Africa’s converged open-access digital infrastructure leader, WIOCC Group, parent company of award-winning and fast-growing data centre company Open Access Data Centres (OADC), and WIOCC, Africa’s digital hyperscale carrier, has doubled its marketing and communications team to support the Group’s expanding international, regional and national client base.
The introduction of a number of experienced senior recruits into the WIOCC Group marketing team further highlights the Group’s commitment to Africa, adding unique local skills and knowledge to expand business across the continent.
Each of the four new marketing recruits – Greg Sellars, Head of Brand and Communications; and Country Marketing Managers Motlatsi Sibeko (South Africa), Huguette Kalala (Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC) and Adesola Adesugba (Nigeria) – has excellent, blue-chip company experience. The team will work closely with WIOCC Group leadership to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy that aligns with the Group’s business goals, objectives and client delight initiatives.
Greg Sellars – Head, Brand & Communications. Based in WIOCC’s Johannesburg office, Greg brings a wealth of industry and marketing experience, having led marketing and brand for several ICT and Telecoms organisations, including South African Tier 1 carrier provider, BitCo Telecoms. Greg leads the team responsible for corporate brand and communications, excluding activities specific to South Africa, Nigeria and DRC which are covered by newly appointed Country Marketing Managers.
The creation of the three Country Marketing Manager roles places dedicated, expert marketing resource in country to develop the three key growth markets of South Africa, DRC and Nigeria.
Motlatsi Sibeko – Country Marketing Manager, South Africa. Also based in Jo’burg, Motlatsi is an experienced senior technology marketing leader whose previous roles include heading up marketing for Dimension Data Middle East and Africa and Senior Marketing and Communications Manager at Microsoft South Africa. She will be instrumental in driving the uptake of OADC’s unique core-to-edge proposition in South Africa, planning and implementing marketing initiatives focused on client service propositions involving the 4 core data centres – in Jo’burg, Cape Town x 2 and Durban – and network of 30+ edge data centres in business hubs throughout South Africa.
Huguette Kalala – Country Marketing Manager, DRC Congolese Computer Science graduate Huguette is a DRC telecoms sector specialist who has previously worked for Tigo, Orange and Liquid Intelligent Technologies. As well as instigating and leading a programme of marketing initiatives to drive uptake of co-location services at OADC Kinshasa, due to go live mid-2023, Kinshasa-based Huguette’s responsibilities include local events, advertising, messaging localisation, local media and journalist relationships, local campaigns and local social media.
Adesola Adesugba – Country Marketing Manager, Nigeria. Based in Lagos, communications strategist Adesola has over 10 years’ experience across the Telecommunications, Health, Consulting and Financial sectors, including being the Marketing Communications Team Lead at MainOne. She is working closely with the West Africa Sales team to attract new clients into OADC’s flagship Lagos data centre, and to promote WIOCC’s expanding network delivery capability in the region.
The new recruits join Marketing and Communications Manager Linda Okal, and Marketing Assistants Elser Mita and Joyce Muriithi, within the expanded and restructured Marketing team, which is headed up by Mike Last, Group Chief Marketing Officer
The expansion and restructuring of the marketing team is part of the Group’s broader growth strategy, which seeks to strengthen its position as the leading converged open-access digital infrastructure provider across Africa.
Investing in marketing strengthens the Group’s ability to engage collaboratively with clients and prospects, communicate its value propositions and facilitate ecosystem growth in key markets. It will improve engagement with the cloud operators, content providers, broadband and mobile network operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that depend on converged open-access digital infrastructure to deliver more cost-effective, high-performance and accessible voice, data and internet applications and content to businesses and consumers across the continent.
“We are excited to announce this expansion of our marketing team, which will be a key enabler to achieving WIOCC Group’s growth objectives and continuing to increase our market presence,” said Mike Last, Group Chief Marketing Officer, WIOCC Group. “Our investment in marketing reflects our commitment to delivering value to our clients and driving growth for our business.”