The Telesure Investment Holdings CIO is in the running for an award at the Oscars of IT.
Justin Freeman, CIO at Telesure Investment Holdings (TIH), has been nominated for the 2024 CIO Awards, widely regarded as the ‘Oscars of IT’.
TIH is a holding company for various insurance brands and business lines, namely Auto & General, Budget, First for Woman, Dial Direct, Renasa and Hippo.
Justin has a rich 24-year history in the IT industry, and has dedicated 15 years to TIH. He was appointed interim CIO in August 2019 and officially became the company’s CIO in January 2020, following an appointment by the group CEO.
Justin’s journey at TIH has been marked by steady progression. He began as a senior developer, transitioned to a systems manager role, and subsequently became the head of IT for several divisions within TIH. His roles spanned financial services, short-term insurance, strategic ventures, and production support. This diverse experience provided him with a comprehensive understanding of TIH’s operations, which he now leverages as the CIO.
His biggest challenge as CIO was enabling the business prior to the Covid-19 epidemic. Along with his team, he successfully transitioned the entire agent base to remote work within three days, ensuring no business interruptions and maintaining an above-industry standard of just one percent agent downtime during the lockdown.
The 2024 CIO Awards recognise individuals who have excelled in an IT capacity in their respective industries, built and led great teams, and effectively completed crucial initiatives in their organisations. The awards also highlight the world-class excellence that has come to be associated with South Africa’s top IT executives.
