Workday has concluded its flagship Workday Horizon Johannesburg event, which was held on 2 June 2026 at the Marriott Hotel, Melrose Arch. The event brought together chief HR officers, CFOs, CIOs and senior business leaders from across South Africa to explore how organisations can shift from AI experimentation to AI‑enabled transformation.
The agenda featured a full afternoon of keynotes, customer insights, partner sessions and strategic breakaways, all centred on Workday’s core message that AI must be embedded into the systems that run the business, not added around the edges.
AI is no longer a technology experiment
Opening the event, Kiv Moodley, country MD for Workday South Africa, emphasised the urgency for South African organisations to modernise their operational foundations.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Moodley said: “What stood out today is how ready South African organisations are to move from talking about AI to actually operationalising it. The conversations in every session, from HR transformation to finance modernisation, showed a real appetite to build the foundations needed for AI to deliver measurable value.
“Our market has always been resilient and inventive, and Workday Horizon demonstrated that with the right systems and skills, South African businesses can accelerate far faster than many expect.”
Moodley highlighted that customers consistently describe Workday Horizon as one of the most valuable technology and innovation events in the local market; a sentiment echoed by strong attendance and engagement throughout the day.
AI must move from the periphery to the core
The Workday Horizon Innovation Keynote was delivered by Jens Löhmar, chief technology officer for Continental Europe & DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), who unpacked findings from Workday’s global research.
Löhmar noted that while employees are overwhelmingly positive about AI, with 83% saying that the technology has improved their day‑to‑day work experience, many organisations are still struggling to realise its full value.
According to Workday’s Copy/Paste Economy: How Task-Based AI is Failing the Enterprise study, “more than eight in 10 employees report they spend significant time coordinating across teams, moving information between tools and reconciling conflicting data.” This hidden workload prevents AI from delivering meaningful productivity gains.
“Only 27% of organisations have embedded AI directly into core workflows. That means most companies are still adding AI around the edges. The next era of value comes from embedding AI into trusted systems with governance, context and auditability,” said Löhmar.
Showcasing innovation and customer experience
The event’s agenda reflected the breadth of Workday’s ecosystem and the depth of its AI strategy.
Highlights from the event included a guest keynote delivered by tech leader Mushambi Mutuma, who challenged organisations to move from surviving to thriving in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
A customer panel featured leaders from high-profile organisations such as Tiger Brands, Netcare and the JSE, who shared practical insights on digital transformation, HR modernisation and the realities of scaling AI in complex environments.
The Sana Enterprise session demonstrated how AI‑powered learning and workflow automation can reshape performance and reduce friction across HR and finance, while several breakaway strategy sessions for CHROs, CIOs and CFOs were led by Workday experts and partners, including Korn Ferry, Accenture and Decision Inc.
A moment of opportunity for South Africa
Throughout the day, a consistent theme emerged: South African organisations are ready for AI, but many are constrained by fragmented systems and outdated processes. Workday Horizon demonstrated how modern enterprise platforms, built with embedded AI, trusted data and governed workflows, can unlock measurable business value.
“The companies that will lead the next decade are not the ones that buy the most AI tools, but the ones that connect AI to trusted data, governed processes and measurable outcomes,” said Löhmar.
Moodley added: “South Africa has the talent, resilience and entrepreneurial energy to leapfrog older ways of working. With the right foundations, AI can help our organisations grow faster, compete globally and build a more skilled, future‑ready workforce.”
Workday Horizon Johannesburg 2026 closed with strong momentum, energising leaders to rethink their operating models and prepare for an AI‑enabled future. As Workday continues to expand its presence in South Africa, the company remains committed to helping organisations modernise their HR, finance, and IT functions, and to ensuring AI delivers real, measurable value.
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