SAP Africa has appointed Antonia Ashton as head of integrated communications for Africa. Ashton will support SAP Africa’s CEO Pfungwa Serima and the Africa leadership team with executive communications counsel and lead all communications initiatives aimed at both internal and external key stakeholders, including employees, media, partners, analysts and other communications stakeholders.

Ashton brings significant experience and knowledge of SAP to South Africa, having spent 10 years in Germany in various global communications leadership roles at SAP’s headquarters in Walldorf, including heading the global corporate communications team, the global CSR team and most recently, the global employee communications team.

At the same time, Sunil Geness, who was previously responsible for all communications in Africa, will take up a newly created position as head of government relations and CSR for Africa. In this role Geness will support business development, particularly in the public sector, utilities and other regulated industries. He will provide access to government stakeholders, multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and other strategic influencers. In addition Geness will also focus on aligning the SAP value proposition and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities with policy makers’ objectives as well as community and citizen needs.

As members of SAP global communications, Ashton and Geness will work as a cohesive team in collaboration with the Africa leadership to create and deliver effective communications programmes to better leverage SAP’s successful growth and innovation story, support the business as well as shape and foster clear and engaging communications with all employees in the African region.

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