Andrew Voges has been named the new General Manager for Africa at cyber security firm Kaspersky.

Kaspersky announced the appointment today, saying given the fast expanding digital ecosystem, the rise in ransomware assaults, and the demand for IT asset protection throughout Africa, Voges' immediate goals will be to expedite expansion.

He has also been entrusted with consolidating Kaspersky's channel footprint and, formulate strategies to onboard more partners and customers within the B2B framework.

As the new general manager of Kaspersky in Africa, he will be based in Johannesburg and will report directly to Kaspersky's global headquarters management.

Commenting on the appointment, Kirill Astrakhan, executive VP, corporate business at Kaspersky, said: “Africa is a strategic region for us, and Kaspersky has been growing here for almost 15 years.

“Andrew’s extensive experience and understanding of the local market make him the perfect fit for the regional GM role as we plan to further strengthen our position in Africa, reach out to new clients and partners, increase our sales and share. His insights will be instrumental in helping us to further develop our enterprise market presence and initiate fresh avenues of business growth.”

Voges' professional career has included stints at Quest Software, Check Point Software Technologies, and Cisco Systems, according to Kaspersky.

"Africa offers untapped potential," Voges stated. “Our focus will be on strengthening our technical infrastructure and intensifying our partnerships to make Kaspersky’s world-class security solutions more accessible in Africa.

“Another priority will be to implement Kaspersky’s Cyber Immune approach to protect organisations, including those in critical sectors, even more effectively. Being part of a pioneering cybersecurity company like Kaspersky, committed to global cyber safety, is an honour."