CEM Africa has announced that NiCE, in partnership with iNOVO, will serve as the Lead Sponsors for the CEM Africa Johannesburg Edition and the 2025 Customer Experience (CX) Africa Awards, taking place on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the NH Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg.

The partnership combines NiCE’s leadership in AI-driven customer experience innovation with iNOVO’s deep contact centre expertise, bringing together two industry leaders committed to turning customer experience ambition into measurable business outcomes.

The one-day Johannesburg edition will focus on practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI), customer engagement, and measurable return on investment (ROI). It will feature workshops and discussions designed to help businesses accelerate digital transformation, strengthen CX strategies, and drive real organisational impact.

Among the highlights of the programme are two major sessions led by NiCE and iNOVO experts. The first, “AI Vision to Reality – The Why” (9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.), will explore the strategic value of AI in improving customer experiences. The second, “AI Vision to Reality – The How” (12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.), will demonstrate how to translate AI strategies into scalable execution using the right tools, workflows, and delivery models.

Speaking ahead of the event, Keith Jackson, Vice President, Partner Sales at NiCE International, expressed excitement about the company’s involvement.

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“We absolutely love attending CEM Africa and are proud to be the Lead Sponsor for the Johannesburg edition,” Jackson said. “CEM is a brilliant platform to connect with like-minded innovators who are rethinking customer engagement. The level of insight and collaboration is always exceptional.”

Speakers from both NiCE and iNOVO will include Keith Jackson, Andre van Eeden (Portfolio Solution Engineer, NiCE), Kerri Prissman (Head of Client Value Management, iNOVO), Parusha Naidoo (Head of Business Solutions, iNOVO), and Michael Ludeke (Regional Head, Business Development, iNOVO).

The conference will also feature top customer experience leaders such as Greg Jarvis (Connect SA), Tatiana Ndlovu (Nedbank Africa Regions), Palesa Nhlapo (FNB South Africa), Khwathelani Tshikovhi (Santam Insurance), and Grace Brown (JSE), among others.

According to Terry Southam, Co-founder of CEM Africa, the partnership with NiCE underscores the event’s commitment to collaboration and innovation.

“CEM Africa has always been about more than great content — it’s about building a strong community of CX leaders who work together to raise standards across the continent,” Southam said. “Our partnership with NiCE reflects that spirit of collaboration and shared purpose to drive measurable impact.”

The event will also include the Customer Experience Africa Awards (CXAs) in the evening, celebrating excellence and innovation in customer experience across multiple sectors.

Attendees can expect a day of high-impact learning, networking, and actionable insights on how to:

• Turn AI vision into operational reality through practical frameworks and live demonstrations.
• Benchmark CX ROI metrics and secure executive buy-in for transformation projects.
• Build stronger connections with industry peers across banking, retail, telecoms, and healthcare.

The CEM Africa Johannesburg Edition promises to deliver a powerful blend of thought leadership, innovation, and collaboration, reinforcing Africa’s growing influence in global customer experience transformation.