This women's month, we are featuring a prominent female figure in the highly competitive information and communications technology (ICT) industry, Wendy-Anne Bailey, the home consumer business unit head at RSAWEB.
Bailey began her career in the e-commerce sector before joining RSAWEB in 2015. “I entered the tech space because it was innovative, fascinating and a new challenge. The biggest appeal was seeing how technology had the ability to positively impact people’s lives through its constant development, evolution and changes within the industry.
I also value how this constant change challenges me as an individual. Since joining RSAWEB, I’ve drawn further inspiration from the former COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,” said Bailey.
In 2016, she spearheaded RSAWEB’s expansion to the consumer market, connecting thousands of South African homes with fast, reliable fibre internet while RSAWEB continued to provide tailored business solutions to their enterprise clients.
Under Bailey’s passionate leadership, RSAWEB became a household name as the best-rated internet service provider (ISP) in South Africa, with a 4.7/5-star Google review rating. They were also voted the Best ISP at the coveted KFM Best of the Cape awards in 2021, and again in 2022, which supported their business philosophy of always rendering an exceptional customer experience to home consumers and businesses.
As the world revolves around creating and distributing information, a need that has been enhanced exponentially during the digital era, working in the ICT industry is no walk in the park. “It’s fast, constantly changing and often challenging. Yet, it’s one of the most exciting industries. Being proactive is the key to success, as you need to be aware of the latest technological trends. You should be adaptable and agile, especially when a well-planned project turns out to be ‘old news’. It’s all about staying on your toes and accepting change,” Bailey explained.
While the ICT industry is brutally fast-paced, it’s still driven by a fundamental force ─ people. “It’s all about people. A company is only as strong as its employees, and we’re extremely fortunate to have diverse and incredibly passionate staff, turning what we do into more than just technology and offering a seven-star customer-centric experience to everyone,” she added.
Even though her career has blossomed over the past seven years, she attributes her success to those around her. “My proudest achievement looking back is to see where we started with a small team and how we’ve built the company and grew into the passionate powerhouse we are today. Some people started as interns and are now leading teams and involved in strategic business decisions. I can’t take credit for it, but I’m extremely proud of being a part of our growth,” she said.
“If every woman feels technology is only for males, and they don’t study IT courses or try to enter the tech workforce, it will remain the status quo. At RSAWEB, we have an incredible mixture of genders and cultures, and I highly recommend anyone to start a career in tech if they feel passionate about connecting tomorrow,” Bailey added proudly.
The world around us is constantly evolving and working in the technology industry probably offers the best seat in the house. Although the ICT industry has been viewed as a gender-specific field, this perception is changing too with the business world constantly expanding to be more inclusive.
The opportunities to enter the technology industry are endless ─ you simply have to find your place in it.