Charmaine Houvet has over two decades of telecommunications experience working with private and public sector organizations across Africa. She joined Cisco with several years’ experience as a Senior Executive in complex, diverse and transformative roles with high profile leading ICT companies. Charmaine leads Cisco’s technology growth, transformation portfolio, government affairs strategy, regulatory, and public policy efforts across Africa. She partners with heads of state and various stakeholders in public & private sector, academia, and civil society to advance the digitalisation agenda across the continent. This includes shaping and advancing strategies that foster innovation and digital technologies.
Charmaine also serves as the Cisco spokesperson for Africa.
Current Positions on Board
- She serves as a board member of the of International Women’s Forum South Africa, consisting of a preeminent group of senior women leaders from various sectors charged with promoting improved leadership for a changing world
- Charmaine serves as Chairperson of the Young Leaders Connect (YLC) Association which is funded by the IWFSA. YLC is charged with developing the next generation of young leaders through mentorship, coaching, sponsorship, and training
- She is a board member of the Cisco Technology Systems (CTS) local board and acts as Chair of the Cisco Charitable Trust headquartered in San Jose
- Charmaine serves on the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution under President Cyril Ramaphosa in South Africa. She chairs the Policy and Law reform workstream of the Presidential 4IR commission
- She is a member of the BeyGOOD Global Citizen Advisory Council (powered by BeyGood and Funded by Tyler Perry) that nurtures African youth with remarkable potential
- Charmaine serves as a board member of the coding NPO; We Think Code
- She serves as an Advisory Committee Member of Tshwane University of Technology
Charmaine is passionate about transformation and the advancement of the ICT sector especially women in the sector and is the recipient of several business awards in recognition of her vision, collaboration, leadership, and achievements in the ICT sector.
- In November 2016, she was named South Africa’s Top Woman in ICT
- In August 2017 Charmaine was awarded the MTN Ministerial Recognition Award for her outstanding contribution towards advancing the ICT industry in South Africa
- In 2019 Charmaine was nominated by her peers in the ICT industry as a finalist for the IT personality of the year award.
She holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) qualification.