The Institute of Information Technology Professionals SA (IITPSA) annual President's Awards will introduce two new categories for its 40th year in existence.
The well-known industry awards will add the technology excellence category and the social responsibility/community category to its existing line-up.
According to the institution, for the technology excellence award criteria, it is looking for a person or team who has made exceptional and innovative use of IT, or designed an innovative new technology for an organisation. The person or team should also have exhibited technological excellence that delivered measurable benefit for a business and SA's economy as a whole.
"The social responsibility/community category will recognise a person, team or project that delivers the benefits of IT on a not-for-profit basis into the community, or is bringing the community into the IT space (helping to address the digital divide)," says the organisation.
First established in 1957 as the Computer Society South Africa, the IITPSA has evolved with the changing ICT environment, and now serves and represents an expanded membership from all levels of the industry.
The other award categories include IT Personality of the Year, awarded to the person who has had an outstanding impact on the South African ICT industry over the past year and a significant contribution to the IT profession.
The Visionary CIO of the Year recognises an executive in the corporate IT environment who has demonstrated visionary leadership in applying technology to grow and transform business.
The Distinguished Service in ICT award recognises a significant, career-length contribution to the ICT profession or the ICT industry.
Lastly, the Fellowship of the Institute award will be given in recognition of an individual who has made an extraordinary contribution to the institute or the profession as a whole.
Past winners include Shashi Hansjee, CEO of Entelect, who scooped the 2017 IT Personality of the Year title. Sasol CIO Alec Joannou was Visionary CIO of the Year 2017. Peter Alkema, CIO of Business Banking at First National Bank, won the Visionary CIO award in 2016, while Sbu Shabalala, CEO of Adapt IT, was named the 2016 IT Personality of the Year.
Last year, professor Pete Janse van Vuuren, director of The Thinking Cap, received the Distinguished Service in ICT award for his "significant, career-length contribution to the ICT industry".
Ulandi Exner, president of IITPSA, says: "We need to celebrate and honour the achievements of our peers. Like many industries, ICT can be a thankless task. Let's thank our peers and show appreciation for everything that happens behind the scenes."
A shortlist of finalists will be decided upon by a panel of ICT sector judges, with the winners to be named at the awards event in November.
Nominations can be submitted here by 31 August.
Share