Kholiwe will take over from Cathy Smith, outgoing MD.
SAP, a German multinational software company, has appointed Kholiwe Makhohliso as the new managing director for SAP Southern Africa.
Kholiwe is a highly experienced technology executive who serves on various boards, including the alumni board of Harvard Business School. She was invited to join after participating in HBS’s programmes for leadership development (PLDA). Additionally, she holds the position of non-executive director at Kagiso Tiso Holdings (KTH), serves as a board member of the Digital Council Africa, and was previously a council member at the University of Cape Town.
Kholiwe is also a judge for the 2023 CIO Awards, which are judged by a panel of highly experienced business and finance professionals who are highly regarded by the CIO community, and industry leaders working for South Africa's leading universities, banks, advisory, IT, and law firms, as well as previous award winners.
Before joining SAP, Kholiwe held the position of country MD and technology leader at Oracle, and vice president and country MD at Software AG – a role that has been filled by Itayi Mandonga, newly appointed country leader for Software AG South Africa.
Kholiwe has a Bachelor of Accounting Science degree from the University of the Transkei and has completed several executive and leadership programmes locally and internationally.
Expressing her delight about the new role, Kholiwe took to LinkedIn to share the news. “As I step into this new role, I am filled with enthusiasm and excitement for what lies ahead. The region boasts a strong foundation of SAP customers, and I am eager to deepen our engagement with both customers and partners to drive ongoing positive impact, fuelled by technology.”
Sergio Maccotta, SAP’s senior vice president for the Middle East and Africa, congratulated Kholiwe and welcomed her aboard. He expressed his belief that her strong leadership and deep industry experience will position SAP, their partners, and their customers for strong future growth. Sergio added, “I know you will bring the same passion and mindset as you did when you recently summited Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, to help businesses in Southern Africa with their most pressing challenges.”
