Johnson joined Absa Bank as the Group Chief Information and Technology Officer in January 2023. He is responsible for the delivery of various Technology programmes to ensure Absa achieves its ambition to be a digitally powered business and leading bank in Africa. He is also responsible for ensuring the bank’s cyber and physical resilience.

Johnson is a seasoned operations and technology executive with extensive global experience in digital transformation across financial and pharmaceutical industries. He is a strategic partner with a record of defining and then delivering strategies aligned with business outcomes. Quick to gain the confidence of stakeholders, teams, peers, board, and regulators through his strong leadership. A recognized leader in executing major transformational change initiatives embedding digitalisation as a competitive tool.

Born in Scotland, Johnson earned a Bachelor’s degree in Avionics from the University of Glasgow and an MBA from the University of Strathclyde. He started his career with Anderson Consulting (now Accenture) before moving on to AstraZeneca PLC followed by Aviva (UK’s largest insurer). Prior to joining Absa, Johnson spent 8 years at Old Mutual, taking up the Chief Information Officer position in 2018.

Absa’s purpose statement “Empowering Africa’s tomorrow today…one story at a time,” is important to Johnson as a purpose-led leader. This year, he will be speaking at the World Economic Forum, where he is a sought-after speaker for his insights on technology.