Zakiyya Cassimjee appointed IT executive at Ardagh Glass Packaging Africa, bringing two decades of delivery leadership

SOUTH AFRICA – Zakiyya Cassimjee has been appointed IT executive at Ardagh Glass Packaging Africa, bringing more than two decades of IT and delivery leadership experience to support technology strategy and business value creation.

Cassimjee began her career as a software developer at Nedbank in 2001, working her way through IT project management, programme delivery, and consulting roles across banking, insurance, aviation, and financial services. 

Most recently she served as chief information officer at Astute Financial Services Exchange for four years before taking on her new role. 

She steps into this new environment with a sense of curiosity and intention, focused on understanding what drives the business, where value is being created, where the pain points are, and how technology can better support business value.

A People-Centred Leadership Approach

Cassimjee explained that she leads in a way that is deeply people-centred, creating an environment where individuals feel safe to contribute, are supported to grow, and are trusted to take ownership of their tasks and career paths. 

She brings a balance of clarity and empathy, being clear on expectations while making space for people to be heard and valued, noting that when people feel seen and trusted, they step forward with confidence. 

Her approach is grounded in clarity, trust, and adaptability, setting a clear direction aligned to the organisation’s strategy while remaining open and responsive as things shift.

Addressing Complexity in Manufacturing IT

Glass packaging manufacturing involves furnace controls, batch house automation, forming machine settings, and quality inspection systems that generate continuous data streams. 

IT environments naturally come with complexity, whether that’s legacy systems, shifting priorities, or the pace of change. 

Cassimjee sees these less as obstacles and more as opportunities to evolve, noting that the balance between stability and transformation is critical and requires a considered, steady approach. 

Just as important is how people are brought along on that journey, because lasting change only happens when people feel included, supported, and part of the process.

First Priorities

Cassimjee’s first priority is connection, building relationships with the team and understanding the broader business context, establishing trust early to create a strong foundation for everything that follows. 

From there, she will take a thoughtful view of where the company is today, what is working well, where support is needed, and where technology can strengthen operations.

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