Seen Here: South Africa’s digital future is being built on innovation, intelligence and opportunity. HCLTech strengthens its commitment to the country with a new Sandton headquarters featuring an AI Centre of Excellence and a dedicated training hub, bringing advanced technology solutions closer to business while investing in homegrown talent. With skills development and digital inclusion at the heart of its strategy, HCLTech is helping connect today’s technological breakthroughs with tomorrow’s opportunities. Global innovation. Local talent. A smarter future for Africa. Photo Credit: Roman Budnikov – Unsplash
JOHANNESBURG, 12 OCTOBER 2026 — Global technology company HCLTech is strengthening its presence in South Africa with the launch of a new regional headquarters in Sandton, Johannesburg, anchored by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence and a training hub designed to develop the country’s next generation of technology professionals.
The new facility marks a significant step in the company’s expansion strategy, combining enterprise technology innovation with investment in local skills development as businesses across the region accelerate their digital transformation.
HCLTech, which has maintained a presence in South Africa for more than 15 years, says the Sandton headquarters will strengthen its ability to deliver technology services to enterprises in South Africa and across the region.
The company’s leadership team marked the milestone with an opening ceremony at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), reaffirming its commitment to the country’s growing technology ecosystem.
AI innovation takes centre stage
A key feature of the new headquarters is the AI Centre of Excellence, which will allow businesses to explore HCLTech’s portfolio of artificial intelligence solutions and identify practical applications for their industries.
The centre will showcase the company’s capabilities across AI-led service transformation, industry-specific AI solutions, AI Foundry, AI Engineering, AI Factory and AI Advisory.
Through demonstrations and industry-focused use cases, enterprises will have an opportunity to assess how AI can support operational efficiency, improve business processes and accelerate digital transformation.
The facility is intended to help organisations move beyond exploring AI as an emerging technology towards identifying ways to apply it to real business challenges.
As companies increasingly incorporate automation, advanced analytics and AI-enabled systems into their operations, access to specialist expertise and practical implementation support is becoming an important part of their digital strategies.
HCLTech’s expanded South African base is positioned to support that shift while strengthening its engagement with businesses across the region.
Deepening investment in South Africa
Sandeep Saxena, Chief Growth Officer for Growth Markets 2 at HCLTech, which covers India, the Middle East and Africa, France, Iberia and Italy, said the new facility reflects the company’s long-term commitment to the South African market.
“South Africa has been a strategic market for HCLTech for over 15 years, and we are proud to be a trusted partner to enterprises in the region,” said Saxena.
“With our differentiated portfolio that includes full-stack AI solutions, we are deepening our commitment to South Africa with this new facility.”
Saxena said the company’s growth strategy also places a strong emphasis on developing local talent and working with universities to strengthen the technology skills pipeline.
“In line with our corporate philosophy of supercharging progress for our people and local communities, we continue to have a sharp focus on enabling the local talent ecosystem through upskilling programmes and university linkages,” he said.
The combination of an AI innovation centre and a dedicated training hub brings these priorities together, linking the development of advanced technology capabilities with efforts to prepare South Africans for opportunities in the digital economy.
Investing in the next generation of technology talent
Alongside the headquarters launch, HCLTech is continuing its investment in skills development through its annual programme, with a graduation ceremony scheduled for 12 October for learners completing their training.
Over the five financial years from FY2021 to FY2025, the company supported nearly 500 students and learners through its skills development initiatives. Almost 50 participants subsequently joined HCLTech in full-time positions.
The programme is supported by partnerships with the University of Johannesburg, the University of Pretoria and North-West University, helping connect education with workplace experience and potential employment opportunities.
The new Sandton facility will also serve as a training hub, providing a base for developing technology capabilities and preparing emerging professionals for the evolving needs of the digital economy.
For South Africa, where building a stronger pipeline of technology skills remains important to economic competitiveness, initiatives that connect training with employment can help address the gap between educational achievement and workplace readiness.
HCLTech’s approach combines structured skills development, university partnerships and potential employment pathways, with the aim of strengthening the supply of locally skilled technology professionals.
Digital literacy reaches more than 20,000 beneficiaries
The company’s investment in South Africa extends beyond its direct skills development programme.
Over the past five years, HCLTech has invested in information and communications technology (ICT) and digital literacy initiatives that have positively impacted more than 20,000 beneficiaries across the country.
Working with educational institutions, community organisations and industry partners, the company has supported efforts to broaden access to technology and digital skills, particularly among underserved communities.
These programmes form part of a wider effort to expand participation in the digital economy by helping more people acquire the knowledge and capabilities needed to engage with technology.
As digital tools become increasingly central to education, employment and business, improving digital literacy is an important component of building a more inclusive technology ecosystem.
Connecting business innovation with local opportunity
HCLTech’s new headquarters reflects a dual focus: helping enterprises adopt emerging technologies while contributing to the development of the people needed to design, implement and manage them.
The AI Centre of Excellence will provide a platform for businesses to explore advanced solutions, while the training hub and university partnerships will support the development of local talent.
The company operates across 60 countries and employs more than 223,000 people globally. It reported consolidated revenue of US$14.8 billion for the 12 months ended June 2026, according to its announcement.
Its expanded Johannesburg presence positions South Africa as an important part of its regional operations and broader growth ambitions.
The long-term impact of the investment will depend on how effectively the facility translates its technology capabilities into enterprise solutions, skills development and employment opportunities.
However, the integration of AI innovation, training and community-focused digital programmes signals an approach that goes beyond expanding office space: it seeks to connect business growth with the development of the local technology ecosystem.
As South African enterprises navigate an increasingly AI-driven economy, HCLTech’s Sandton expansion places innovation and skills development at the centre of its next phase of growth — with the ambition of advancing both business transformation and local talent.
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