Deloitte Digital Africa has announced the appointment of Gareth Rees as the leader of the firm's Digital Transformation practice.

Rees is described by his new company as a specialist in rapidly bringing new products or services to market.

"New exponential technologies are being introduced at fast and rapidly accelerating rates, leaving no business untouched. Because of this, companies everywhere that have been successful for decades can now come under pressure from or even be unseated by a week-old start-up. Our Digital Transformation Practice continues to help clients capitalise on these technologies to disrupt before they get disrupted," says Rees.

In a statement by the company Rees said the rate and volume of technological breakthroughs heralds the start of the fourth industrial revolution, "which will have a systemic impact on global business and create new opportunities for those with the right acuity."

"We are at a point where digital transformation shouldn't merely be a part of strategy; it should be the strategy. Businesses that will continue to exist over the next few decades are those that have taken this to heart. Gareth's appointment strengthens Deloitte Digital's capabilities to not only provide clients strategic advice to guide them through these uncertain and fast-changing times, but also to build the technical solutions that back the strategy, and creatively drive their acceptance in the market," says Valter Adão, Lead Director at Deloitte Digital Africa and Innovation leader for Deloitte.

Rees has been at Deloitte for four years and also heads up the firm's Rapid Commercialisation practice, which, according to the company identifies unique high-potential start-up businesses and rapidly scales them through leveraging skills, insights, support capacity and market access from across its network.

Meanwhile industry experts and business leaders have warned that for digital transformation strategies to be successful, they require the input and buy-in of all roleplayers, as well as the technology to support the process.

Broadband evolution, the Internet of Things (IoT) and digital transformation remain top-of-mind for Africa's business leaders.