Now in its 37th year, the IT Personality of the Year Award recognises a person who has made an outstanding impact on the SA ICT industry over the past year and a significant contribution to the IT profession.

Past winners include IT industry notables Mteto Nyati, Prof Barry Dwolatzky, Alan Knott-Craig Snr, Andile Ngcaba, Aleta Ling, Mark Shuttleworth, Ivan Epstein, Mardia van der Walt Korsten, Asher Bohbot and Rob Stokes. Last year's winner was Gian Visser, CEO of Afrihost.

Running for the seventh year, the Visionary CIO Award, recognises an executive who has demonstrated visionary leadership in using technology to support and drive their companies to be more innovative and strategic. Past winners include last year's winner Tshifhiwa-Ramuthaga, CIO of the Financial Services Board, as well as Sal Laher, Rabelani Dagada, Carl Louw, Patrick Monyeki, Sandi Macfie, and Sello Mmakau.

Through public voting and an adjudication panel, finalists for both categories have been selected from dozens of nominations received from the IT community, ITWeb readers and the public. The next stage in the selection process involves a face-to-face interview with each finalist by the judging panel.