With more than two decades of IT and delivery leadership across banking, insurance and financial services, Zakiyya Cassimjee steps into a new role as IT executive at Ardagh Glass Packaging Africa.
Zakiyya Cassimjee began her career as a software developer at Nedbank in 2001, working her way through IT project management, programme delivery, and consulting roles across banking, insurance, aviation and financial services. Most recently she served as chief information officer at Astute Financial Services Exchange, a position she held for four years before taking on her new role as IT executive at Ardagh Glass Packaging Africa.
CIO South Africa caught up with Zakiyya as she settles into her new chapter.
As you kick off this new chapter, what’s your go-to approach to getting acquainted with the landscape of your new company?
I step into this new environment with a genuine sense of curiosity and intention. For me, it’s about taking the time to really understand what drives the business, where value is being created, where the pain points are and how technology can better support business value.
Listening deeply is a big part of that. Connecting across all levels across the organisation, because the richest insights often come from the people closest to the work. At the same time, I am connecting patterns and themes, and looking for ways where IT can bring greater clarity, stability and flow to the business.
How do you plan to make an impact in your first few months?
I am focused on building steady, meaningful momentum. That means identifying a few key areas where we can make a real difference early by removing friction, enabling teams and improving how the business operates on a day-to-day basis.
Equally important to me is building a sense of partnership. It’s not just about solving problems, but about creating shared confidence in where we’re going and how we’ll get there, together.
What do some of the challenges look like that you will be facing in the new role?
IT environments naturally come with complexity, whether that’s legacy systems, shifting priorities, or the pace of change. I see these less as obstacles and more as opportunities to evolve.
The balance between stability and transformation is critical, and it requires a considered, steady approach. Just as important is how we bring people along on that journey – because lasting change only happens when people feel included, supported and part of the process.
What's your playbook for navigating these twists and turns, as well as the unknown ones that might come your way?
My approach is grounded in clarity, trust and adaptability. I believe in setting a clear direction that aligns to the organisation’s strategy, while remaining open and responsive as things shift.
There will always be unknowns, and that’s part of any meaningful journey. What matters is staying anchored to a clear purpose, being transparent along the way and creating space for honest dialogue. When trust is strong, people feel more confident navigating uncertainty and that’s when teams really come together.
What is your leadership approach, and how do you hope to get the best out of the teams you will be working with?
I lead in a way that is deeply people-centred. For me, it’s about creating an environment where individuals feel safe to contribute, are supported to grow and trusted to take ownership of their tasks and career paths.
I bring a balance of clarity and empathy, being clear on expectations while making space for people to be heard and valued. When people feel seen and trusted, they step forward with confidence and that’s where you start to see teams do their best work in a very natural and sustainable way.
And finally – what will your first course of action be?
My first priority is connection, building relationships with the team and understanding the broader business context. Establishing trust early creates a strong foundation for everything that follows.
From there, I take a thoughtful view of where we are today, what’s working well, where support is needed and where we can strengthen. That allows me to take deliberate, well-informed action that builds early momentum, while setting a calm, purposeful tone for the journey ahead.
At the heart of it, it’s about showing up! Showing up with intention, bringing people with you and quietly but consistently getting the right things done for better business value.
