Dr Makaziwe Makamba
Founder and Executive Director
Dr Makaziwe Makamba is a digital transformation leader with 17 years of experience in the ICT domain. She is a founder and executive director of Rise Science and prominent figure that contributes globally towards strategic policy development, IT governance and use of technology to advance sustainable socio-economic development and commercialization of technology.
She has experience in developing and turning digital strategy into a clear, actionable roadmap for the business units to ensure strategic priorities are effectively deliberated, governed, executed, and adopted to deliver measurable business value. She has valuable experience in establishing trusted partnerships across private & public sector, academia, and globally.
She has been invited to contribute on the OECD and AI working group in Paris, France and also at UNESCO and many other international platforms. She was part of people that contributed to the draft AI ethics recommendation by UNIESCO. She was also part of AI Connect fellowship and she is part of CIO women Circle in Uganda.
Dr Makamba is a board member of ECDC, HRSEC Chairperson, Audit and Risk Committee member and BICT advisory board at UMP. She is also a board member of TownshipTech and CyberM8. Dr Makamba also serves as a council member at Tshwane University of Technology.
She has been nominated in various national and international awards. She won a trailblazer award from intelligent ICT award, Africa 2025. She has been named as Top 50 Digital Transformation leader, 2025. She has also won the Women in Tech Excellence Award 2026,
SAICTA and she has also won a Best Identity & access management solution award, Cyber Security Summit, South Africa 2026. She has been a finalist of AfBC on the women in business category, also finalist for Women in Tech 2025 and Inspiring Fifty 2020.
Dr Makaziwe Makamba is a digital transformation leader with 17 years of experience in the ICT domain. She is a founder and executive director of Rise Science and prominent figure that contributes globally towards strategic policy development, IT governance and use of technology to advance sustainable socio-economic development and commercialization of technology.
She has experience in developing and turning digital strategy into a clear, actionable roadmap for the business units to ensure strategic priorities are effectively deliberated, governed, executed, and adopted to deliver measurable business value. She has valuable experience in establishing trusted partnerships across private & public sector, academia, and globally.
She has been invited to contribute on the OECD and AI working group in Paris, France and also at UNESCO and many other international platforms. She was part of people that contributed to the draft AI ethics recommendation by UNIESCO. She was also part of AI Connect fellowship and she is part of CIO women Circle in Uganda.
Dr Makamba is a board member of ECDC, HRSEC Chairperson, Audit and Risk Committee member and BICT advisory board at UMP. She is also a board member of TownshipTech and CyberM8. Dr Makamba also serves as a council member at Tshwane University of Technology.
She has been nominated in various national and international awards. She won a trailblazer award from intelligent ICT award, Africa 2025. She has been named as Top 50 Digital Transformation leader, 2025. She has also won the Women in Tech Excellence Award 2026,
SAICTA and she has also won a Best Identity & access management solution award, Cyber Security Summit, South Africa 2026. She has been a finalist of AfBC on the women in business category, also finalist for Women in Tech 2025 and Inspiring Fifty 2020.