The man running the most popular computer brand in South Africa

Dell Technologies veteran Habib Mahakian has been appointed as vice president and managing director of the company’s South African business, expanding on his role as vice president of emerging markets.

Dell is South Africa’s most popular computer brand. Mahakian has over 24 years of experience within its ranks, spanning regions like Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, the Middle East, the Levant, and emerging Africa.

Not much information about Mahakian’s childhood and early life is publicly available.

However, after graduating from Al Jameel Private School in Kuwait in 1983, he studied for a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering at Yarmouk University in Jordan.

He began his degree in 1983 and graduated from the university in 1988.

After completing his studies, Mahakian focused on developing his leadership and management skills, which he honed through various reputable institutions.

He holds a certification from the Executive Leadership Development Programme at the Hult International Business School.

Mahakian has also completed the Sustaining High Performance I and II courses through the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

He joined Dell Technologies in March 2001, when he began his role as country manager for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia business.

As country manager, Mahakian was responsible for the overall leadership and execution of Dell’s sales strategy to grow its regional business. He held the role for nearly six years until December 2006.

By January 2007, Mahakian had taken on the regional manager role for the Middle East, based in Dubai. As regional manager, he oversaw multiple teams within various locations in the region.

His responsibilities included managing sales teams, developing channel strategies, building relationships with partners, and ensuring the successful execution of business plans.

Mahakian held the regional manager role for the Middle East until December 2009.

In January 2010, he was appointed regional director for the North Gulf, Levant, and Pakistan, overseeing sales growth, governance, service delivery, customer satisfaction, and the operational profit and loss.

He held the role until December 2012, during which time he was also based in Dubai.

Mahakian took on a senior director and regional general manager role for Dell Technologies’ Gulf and Pakistan business in January 2013.

He took on broad responsibilities, spanning strategic planning, team leadership, and driving business growth.

This includes setting team strategies, managing financial performance, observing market trends and competition, and promoting cross-functional collaboration.

A step up

Mahakian served as senior director and regional general manager for the Gulf and Pakistan region until July 2015, before moving to a vice president role for the Gulf region in August of that same year.

He held the Dell Technologies Gulf vice president role until April 2018, when he became vice president for the Emerging Africa region — a position he still holds today.

By extension, he was appointed vice president of the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (CEEMETA) Emerging Markets region in August 2024.

In a LinkedIn post describing his journey to commemorate his 20th anniversary with the company, Mahakian recalled his first day working at Dell.

“On this day, 20 years ago, I walked into the EMC office in Dubai for my first day at work. Looking back, I never thought I would celebrate my 20th anniversary at EMC, Dell EMC, and now Dell Technologies,” he said.

“This journey can only be expressed with one word: Amazing! Amazing, because I witnessed many great moments, growing an office of five team members in Dubai to become the MERAT region we are today, with over 3,000 team members.”

Mahakian wrote that despite many sleepless nights and disappointments, Dell allowed him to grow his career from an account manager in Saudi Arabia.

“I strongly believe that change is a continuous journey, and all the experiences that my career has thrown at me have only helped me learn and grow,” he said.

As of May 2025, Mahakian was appointed managing director of Dell Technologies South Africa. He confirmed his appointment in a post on LinkedIn.

“I’m thrilled to announce that I’m stepping into the role of VP and Managing Director for South Africa at Dell Technologies, in addition to my current responsibilities as Vice President of Emerging Markets,” he said.

“At a time when AI and digital transformation are reshaping industries across South Africa, Dell is ideally positioned to support businesses on their journey to innovation and impact.”

Mahakian said he is excited to lead Dell’s South African team in delivering AI-driven solutions that empower organisations.

“Having worked with customers across Africa, I’ve seen firsthand how AI, hybrid cloud, edge, data management and secure infrastructure have become essential tools for driving business resilience and competitive advantage,” he said.

He explained that he will be responsible for directing Dell’s business and talent strategy in South Africa and across its emerging markets.

He will also be tasked with forming strategic alliances with stakeholders and ensuring that Dell’s emerging markets are showcased as being at the forefront of driving technology innovation.

“I’m also passionate about talent development and building the next generation of business leaders across Dell Technologies’ offices in emerging markets and South Africa,” said Mahakian.

“Another core component of our success has been to look at how technology can help solve critical societal issues — from sustainability to youth skills training and empowering gender diversity.”