Mteto Nyati

Tech powerhouse Mteto Nyati inspires the next generation of South African innovators.

Born into humble beginnings during the height of apartheid, Mteto Nyati has used his courage and business acumen to become one of the mostly highly esteemed business leaders in South Africa. Most recently, he has been lauded for his turnaround of Altron, an iconic South African information and communication technology company that was heavily indebted before Mteto came to the rescue in 2017. 

Unfazed by Altron’s challenges, Mteto developed the One Altron strategy to reinvent the company, shifting its focus to cloud computing, data analytics, security and the internet of things. An important part of the strategy was inclusivity and ensuring that all the various stakeholders were on board. This open leadership style encouraged a new, more transparent culture that motivated employees and, in turn, improved the company’s direction.

Mteto also succeeded in reducing Altron’s debt by selling unattractive assets, which freed management to focus on growth areas in the technology sector. In less than three years, he more than doubled Altron’s valuation, and in 2020, he was recognized by the South African Professional Services Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Management.

He says his purpose is “to awaken the giant within those I come into contact with.” Mteto would love to give young people the opportunity to develop IT skills and has invested Altron resources in training graduates to be the tech innovators of South Africa’s future.