DVT appoints Innovation Centre Lead

Roberto Ferro, Innovation Lead at DVT.

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Global software and services company DVT has appointed Roberto Ferro as its Innovation Centre Lead. The new role will see Ferro exploring emerging and leading technologies such as blockchain, NFTs, AI and automation. Through practical demonstration, technical POCs and accelerators, Ferro and the Innovation Centre will enable accelerated adoption, implementation and value realisation for DVT’s current and potential clients considering new technology opportunities.

Holding an honour's degree with distinction in Computer Science from the University of the Witwatersrand, Ferro has won numerous technology innovation competitions, including one at Standard Bank South Africa.

“I’ve always been interested in how different technologies can be used to find new solutions for contemporary business challenges and that’s going to be the main focus of my new role at DVT,” says Ferro.

“Currently, we are busy working on several proofs of concept that range from NFT marketplaces to crypto collection facilities. We go well beyond the ‘how it works’ to how to optimise it to build real solutions that solve real problems or create new opportunities for our clients,” he says.

“Technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning are well established and already quite mature, with many proven ways in which to apply them in applications. We look at how we can creatively apply these and emerging technologies like crypto-currency and blockchain with vast potential for forward-looking organisations. Delivering value faster, just as DVT does for all its customers.”

Jaco van der Merwe, CEO of DVT, says: “The work we do in our Innovation Centre enables DVT to implement solutions for our clients that maximise value from emerging technologies. Roberto, with his deep knowledge and passion for technology, is a great asset in our Innovation Centre and I know his leadership will be very visible in the solutions we craft for our clients.”

Ferro started working with DVT in 2020, joining the company’s mobile engineering team where he created several high-profile applications, including a major iOS app for one of South Africa’s leading vehicle-tracking and recovery companies.

“With the Innovation Centre, we have the scope to push the technology boundaries even further,” he says. “The biggest issue with innovation is that everyone has a different definition of it. Some people just want clickable content, so they’re working to create hype that generates web traffic and very little else. We want to and will go far beyond that. New tech must add value.”

When he’s not at work, you’ll find Ferro at the gym, “lifting weights and making awkward noises”, or at a good restaurant for a special meal. “I’m a real homebody, so when I’m not working, eating or working out, I’m either studying or researching something. There aren’t nearly enough hours with all the new technology opportunities we have today.”

* If you want to explore artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies for your business or need a proof of concept built, reach out to DVT. The Innovation Centre is open and ready to help customers derive value from these emerging technologies.