IT companies` struggle to create real returns for shareholders over the past 18 months is to come under the spotlight as industry leaders gather in Sandton tomorrow.
More than 300 delegates are expected to attend the Technology, Communications and Entertainment Summit hosted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Merrill Lynch.
"When you look at the industry two or three years ago, or even four years ago, people were talking about convergence of IT, media and telecommunications," says PwC principal consultant Werner Lindemann. "We will be looking at whether there is still convergence and, if not, what is still holding those sectors together."
The conference, which takes the form of panel discussions among leaders in IT, telecommunications and media, will focus on the principal factors affecting these industries.
The IT panel will be made up of arivia.kom CEO Zeth Malele, Dimension Data executive chairman Jeremy Ord, AST CEO Jan van Zyl, J&J Group director Jayendra Naidoo and CS Holdings CEO Annette van der Laan.
The focus of the IT module will be on the investor`s perspective. Among other things, the panel will discuss whether the shares of IT companies are undervalued by the stock market.
Also on the agenda are discussions on what South African IT companies should do to unlock value for their shareholders; whether the spate of delistings is an attempt to enrich management at the cost of shareholders; how IT companies will ensure staff retention and motivation now that share options are not as lucrative as they were three to four years ago; and the degree to which South African IT companies might have adopted the dubious financial practices recently disclosed in the US.
The telecommunications module will feature MTN South Africa MD Sifiso Dabengwa, Telkom CEO Sizwe Nxasana, Cell C chairman and CEO Talaat Laham and Vodacom deputy CEO Andrew Mthembu.
The focus will be on the second national operator, with special emphasis on whether or not the licence will be an attractive proposition against the background of the global telecoms slump.
The media sector module will also feature discussions on media-IT links, with one aspect being whether the new media model will continue to be followed in the future.
The media panel consists of SABC CEO Peter Matlare, Primedia CEO William Kirsh, Kagiso Media CEO Roger Jardine, MultiChoice SA CEO Nolo Letele and New Africa Investments CEO Saki Macazoma.
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