Dr Mark Nasila, chief data and analytics officer: Chief Risk Office, FNB South Africa.
ITWeb has confirmed a stellar line-up of presenters organised for theData Insights Summit in February 2026, including Dr Mark Nasila, chief data and analytics officer: Chief Risk Office at FNB South Africa, and Zethu Lubisi, acting ICT service delivery manager: Planning and Governance at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Evolving from the ITWeb BI Summit, the ITWeb Data Insights Summit 2026 reflects the rapid expansion and rising importance of data, analytics, business intelligence and AI capabilities in modern organisations.
Under the theme: Insight to impact: Unleashing the power of data intelligence, the conference will bring together some of Africa’s influential data, analytics and AI leaders to explore how intelligent enterprises are built – from strategy and architecture to execution and measurable impact.
Dr Nasila will delve into the dynamics of building an intelligent enterprise and how decision intelligence (DI) is accelerating AI-powered business decisions at scale.
He explains that DI is a relatively new field that harnesses data and elements of applied data science, social science and managerial science to help enterprises make better decisions.
DI is also essential in implementing AI, and when combined with IT, it becomes a potent tool that can alleviate decision fatigue, Dr Nasila adds. By focusing on AI alone, many businesses fail to realise the potential value of IT.
In his keynote, Dr Nasila will share how DI addresses this by linking data with decisions and outcomes. It uses various methods and tools – including decision mapping, decision theories, machine learning and automation – to help businesses realise the true potential of AI.
The summit is also an opportunity for delegates to meet and speak with Dr Nasila, who will be signing his book, Mastering Sovereign Artificial Intelligence.
In a preamble to the signing, Dr Nasila says sovereign AI is about much more than countries merely owning their data; it’s about control. It ensures AI aligns with their cultural, ethical and legal frameworks. It’s about making sure AI works for people and not the other way around.
Wits University’s Lubisi will also discuss the issue of skills, examining how this factor impacts the process and outcomes of intelligent decision-making.
Through keynotes, real-world case studies and practical deep dives, the summit will explore how leaders are turning data strategies into AI-enabled execution to build intelligent enterprises.
The emphasis is on practical discussions about how modern data architecture, governance, analytics, AI and a data-driven culture can be applied to shape a smarter, more connected and insight-driven future.
Topics up for discussion include:
- Data governance in the age of AI
- From dashboards to dialogue: How AI copilots are transforming BI
- Real-time and edge analytics powering the connected enterprise
- Synthetic data and responsible AI
- Modernising your data platform: Lakehouse, fabric or mesh?
- Data literacy: Empowering the intelligent workforce
- Culture and leadership for data-driven decision-making
- Delivering measurable business value with AI and analytics
- Sustainability and green data
- The future data professional
Lisa Lawlor, events director at ITWeb, says the summit – a new iteration of the long-running BI Summit – is being introduced at a critical phase in SA’s digital transformation journey.
“We know that data is the lifeblood running through organisations today and the primary requisite to be able to use emerging technologies, particularly AI. Data governance, protection, literacy, platforms and application are strategic imperatives today and we look forward to hosting this event, to providing an effective platform through which experts and business leaders can collaborate on the best way forward in terms of practical, data-driven growth strategies.”
The ITWeb Data Insights Summit takes place at The Forum in Bryanston on 12 February, with a hands-on workshop on 13 February.
Super early-bird discounts are available until mid-December.
Visit the event page for more information.
