Dimension Data CEO on how the pandemic has changed IT needs for businesses

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed businesses to innovate, and IT company Dimension Data has been at the forefront of finding solutions to support businesses during these challenging times. Werner Kapp, the CEO of Dimension Data, recently spoke to CNBC Africa about the key trends dominating the industry and the company's strategies moving forward. Kapp highlighted the shift towards hybrid work models, with a significant percentage of businesses opting to continue remote work even after the pandemic subsides. He mentioned that about 62-70% of Dimension Data's customers plan to adopt a hybrid approach to work, signaling a lasting change in the workforce dynamics. With remote work becoming the norm, there has been a significant investment in IT infrastructure, particularly in data centers across the African continent. Despite the growth potential, only about 1% of South Africa's data center co-location supply is currently available on the continent, presenting an opportunity for expansion and development. Kapp emphasized the importance of managing hybrid clouds effectively to support remote work setups and enable seamless operations. In addition to infrastructure investments, Kapp highlighted the growing need for businesses to engage with customers in new ways, moving away from traditional call centers towards more personalized and interactive communication channels. The CEO also discussed Dimension Data's entry into the African market, noting the region's potential for rapid digital transformation due to the lack of legacy infrastructure. He stressed the importance of staying relevant in the evolving digital landscape and leveraging the strengths of their parent company, NTT Limited, to deliver value to clients. Despite the progress in digital transformation, Kapp acknowledged that Africa still lags behind other global regions in terms of digitization trends and infrastructure development. He pointed to the emergence of hyperscalers like AWS and Microsoft in the South African market as a positive sign of growth and opportunity. The conversation also touched on government regulations and the need for streamlined processes to facilitate industry growth.