A childhood spent in a small town saw Canon SA’s IT manager Martin Viljoen develop a self-taught resourcefulness that has shaped his independence in his IT career.
Growing up in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, a small town far from the latest technologies, Martin Viljoen learnt early that if something broke, you had to learn to fix it yourself. Understanding the inner workings of radios, televisions and eventually computers became his craft of choice. “That’s why I am independent today – I prefer to teach myself and figure out workarounds. That is what influenced how I think and operate in IT,” he says.
“My parents got a second-hand computer from the bank and within two weeks I had already disassembled it,” he laughs. “By the time I left school, it was a no-brainer what career I was going to pursue. I could already write small programmes, reinstall a PC and repair hardware. IT was my passion then and it still is today.”
That resourcefulness has stayed with Martin as he’s risen to become Canon South Africa’s IT manager, reporting directly to Canon’s group regional manager in Europe, and putting him at the heart of the global IT leadership structure.
Canon operates across Europe, the US, Australia, China and Africa, with South Africa acting as the regional hub. “I report to Canon Europe, as do my counterparts in other countries,” Martin explains. “Ultimately, everything IT-related in South Africa passes through me.”
While his team is small, Martin stresses the collaborative nature of Canon’s IT ecosystem. Regular cybersecurity and ICAB (IT change advisory board) meetings connect him with international colleagues. To ensure the South African team is fully supported, Martin regularly engages with the European support teams to seek assistance and collaborate on resolving Priority 1 incidents by logging tickets through the appropriate channels.
Martin says that if asked, colleagues would likely describe him as a calm and approachable IT leader who consistently avails himself, not just to his team but to anyone in the company. “Sometimes people ask me things that are not even IT-related, and I still do my best to help. It builds trust. Of course, you need to be firm too as a leader, but always approachable.”
Balancing innovation and governance
This extends beyond how Martin builds relationships into shaping better ways for people to work, and says his greatest satisfaction comes from helping people work smarter: “I’ve seen employees spend hours on a task. After some automation and clever thinking, we reduce it to just a few minutes. That’s the biggest joy for me – implementing something that reduces workload and improves the quality of the work.”
His approach to life and work also extends to how he builds his team. “Technical skills matter, but I look for curiosity and independence. People who want to learn and can translate IT into business terms. Communication is crucial, if you set expectations clearly, half the problems are solved.”
He doesn’t believe that being approachable means avoiding hard conversations and one of his biggest challenges is ensuring departments follow IT governance. “Often, teams want to implement new software without consulting IT. The tools are good, but they carry risks – cybersecurity, data privacy and compliance risks. To address it, we sit down with departments, explain the risks and outline our requirements. Crucially, we also secure buy-in from directors. That way, if a department resists, the leadership reinforces that compliance is non-negotiable,” he explains.
This approach, he says, is also vital in cybersecurity. “People assume threats come mainly from external hackers but often the biggest challenge is internal, when departments want to bypass security protocols. That’s why governance, director support and clear communication are key.”
Canon has embedded security awareness into its culture and Martin has brought in some of that childhood passion into making systems secure. He explains his team conducts frequent phishing simulations which are gamified. They also prioritise celebrating positive results. “We send out fabricated hacker emails and track who reports them. Our tool, PhishMe, allows employees to flag suspicious emails. If it’s a test, they get a congratulatory message. We even publish the names of those who spot phishing attempts on our internal platform. It creates a positive culture around security,” he says.
Training is also structured into onboarding and reinforced in regular meetings. “The effort pays off. People are more alert and security becomes part of their everyday work,” he adds.
A cautious approach to AI
Martin also believes in structured reflection and self-discipline. “Every day I book focus time in my calendar. Even if I don’t know what I’ll focus on, it creates space to review. On Fridays, I reflect on the week to figure out what took too long, why and how I can reduce it next week. That discipline helps me constantly improve.”
One area of improvement and growth is in terms of digital transformation, something Martin says Canon takes a careful, unified approach to. “We’ve built an IT ecosystem that ensures consistent policies across all regions. It’s what drives transformation and strengthens compliance.”
Artificial intelligence is part of this journey, but Canon ensures it’s carefully managed. “We allow employees to use Microsoft Copilot, because we have an agreement with Microsoft. Other AI tools are not permitted. If a department wants to use AI, they must submit a business case that goes all the way to our group CIO in Europe.
“For example, HR is working on an AI model to analyse company policies and provide instant answers. That could be powerful. But overall, we’re cautious. AI can be useful, but it can also be harmful if uncontrolled.”
Martin says he unwinds by designing products, enjoying the outdoors and tinkering, this time on much larger objects than the computers from his childhood! “I love 3D printing, fishing, camping and mountain biking. I also have two 4x4s, a Jeep Rubicon and a Jeep Grand Cherokee, that I’m always upgrading. It’s a way to clear my mind and challenge myself.”
If he weren’t in IT, Martin says he would be in product design and manufacturing. “I like creating things that are not only functional, but also stylish. It ties back to my hobbies.”
