Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 13 | Page 91

GET TO KNOW... On the lighter side of things, we ask the industry experts what makes them tick. . . . Adrian Pickering, Regional General Manager, Red Hat MENA 1 What made you think of a career in technology? It was a natural progression from a degree in aircraft technology . . . and the pace of innovation when I first entered the sector was unmatched by any other industry . . . and still is as far as I’m concerned! “ THE PACE OF INNOVATION WHEN I FIRST ENTERED THE SECTOR WAS UNMATCHED BY ANY OTHER INDUSTRY . . . AND STILL IS AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED! www.intelligentcio.com 2 What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position? Lead by example; a genuine leader should ‘walk-the-walk’ and consequently I wouldn’t expect any member of my team to commit to doing something that I wasn’t prepared to do myself. 3 What are the region- specific challenges when implementing new technologies in the Middle East and Africa? When speaking with customers in the region, one constant challenge remains sourcing the right IT talent in the market and retaining these skills. To address this challenge, Redhat is implementing an Academic Alliance programme in partnership with educational boards across the region to develop local talent. INTELLIGENTCIO 91