Cloud23 has grown from a Johannesburg startup to a 235-person enterprise software advisory firm with operations across Africa and beyond. That growth recently earned the firm a collaboration agreement with Andersen Consulting, one of the world’s largest independent technology advisory platforms with member firms across 120 countries.
Andersen Consulting provides strategy, business transformation, and technology consulting services to Fortune 500 companies and global enterprises. The firm’s decision to collaborate with Cloud23 signals recognition that African enterprise technology expertise has become exportable. Andersen gains proven execution capability in complex, high-growth markets, while Cloud23 retains full independence and BEE Level 1 status and gains access to global client relationships.
Operations and efficiency Cloud23 helps large organizations maximize value from enterprise technology investments
across CRM, integration, cloud, and custom platforms. The firm counts Standard Bank, Capitec Business Bank, Absa, Stanbic Bank across multiple African markets, Stanlib, and Standard Bank Mauritius among its anchor clients.
According to the KPMG 2025 Africa CEO Outlook Survey, 71% of African CEOs are investing in AI and talent to drive growth and resilience, reflecting growing enterprise demand across the continent. Enterprise software advisory matters because benefits are substantial when executed well, but require proven expertise to realize. Retail chain Spar is currently recovering from a challenging SAP enterprise resource planning implementation that cost the company R1.6
billion, demonstrating why execution capability is critical for large-scale technology transformations.
Properly implemented, enterprise software centralizes data, automates processes, and delivers real-time insights, enabling faster decision-making and operational efficiency. Cloud23 combines deep technical expertise with hands-on implementation experience to ensure clients capture these benefits.
Industry leader The company holds a record number of industry accreditations and awards, including top-tier partner status with leading technology platforms. Cloud23 services are, on average, 40% more affordable than traditional players, delivering global capability at local cost structures. “Most global firms lead with strategy and struggle with execution here,” said Ram Ramakrishnan, Cloud23’s founder and CEO. “We built our practice the opposite way: prove you can make the technology work in complex environments, then scale the thinking. Our job is to ensure clients get the benefits without the pitfalls.”
Cloud23 is always hiring and believes in African talent. The firm recruits and develops skills locally, proving that world-class enterprise technology capability can be homegrown. “We don’t import capability,” said Ram. “We build it. African talent, trained on African challenges, delivers solutions that work anywhere.”
Cloud23 will always primarily be an advisor and implementation partner. The firm now also delivers custom enterprise software solutions and proprietary products like Fallon AI to maximize client value. AI Boom Fallon illustrates this approach. Originally developed as an internal tool using Salesforce Agentforce, Fallon functions as an AI Chief Revenue Officer integrated across business systems. After proving the concept internally, Cloud23 made Fallon available to clients.
The platform is now deployed for select enterprises, with two clients signed and implementations underway. “Clients don’t just need advice on what technology to buy,” said Ram. “They need solutions that actually work. But we never lose sight of who we are. First and foremost, we’re advisors and implementation partners.” Ahead of World Entrepreneurship Day on 16 April, Cloud23 represents a prime example of South African innovation with global reach.
