Digital Business

Professor Brian Armstrong
Chair and Director, BCX Chair in Digital Business

Brian is one of the foremost ICT industry leaders in South Africa, with over 30 years of top level management experience in Telecommunications, IT, technology R&D and systems engineering, both in South Africa and abroad. He is widely regarded as a thought leader in digitalisation, convergence and business strategy.

In July 2017 Brian joined the Wits Business School in the role of Professor in the Chair of Digital Business. His focus here is on building a comprehensive knowledge base on the diverse dimensions of Digital Business, and developing more scientifically rigorous models for and an academically sound underpinning of core concepts in digitalisation.

Previously was a key part of the leadership team which has been credited with turning Telkom around, in the capacity of Group Chief Operating Officer and Group Chief Commercial Officer. In his time with Telkom he also revived the ailing Telkom Business unit, and conceived and led the acquisition of BCX and its integration into the group. He was also responsible for the group’s Retail unit, as well as leading group strategy and transformation activities.

Before joining Telkom in 2010 Brian was BT’s Vice President for Middle East and Africa with overall responsibility to oversee and grow BT’s activities across the region. Before that his work experience includes South Africa’s CSIR, ultimately as the Director of the Division for Information and Communications Technology; and South African listed ICT services group AST (now Gijima), as Managing Director of AST Networks.

Brian completed his BSc (Eng) and MSc (Eng) at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1982 and 1984 respectively, and obtained his PhD from University College London in 1992.

His professional interests include business leadership, digitalisation, strategic change leadership and management, corporate entrepreneurship, organisational design, multinational and multicultural business optimisation, and venture creation.

Contact details:
+27 (11) 717 3951
brian.armstrong@wits.ac.za

Professor Greg Lee
Associate Professor

Greg is Associate Professor of Digital Business at Wits Business School, where he focuses on digital business with a particular focus on the effect of the fourth industrial revolution on workplaces and workplace analytics. He is the author of many books, including internationally-published books on analytics and human capital management. He has published in journals such as the Human Resource Management Journal, International Journal of Human Resource Management, European Journal of Operational Research, Scientometrics, the International Journal of Manpower, and many others. He consults to organisations and is a regular public speaker in leading industry conferences.

Publications

  • Lee, G.J. (2019). Designing Organizations for People-Led Sustainable Competitiveness. Silk Route Press.
  • Lee, G.J. & Davison, A,H. (2018). Designing payroll levies for firm training. International Journal of Manpower, 39(6): 766-781.
  • Lee, G.J. (2018). Talent measurement: A holistic model and routes forward. South African Journal of Human Resource Management, 16: 1-11.
  • Lee, G.J. & Barnes, T. (2016). Factors driving online apparel shopping in South Africa, Retail & Marketing Review, 62(2): 362-379.
  • Lee, G.J. & Rees, G. (2016). Give and take between households and the state: Development and application of a benefaction-contribution ratio, Review of Income and Wealth, 62(2): 362-379.
  • Lee, G.J. (2016). Transcending paradox in the realm of executive pay. In Goldman, G. (Eds.) Critical Management Studies in the South African Context, Aosis Publishing.
  • Lee, G.J. (2015). Training match and mismatch as a driver of key employee behaviors, Human Resource Management Journal, 25(4): 478-495.
  • Lee, G.J. (2015). Business Statistics Made Easy in SAS®. Carey, NC: SAS Press. URL: https://support.sas.com/publishing/authors/lee.html.

Contact details
+27 (11) 717 3626
gregory.lee@wits.ac.za

Mitch Hughes
Lecturer, Digital Business

Mitchell currently holds a joint appointment with Wits Business School and the School of Business Sciences. He has previously served as both (Acting) Head of School and Academic Director in the School of Business Sciences, as well as Head of Division of the Division of Information Systems. He joined Wits in 2012 after an eight-year spell at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a further three years in academic management in London. His teaching is largely focused on Systems Analysis and Design, Database Design, Technology Innovation and Digital Leadership. He places strong emphasis on innovative pedagogy and assessment and the use of technology and social media in his teaching. He is recognised as a distinguished teacher and has received several teaching awards. His research is currently focused on technology innovation and disruption in higher education. Mitchell holds an MCom (Informatics) from the University of Pretoria, a BCom (Honours) in Information Systems from the University of Natal and a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education from Wits. His spare time is spent on the football field and the yoga mat.

Ayanda Magida
academic researcher

Ayanda Magida is an academic researcher in the Chair of Digital Business (BCX) at Wits Business School. Ayanda graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Cum laude), Bachelor of Arts Honours and Masters in Research Psychology from the University of Pretoria. Prior to joining WBS she worked for Wits Health Consortium as lead researcher in a programme funded by the Gates Foundation. She has experience in both qualitative and quantitative research, systematic reviews, teaching research methodologies and evidence based practices, program evaluation and implementation sciences. Her broad research interests include research methodologies, gender, inequality, and industrialisation. Within the Chair, Ayanda works on Economic and Social Impact of digitalization specifically focusing on the future of work, digital economy platforms, digital divide and the impact of automation, AI and robots on jobs in South Africa light of the anticipated Digital/Disruption/4th Industrial Revolution.

Contact details
+27 (11) 717 3953
ayanda.magida@wits.ac.za

Prof Nixon Ochara 
Associate Professor in Digital Business

Prof Ochara holds an MBA from the University of Nairobi and a PhD in Information Systems from UCT. He is a C2 NRF rated researcher.

He has carved a niche for himself in the field of digital transformation in three main research areas: digital leadership; digital business innovation; and digital government and national digital infrastructures.

Contact details
Nixon.Ochara@wits.ac.za

Dr. Michael Sony
Senior Lecturer in Digital Business

Dr. Michael Sony is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Business at WITS Business School, who has extensive experience in the areas of Operation Excellence, Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma and Industrial Engineering across sectors like Power, Mining and Retail. He also lecturers in Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia, and Srinivas University, India. He holds a Doctor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering, a PhD degree in Operations Management and a Master of Engineering degree in Industrial Engineering from Goa University, India. He is a certified Energy Auditor with Bureau of Energy Efficiency, New Delhi, India and is also part of the editorial board of the TQM Journal published by Emerald publications.

Dr. Michael has authored two books on Quality management in Higher education, and a book on Digitalising operations, along with over 80 research articles in various international journals. He teaches operations management, technology management and Industrial Engineering subjects. His core research areas are Production and Operations Management, Industry 4.0, Quality 4.0, Quality management and interdisciplinary research.

Contact Information:
Phone: +27 (11) 717 3817
Email: michael.sony@wits.ac.za

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