - Pinnacle

South Africa

Vincenzo Del Monaco

Minister Plenipotentiary, Deputy Diplomatic Advisor, Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy

Italy

Nicky Verd

Founder: Digitally Fit Global

South Africa

Tam Ogubai

Global Partnership Lead: Zindi

South Africa

Manav Daby

Customer Engineer - Smart Analytics: Google Cloud

South Africa

Marc Nel

Business Development Manager: Fortinet

South Africa

Roy Forbes

Senior Researcher: Wits University

South Africa

Belinda Matthews

Senior Director Marketing EMEA: Verint

UK

Turyamureeba Amon

Co-founder & Head of Operations: Hydroponic Farms Uganda

Uganda

Dhiresh Surajpal

Head of Strategic Partnerships: Google South Africa

South Africa

Tonee Ndungu

Founder: Kytabu Inc.

Kenya

Mathew Saunders

Senior Principal & Head of Investments: Future Africa

South Africa

Odette Jones

Founder: Sw7

South Africa

Hubert Danso

CEO & Chairman: Africa investor (Ai) Group

South Africa

Brandon Andrews

Co-Founder: Gauge

USA

Martin Sanne   

Managing Partner: DNH Technologies

South Africa

Thapelo Mofokeng

CEO & Founder: HAVELO TECH

South Africa

Beverley Schafer

Certified Director: Institute of Directors South Africa

South Africa

Ruan Schutte

Innovation Specialist, Futurist, Facilitator & Problem Solver: Standard Bank Group

South Africa

Ulrich  Paquet 

Executive Director: AIMS

South Africa

Thembekile Mrototo

News Anchor: Eyewitness News

South Africa

Johan Coetzee

CTO & Co-Founder: AI Diagnostics

South Africa

Nasrallah Hassan

Co-founder & Advanced Technology Lead: Birrama Digital Commerce PLC

Ethiopia

Jean-Pierre De Villiers

Account Manager: Supermicro

South Africa

Leslie Chen

Senior Marketing Manager: Huawei

South Africa