Lenovo Southern Africa recently hosted its annual Lenovo Accelerate ’25 event, bringing together channel partners, CXOs, business leaders, and technology innovators for a day dedicated to exploring the future of technology in Southern Africa. This year’s edition placed a strong emphasis on infrastructure, sustainability, digital transformation, and the critical role of AI in business and society.
The multinational technology brand unveiled its latest advancements and end-to-solutions across its Intelligent Devices Group (IDG), Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), and Solutions and Services Group (SSG). The event further served as a strategic touchpoint for Lenovo and its ecosystem to align shared goals, co-create value, and strengthen relationships in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Partnerships, Smart Infrastructure, and AI-Optimised Innovation
Yugen Naidoo, General Manager, Lenovo Southern Africa, highlighted the significance of the event in driving collaborative growth and customer success:
“At Lenovo, we are proud to be a global technology leader delivering an end-to-end portfolio, from pocket to cloud, that is AI-ready, AI-enabled, and AI-optimised. Through our Smart Devices, we empower people by expanding their abilities and proactively serving their evolving needs while protecting their data and privacy.”
He further acknowledged the outstanding achievements of its channel ecosystem across various categories, underscoring the importance of partnerships in delivering customer-centric innovation.
“Our Smart Infrastructure simplifies and enhances the AI experience, bringing expertise that transforms how businesses operate. And with our Smart Verticals, we are unlocking real impact in industries that matter. Whether it’s improving learning outcomes in education, accelerating breakthroughs in healthcare, optimising production in manufacturing, or enabling world-class creativity in film and animation. This is how we bring smarter technology for all, by not just imagining the future, but by building it, inclusively and intelligently,” concluded Naidoo.
Exploring the Future: Creativity, AI, and Collaboration Take Centre Stage
One of the key highlights of the programme was the keynote address by Kate Swanborg, Technology Communications & Strategic Alliances Executive at DreamWorks Animation. Her session, titled ‘Working at the Speed of Imagination’, offered valuable insights into how technology and creativity intersect to drive innovation on a global scale.
Two powerful panel discussions further anchored the agenda. First, ‘Smarter AI for All – Business, Innovation & Inclusion’, featuring Thibault Dousson, Director of the Services and Solutions Group META at Lenovo; Andrea Talmacsi, Marketing Director for Lenovo PCSD in the Middle East and Africa; and Tikiri Wanduragala, EMEA Senior Consultant for Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions. This session explored how AI can serve as a driver of equity and enterprise growth, particularly within emerging markets.
The second panel discussion titled, ‘The Power of Partnership: Unlocking AI Across the Ecosystem’, included Nathan Reddy, Industry Technical Specialist at Intel Corporation; Colin Erasmus, Chief Operating Officer at Microsoft South Africa; and Werner Schoeman, Relationship Sales Lead at Lenovo Southern Africa. Together, they unpacked the role of cross-sector collaboration in expanding access to next-generation technologies and accelerating digital transformation throughout the region.
The event concluded with a walkthrough of Lenovo’s immersive experience zones, followed by a networking session that offered attendees the opportunity to explore new technologies and strengthen partnerships.
Bridging Consumer Innovation and Enterprise-Grade Mobility
MBG (Mobile Business Group) is an integral part of Lenovo’s pocket-to-cloud solution, showcasing how the company delivers innovation across the full technology spectrum. A key highlight at this year’s event was the presence and positioning of Motorola, Lenovo’s mobile technology powerhouse, which continues to play a vital role in both consumer and business segments.
From foldable screens and AI-powered capabilities to 5G connectivity and military-grade durability, the brand exemplifies what it means to deliver “smarter technology for all”.
Motorola’s AI-enabled, enterprise-ready devices come equipped with top-tier hardware and advanced software features, including security upgrades and end-to-end device management, making them ideal for high-demand applications across verticals such as logistics, field services, healthcare, and education.
Reflecting on the event, Yugen Naidoo commented, “Lenovo Accelerate 2025 was a celebration of our journey, four decades of Lenovo, the people it serves and the pioneering partnerships it holds. We will continue to architect intelligent ecosystems that transform the way people live, work, and solve global challenges. Sustainability remains a core focus. It is no longer a ‘nice to have,’ but a business imperative that shapes how we design, build, and deliver technology solutions across every touchpoint. We want to power real impact with technology that’s smarter by design and trusted by the world’s most critical industries.”
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