PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Bongani Andy Mabaso

Also known as Bongani Mabaso, Andy Mabaso

Bongani Andy Mabaso is an engineer and machine-ethics researcher whose work examines artificial moral agency in everyday settings. He moved through engineering and research roles at Transnet, led digital customer journeys at Standard Bank, and served as SITA's CEO before joining Altron as Group CTO in 2024. He completed a BSc and MPhil at the University of Cape Town and a 2020 PhD in machine ethics and computational morality at the University of Pretoria. At the CAIR/UP Symposium in 2019, he asked what role consciousness could play in artificial moral agency, and he published two papers on machine ethics in 2020. He wrote in 2025 about people-led AI adoption and presented Altron's AI Factory as a way to speed development and service delivery; he received a 2026 CIO Awards nomination and, as of October 2026, leads Altron's group-wide technology function and product design and innovation strategy, with AI and data analytics in his remit.

Now at
Altron
Badges

Timeline

  1. 2004–2007

    Electrical and computer engineering

    He earns a BSc in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Cape Town in 2007.

  2. 2008–2015

    Engineering at Transnet

    At Transnet Engineering, he starts as an electronic engineer in 2008. He moves into digital electronics in 2011, senior engineering in 2012 and principal software design in 2014.

  3. 2015–2019

    Executive research at Transnet

    From 2015 to 2019, he serves as executive research manager at Transnet Engineering.

  4. 2016–2020

    Machine ethics studies

    In 2017, he completes an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation at the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business. At the 2019 CAIR/UP Symposium, he asks what role consciousness can play in building artificial moral agents. In 2020, he completes a PhD in machine ethics and computational morality at the University of Pretoria, with a thesis titled “Robots are not ethical like people. An exemplarist framework for functional ethics in everyday robots in ordinary contexts,” and publishes two papers: “Computationally rational agents can be moral agents” and “Artificial Moral Agents Within an Ethos of AI4SG.”

  5. 2019–2023

    Digital customer journeys

    From 2019 to 2023, he serves as CIO for Digital and Customer Journeys in Standard Bank Group's Corporate and Investment Banking unit.

  6. 2023–2024

    SITA CEO to Altron CTO

    He serves as SITA's CEO in 2023 and joins Altron as Group CTO in 2024. His remit includes Altron's group-wide technology function, product design and innovation strategy, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

  7. August 2025–October 2025

    AI adoption and the AI Factory

    Writing in August 2025, he says leadership must frame AI as a practical tool for human potential and help teams apply it to real problems. In October 2025, Altron launches its AI Factory, which he describes as a launchpad to speed AI development and service delivery.

  8. 2026

    Group CTO and CIO Awards nomination

    In June 2026, he is nominated for the CIO Awards for his work as Group CTO at Altron. As of October 2026, he leads the group's technology function and product design and innovation strategy, with AI and data analytics in his remit.

Career

  1. Since 2024AltronGroup CTO
  2. 2023State Information Technology AgencyCEO
  3. 2019–2023Standard Bank GroupCIO for Digital and Customer Journeys
  4. 2008–2019Transnet EngineeringElectronic Engineer, Executive Research Manager

Education

  1. 2020University of PretoriaPhD in Machine Ethics and Computational Morality
  2. 2017University of Cape TownMPhil in Inclusive Innovation
  3. 2007University of Cape TownBSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering

From the biography.

  1. 11% of AI doctorate holders from 2010 to 2016 founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduationIncludes Bongani Andy Mabaso. We estimate how often AI doctorate holders founded or led a company or lab by 10 years after graduation, how waiting times compare between founders and top jobs, and which universities trained the most.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Cape Town. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  3. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes University of Cape Town. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  4. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI each year from 1955 to 2025, tracing the shift from university labs to companies.

Sources and credits

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  1. Dr Bongani Andy Mabaso · CIO South Africa cio-sa.co.za. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Dr Bongani Andy Mabaso to join Altron as Group CTO altron.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Bongani Mabaso | CAIR cair.org.za. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. AI adoption is for people altron.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Altron launches SA's first operational AI Factory delivering enterprise-grade AI Infrastructure, platform and services altron.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. CTO Dr Bongani Andy Mabaso secures nomination for the 2026 CIO Awards cio-sa.co.za. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Leadership | Altron altron.com. Checked 21 October 2026.