Industrial connectivity and digital transformation specialist Sedna Africa has strengthened its executive leadership team with the appointment of Shawn Nortje as Operations Director and Raymond Mhlongo as Technical Director, reinforcing the company’s ability to support the growing demand for advanced connectivity solutions across Africa’s mining, logistics, energy and heavy industry sectors.
The appointments come at a time when industries across the continent are accelerating the adoption of industrial IoT, Mobile Private Networks and data-driven operational technologies to improve safety, productivity and operational visibility.
According to Sedna Africa Managing Director Anton Fester, the appointments recognise the impact both leaders have already made within the business while positioning the company for its next phase of growth.
“Shawn and Raymond have both played a critical role in Sedna’s development over the past several years,” says Fester. “As industries across Africa continue to digitise their operations, it is essential that we strengthen both our operational capability and our technical leadership. These appointments ensure we are well positioned to continue delivering complex connectivity and digital transformation solutions to our customers across the continent.”
Strengthening operational excellence
Nortje joined Sedna Africa in 2019 as Operations Manager, where he played a key role in enhancing internal frameworks and supporting the delivery of complex industrial connectivity projects. His appointment to Operations Director reflects his contribution to building the capability required to deploy and maintain critical infrastructure in demanding environments.
“My journey with Sedna Africa began in 2019. At that time, there was a clear opportunity to improve internal processes and enhance how projects and services were delivered across the business,” says Nortje. “Being appointed as Operations Director is both a privilege and a responsibility that I take very seriously. I am deeply grateful to Sedna’s MD and Chief Technical Officer, Anton Fester and Koos Fourie, for the trust they have placed in me, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to Sedna’s growth and long-term success.”
In his new role, Nortje will oversee project delivery, service desk operations, service level agreements, onsite technical teams, procurement, logistics, and health and safety, ensuring that Sedna Africa’s operational systems and teams are equipped to support the company’s continued expansion. “As demand for industrial connectivity and digital transformation continues to grow, it is important that our operational processes, systems and teams are structured in a way that allows the business to scale while maintaining service excellence,” Nortje explains.
Advancing technical innovation in connected industry
Alongside Nortje’s appointment, Raymond Mhlongo has been appointed technical director, where he will guide Sedna Africa’s technical strategy, product development and solution architecture. For Mhlongo, the appointment marks both a personal milestone and an opportunity to help shape Sedna’s technical direction as industries across Africa become increasingly connected. “This milestone means a great deal to me because it reflects not only personal growth, but also the trust that Anton and Koos have placed in me,” says Mhlongo.
“Moving into the role of technical director is an opportunity to contribute at a more strategic level, help shape the technical direction of the business, and support the next phase of Sedna’s growth across Africa.” Mhlongo brings extensive experience delivering industrial connectivity projects across multiple African markets. Key deployments that helped shape his leadership approach include an underground Mobile Private Network deployment in Zimbabwe, a network operations centre implementation in Namibia, a Mobile Private Network deployment at a port in Mozambique, and a Cell on Wheels deployment in Senegal.
Enabling Africa’s connected industrial future
Across Africa, industries such as mining, logistics and energy are rapidly adopting technologies that enable real-time visibility, predictive maintenance, remote operations and intelligent decision-making.
According to Mhlongo, this shift toward connected and automated industrial environments represents one of the most significant technological transitions currently taking place in heavy industry. “Mining and heavy industry are increasingly relying on integrated systems that combine connectivity, machine data and real-time operational insights,” he says. Technologies such as mobile private networks, industrial IoT and predictive analytics are enabling organisations to improve safety, optimise asset performance and make faster operational decisions.
For companies operating in remote or complex industrial environments, reliable connectivity is becoming the foundation for these next-generation capabilities.
Building the operational and technical foundation for growth
Together, the appointments strengthen Sedna Africa’s ability to deliver integrated connectivity and digital transformation solutions while expanding its footprint across new sectors and markets. Fester says the company’s ability to combine strong technical capability with disciplined operational execution remains a key differentiator.
“Deploying advanced connectivity technologies in industrial environments requires more than engineering expertise,” he says. “It requires operational discipline, strong partnerships and the ability to support critical infrastructure reliably over the long term. Shawn and Raymond bring exactly that combination of leadership and experience to our business.”
Both directors emphasised the importance of strong partnerships and trusted relationships as Sedna Africa continues to grow. “To our clients and partners, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the trust you place in Sedna,” says Nortje. “As we continue to grow, our commitment remains to deliver reliable solutions, strong operational support and long-term value.”
Mhlongo adds: “Our relationships with clients and partners are built on collaboration, accountability and shared success. My commitment is to continue building on that trust by delivering practical, innovative solutions that create meaningful long-term value.”
