Newly appointed Betfred’s head of IT Ebrahim Rahman shared his transition playbook with CIO South Africa ahead of his new chapter starting on 3 August, explaining why his first months will focus on listening and alignment.
“As I begin this new chapter, my priority is to understand before I act,” says Betfred South Africa’s new head of IT Ebrahim Rahman told CIO South Africa, in an exclusive interview.
Instead of enforcing immediate technological modifications, Ebrahim has chosen to adopt a deliberate listening first strategy when he steps into his new role on 3 August. He plans to spend his first few months observing operations and building relationships across the business.
“One of the leadership principles I have always valued comes from Stephen Covey: ‘Seek first to understand, then to be understood,’” Ebrahim says.
“I believe the best decisions come from listening first – understanding the business, the culture, the people and what has contributed to the organisation's success.”
Ebrahim notes that the existing IT team at the UK-based independent bookmaker already possesses strong technical capability and operational discipline. Drawing on the philosophy of Michael Watkins’s The First 90 Days, he plans to invest his initial months aligning technology with business objectives rather than changing systems for the sake of change.
“I will be investing time with the executive committee and business leaders to understand their strategic priorities, challenges and aspirations,” he explains. “The leadership team has a compelling vision for growth, and my role is to ensure that technology is not only aligned to that vision but is actively enabling it. Technology should be more than a support function – it should be a catalyst for innovation, growth and competitive advantage.”
He adds that positioning IT on the executive committee requires leading change effectively across the business. Grounding his approach in John Kotter's Leading Change, Ebrahim emphasises that successful transformation relies on aligning people with a shared vision.
“Technology change is usually the easy part – bringing people along on the journey is where the real work happens,” Ebrahim shares. “My focus will be on listening, building trust, communicating openly and making sure every technology investment clearly supports the company's growth strategy. When people understand the 'why' behind the change, they are far more likely to embrace it.”
Expanding Betfred's South African footprint
Ebrahim's appointment takes effect on 3 August, when he will take full accountability of the IT function for Betfred South Africa.
The gaming company has become an established part of the local landscape following a series of strategic acquisitions, now spanning over 60 physical betting shops and a rapidly growing online platform.
Prior to joining Betfred, Ebrahim served as head of IT at Epson Middle East from 2024. His extensive track record in systems integration and application management includes roles as the SAP IT applications manager at Coca-Cola Beverages Africa and SAP integration manager at BCX.
He also spent a decade with UCS Solutions, where he occupied various roles, including cloud delivery manager and SAP client delivery manager.
He studied electrical engineering at Durban University of Technology, completed Stellenbosch University’s management development programme and holds multiple SAP certifications. He has recently completed a computer science bachelor degree bridging programme at Richfield, and is currently studying towards a BSc honours degree in information technology at Richfield.
