Tshifhiwa Ramuthaga, ministerial representative to the University of the Free State Council.
Well-known chief information officer (CIO) Tshifhiwa Ramuthaga has been appointed as a ministerial representative to the University of the Free State Council.
Ramuthaga will represent minister of higher education Buti Manamela at the university’s council.
“In this role, I contribute to the governance of the University of the Free State as a member of the council, which holds the statutory mandate for the institution’s overall governance,” Ramuthaga tells ITWeb via e-mail.
“My responsibilities include exercising sound judgement in oversight, strengthening accountability and supporting decisions that advance the university’s mission in teaching, research and societal impact. I collaborate with distinguished council members to uphold ethical leadership and safeguard the long‑term sustainability of the university.”
She notes that her two decades of experience as a CIO have equipped her with deep expertise in corporate governance, enterprise risk, organisational strategy, compliance, stakeholder engagement and executive decision-making.
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“These capabilities enable me to contribute to council deliberations from a broad governance and strategic perspective, rather than a narrow technology viewpoint. I bring insight into how governance, risk, performance and digital capability intersect in modern institutions, which strengthens informed decision-making and long-term strategic planning.”
Ramuthaga also leads TGR Global Enterprises and TGR Global Consultants, which focus on helping organisations unlock the strategic value of their technology investments. She also oversees the CIO and chief information security officer Strategic Advisory Subscription Programme, which provides mentorship and executive coaching for technology leaders.
In addition, she serves as a mentor to a European venture capital fund, supporting high-growth start-ups entering African markets. She is also a non-executive director at African Rainbow Minerals.
“I manage these responsibilities through disciplined prioritisation, structured planning and a sustained commitment to good governance. I have a strong support system and work with professional teams who enable effective execution across my portfolios,” she says.
“Each role aligns with my focus on leadership and transformation, allowing for coherence and synergy across my responsibilities. Through collaboration, effective time management and a continual commitment to lifelong learning, I maintain the capacity to deliver consistent and meaningful value in all my roles.”
Ramuthaga is a technology executive and digital transformation leader with more than 29 years of experience in the information technology sector, including two decades as a CIO.
She holds a Master of Information Technology from the University of Pretoria and a Master of Business Administration from the Gordon Institute of Business Science.
Ramuthaga has held senior leadership roles at the National Intelligence Agency, Telkom, Standard Bank, the Financial Services Board and the Barloworld Group, and served on the Gartner Africa Symposium Advisory Board from 2015 to 2018.
She is a professional CIO Pr.CIO (IITPSA) and a multi-award-winning technology executive. Her accolades include winning the Visionary CIO Award in 2014 and being recognised as one of the Top 100 Global CIOs in both 2021 and 2022. She has also served as a long-standing judge for the IT Personality of the Year and Visionary CIO Awards since 2015.
“In 2025, I completed the Stanford Directors’ Consortium in California, a programme that equips board directors with contemporary governance frameworks and practical tools for complex decision-making. The cohort included directors from across the globe, enriching the engagement with diverse governance perspectives. This training strengthens my capacity in corporate governance.
“I am deeply grateful to the minister of higher education and training, the honourable Buti Manamela, for the confidence he has placed in me through this appointment. It is a privilege to serve as a ministerial representative on the University of the Free State council. I look forward to contributing to a governance environment that is aligned with the long‑term stewardship of the council.”
