Grant Carter

Chief Information Officer

City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

About

Seasoned technology executive with a track record of driving IT strategy, digital transformation, and operational excellence across startups, mid-sized, and large organizations. I specialize in aligning technology with business objectives, fostering innovation, and ensuring security, scalability, and compliance. With over two decades of experience, I’ve grown and led high-performing teams, developed fintech ecosystems, and scaled payment solutions that empower businesses in both formal and informal markets. My expertise spans DevOps, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, governance, risk & compliance (GRC), card acquiring and high-volume transactional processing. I thrive at the intersection of strategy and execution, ensuring technology delivers measurable business impact.

Experience

  • Chief Information Officer at Payfast by Network
    Aug 2025 - Present · 11 mos

  • Chief Information Officer at myCIO
    Mar 2025 - Present · 1 yr 4 mos

    Expert fractional CIO services for South African businesses. Strategic IT leadership, digital transformation, and cybersecurity at a fraction of the cost.

  • Chief Information Officer (Micro-Merchant Division) at Lesaka Technologies Inc.
    Apr 2022 - Feb 2025 · 2 yrs 11 mos

    As Chief Information Officer, I lead IT strategy, innovation, security, and operational excellence across multiple business units. I am responsible for scaling high-performing agile teams of more than 100 people, ensuring that technology aligned with business objectives to drive growth and efficiency. My work includes the design, development, and expansion of card acquiring systems, enabling seamless electronic payments for merchants across both formal and informal markets. Additionally, I played a key role in integrating multiple third-party service providers into the payments ecosystem, enhancing interoperability and maximizing revenue potential. I also implemented governance, risk, and compliance frameworks, including Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance, to safeguard digital assets and maintain regulatory adherence.

  • Chief Information Officer (Card Connect) at Connect Group South Africa
    Apr 2019 - Dec 2022 · 3 yrs 9 mos

    Expanded a Card Acquiring business to cater to informal sector merchants. This comprehensive service encompassed all aspects, including hardware sourcing, mobile application development, and backend systems integration. It was one of the pioneering solutions that facilitated immediate merchant settlements.

  • Kazang (Cape Town Area, South Africa)
    • Chief Information Officer
      Mar 2019 - Dec 2022 · 3 yrs 10 mos

    • Head: IT and Product Development
      Feb 2012 - Mar 2019 · 7 yrs 2 mos

      At Kazang, I led IT and product development for one of South Africa’s largest value-added services providers, operating across five countries. I was instrumental in building a comprehensive fintech ecosystem that included point-of-sale terminals, mobile applications, vending platforms, and third-party integrations. Managing IT infrastructure and cloud solutions, I implemented DevOps practices to ensure high availability, scalability, and security. My leadership in agile methodologies accelerated product development and go-to-market strategies, allowing the company to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving fintech landscape.