Mteto Nyati, CEO of Altron, engaged in a live Q&A with Topco Media CEO, Ralf Fletcher.

After the virtual 6th Annual Top Empowerment Conference this year – which brought together a trusted network of top companies, entrepreneurs and leaders embracing technology, transformation and innovation in Africa – Mteto Nyati, CEO of Altron, engaged in a live Q&A with Topco Media CEO, Ralf Fletcher.

In this informative discussion, Mteto and Ralf discuss making effective change within an organisation and the importance of really listening to those around you – making them feel heard. Mteto also discusses the importance of strengthening ourselves in the digital space.

Key takeaways to listen out for in this Q&A session:

• It’s often daunting to set goals that seem unachievable, but once everyone has a clear vision and strategy, they become motivated towards achieving them.
• It’s vital to make sure people feel heard.
• Successful leading requires empathy and sensitivity.
• Factor in the way people are hearing what you say – how are they interpreting it?
• Without employees, there is no business. Take an interest in their livelihood and treat them as equals.
• We need to strengthen our capabilities into this new digital space we find ourselves in.

Mteto Nyati joined Altron in April 2017 and is responsible for transforming the company into a world-class information and communications technology company that does good business while doing good.

Mteto was previously Chief Executive Officer of MTN South Africa, where he succeeded in returning the mobile company to growth by overhauling employee engagement and transforming customer experience.

Over a period of 12 years, Mteto held various leadership positions at IBM in South Africa and Europe. He later joined Microsoft South Africa, where he was MD for six years.

In 2020, Mteto was recognised by the South African Professional Services Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Management. The previous year, he won the Business Leader of the Year award at the All African Business Leaders Awards and the IPM CEO Special Award from the Institute of People Management. Mteto was the joint winner of South Africa’s 2013 IT Personality of the Year and in 2004, was named one of Yale University’s World Fellows on Global Leadership.

Mteto is author of the number one bestseller, Betting on a Darkie, a book about his life as a shopkeeper’s son, family man and business leader at local and multinational corporates.

He holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Natal.