Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      AI misuse shakes South African courtrooms

      17 July 2025

      Boom gates go hi-tech at South African malls

      17 July 2025

      Megayachts and mansions: the lavish life of 80-year-old Larry Ellison

      17 July 2025

      Mobile money lifts Africa savings to decade high

      17 July 2025

      South Africa loosens media ownership rules – but keeps one hand on the remote

      16 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Samsung’s bet on folding phones faces major test

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      OpenAI to launch web browser in direct challenge to Google Chrome

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025
    • In-depth

      The 1940s visionary who imagined the Information Age

      14 July 2025

      MultiChoice is working on a wholesale overhaul of DStv

      10 July 2025

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | Samsung unveils significant new safety feature for Galaxy A-series phones

      16 July 2025

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025
    • Opinion

      A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

      15 July 2025

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Meet the CEO: BitCo’s Jarryd Chatz

    Meet the CEO: BitCo’s Jarryd Chatz

    By Duncan McLeod10 December 2018
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Jarryd Chatz

    Meet the CEO is a regular feature on TechCentral. The aim is to introduce our readers to the people behind the news by providing insights into the leaders shaping South Africa’s ICT industry. Our latest interview in the series is with BitCo CEO Jarryd Chatz.

    What was your first-ever job?
    I was a retail store manager in Cape Town within the Vodacom Chatz Franchise Group, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the store’s sales, managing the staff, deals, bundles and offers — and ensuring that customer service was of high quality and there was satisfaction in the shopping experience.

    Who is your greatest role model, and why?
    My father, Selwyn Chatz. He has built everything he has himself. He has grown his business from the nothing to what it is today, one of the country’s largest dealer channels. My goal is to grow BitCo hopefully to the point where it’s larger than my father’s business — he’s still a shareholder in BitCo, so he stands to benefit as well.

    I started learning about business from him from the age of 12. He used to give me financial packs of his company and I would read through them and ask questions. From a young age, I started getting involved in understanding business, reading income statements and balance sheets, etc. It was a really nice learning curve which set me up in life as it’s now a large portion of my role.

    What’s your favourite quote?
    “If one day speed kills me, don’t cry because I’m smiling.”

    What phone do you currently use, and why?
    An iPhone X. I’ve been using an iPhone since the first one came out. All my devices are Apple and are synced so it allows me to operate effectively. I upgrade my phone to the latest model every year to get the latest features and get an optimal user experience.

    What are you currently reading?
    The Hard Thing About Hard Things, by Ben Horowitz. It’s about making that hard decisions in business for example identifying who to promote, when to promote and why should you do it. You find sometimes that a person is really great in their current role and once they are promoted to a managerial position, they battle to grasp the new role because they don’t have that skill yet.

    What are your three favourite books?
    I don’t read much but I’m really enjoying the book I’m currently reading (see above). I used to enjoy fiction when I was a kid, especially Anthony Horowitz’s books.

    What’s your favourite movie?
    I’m a Marvel fan — I like The Avengers series.

    What is your most treasured possession?
    It’s going to sound funny, but it’s my reputation. We all only have one and once its tarnished then that’s it, it’s difficult to come back. I really don’t want to be seen as a bad person, especially from an ethical point of view.

    What has been the highlight of your career so far?
    Growing BitCo from where it was four years ago to what it is now. The company has quadrupled in value in the past four years. It’s been such an adventure running it, especially with the great team I have.

    What is your greatest regret?
    Not starting fibre-to-the-home services sooner.

    How do you cope with stress?
    There are days where I don’t, but stress is part of the job. I usually stress because there’s work to be done and I know if I just put my head down and focus on what needs to get done then the stress will go away. I get such relief when I complete tasks and they don’t hang over my head. As a telco, we operate 24/7, 365 days a year, so I work almost all the time even when on holiday. It comes with the territory.

    What skill or talent would you most like to possess that you don’t already?
    Knowing the intricate details of network engineering — the very technical side of the business.

    What phrase do you most use/overuse in business?
    Fibre, fibre, fibre. Out business has evolved from a PBX vendor to a wireless carrier.

    What’s your favourite place in the world, and why?
    The bush. The Kruger National Park gives me the opportunity to switch off from the world and relax because there’s no cellphone signal.  — (c) 2018 NewsCentral Media



    BitCo Jarryd Chatz Meet the CEO top
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleLiquid Telecom to invest R5.6-billion in Egypt expansion
    Next Article How low will bitcoin go? History provides some clues

    Related Posts

    18GW in unplanned breakdowns cripple Eskom

    2 November 2021

    Nersa kicks the Karpowership can down the road

    13 September 2021

    If you think South African load shedding is bad, try Zimbabwe’s

    13 September 2021
    Company News

    SA businesses embrace gen AI – but strategy and skills are lagging

    17 July 2025

    Ransomware in South Africa: the human factor behind the growing crisis

    16 July 2025

    Mental wellness at scale: how Mac fuels October Health’s mission

    15 July 2025
    Opinion

    A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

    15 July 2025

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.