SAP has confirmed the appointment of Nazia Pillay as MD for SAP Southern Africa. Nazia stepped in as interim MD in March 2025 following the departure of CIO Awards judge, Kholiwe Makhohliso.
Nazia brings more than two decades of experience in technology, transformation and leadership. She says her tenure will focus on unlocking value in cloud, AI and digital transformation while also prioritising people. “As a people focused leader, I have also made it my longer term ambition to make our local office the best place to work in South Africa,” she says.
She has been with SAP Southern Africa since 2003, when she joined as a graduate senior consultant. Over the past 22 years she has held roles that include support architect, head of SAP Active Quality Management and SAP Customer Success Office Africa. Most recently she served as head of the partner ecosystem for MEA South.
“Nazia will bring vital expertise and leadership skills to one of SAP’s most important regions as we continue to empower youth, drive innovation within our customers and partners, and build a more inclusive, sustainable future. With companies across Southern Africa gearing up for an era of AI- and cloud-led innovation, we are especially excited to see how Nazia’s leadership will guide how organisations adopt technology as a strategic lever for national development and growth,” says Sergio Maccotta, senior vice president at SAP Middle East and Africa South.
Nazia holds a bachelor of commerce in information systems and management from Rhodes University.
