No Free Lunch With Greg Stewart

In this episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart interviewed Ethan Hunter, CEO and co-founder of Immobazyme a start-up biotech company in South Africa’s Western Cape Region. The discussion highlights the company’s journey from its initial focus on cellular agriculture to its strategic pivot towards the cosmetics industry, and pharmaceutical products, leveraging precision fermentation technolo...

In probably one of the most important discussions I have had on No Free Lunch, I spoke with The Adam Molai The Chairmen and co-founder of Africa Trade Engine about where the opportunities for growing intra-African trade and industrialisation opportunities lie. The interview delves into the intricacies of intra-African trade and the potential for economic transformation through industrialisation an...

In this episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart delves into the inspiring journey of Azoza, a South African company that emerged from a management buyout of Europe Assist. The discussion features Lynette Mutsekwa and Nelson Soares, the driving forces behind Azoza, who share their experiences and challenges in transforming the company into a thriving local brand. The story begins with Europe...

n the latest episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart engages with Sekadi Phayane-Shakhane, the pioneering CEO of the South African Institute of Engineers (SAICE), to discuss the pressing issues surrounding South Africa’s infrastructure. The conversation delves into the deteriorating state of infrastructure, the high costs associated with transport, and the challenges faced by the public tran...

In this episode of “No Free Lunch, host Greg Stewart engages with Garth Klintworth, the Chief Representative Officer for ABSA’s New York office, to explore the dynamics of African capital markets.  Garth, an economist with extensive experience in global markets, shares insights on the transition from Johannesburg to New York, highlighting the surprising momentum and scale of the U.S. economy.  We...

This edition of South Africa’s Freshest Business & Tech podcast – “No Free Lunch” features an insightful conversation between host Greg Stewart and Dion Harvey, the regional General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Red Hat.  The discussion centres around the transformative potential of open source software in Africa, particularly in the context of AI and digital transformation. Harvey, with o...

This Special Budget Speech Episode of No Free Lunch features Ricardo Smith, where he discusses the South African medium-term budget speech and its implications for South Africa’s economy: Host Greg Stewart introduces a summary of the medium-term budget speech delivered by the finance minister, Enoch Godongwana on 12 November, highlighting a projected 20 billion Rand surplus and a strategic shift f...

In This episode of No Free Lunch, Host Greg Stewart chats with Mamello Mofokeng, founder and CEO of IT company Saturated. Its a great conversation about the journey of an entrepreneur and Mamello shares her journey from a small-town upbringing to becoming a leading young Women leader in South Africa’s tech industry.

In this episode, host Greg Stewart discusses the growing impact of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) in the South African investment market with Kim Gibb, CEO of Prescient Management Company.  Our conversation highlights the significant growth in the ETF market, with a market cap increase of 28% in 2023 and 36% in 2024.  We also tackle the pressing need to address the importance of financial education...

In this episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart interviews Leith Collyer, the Managing Director of Pink Elephant South Africa. We speak around the evolving role of women in IT leadership, noting the increasing presence of female leaders and the unique empathy they bring to the industry. Leith shares her journey from a service delivery manager at Dimension Data to leading Pink Elephant, empha...

In this episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart engages with Nick Hudson, co-founder and chairman of PANDA (Pandemic, Data, and Analytics), to discuss the skepticism surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and its perceived value.  Nick shared some of his controversial perspectives on AI developments that cast a serious shadow over the current narratives around AI by tech companies, who cla...

In this episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart sits down with Jonathan Thomson, the Executive Head of Commercial at Kazang, a leading FinTech company in South Africa. The discussion delves into the informal economy, particularly the Tavern industry, which is a significant part of South Africa’s economy, estimated to be worth around a trillion rand. Jonathan shares insights into the challeng...

In the latest episode of No Free Lunch, I chatted with Fintech entrepreneur and founder of the investment app Frank, Thomas Brennan. Thomas shared his journey from an engineering background to becoming the CEO of Franc, an investment app aimed at democratising wealth-building in South Africa.

In this episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart engages with Amish Shunker, Head of Trade for Africa at Standard Bank, to explore the evolving landscape of payments and trade in Africa. The discussion highlights Africa’s role as a hub for fintech innovation, driven by mobile-led economies and digital-savvy consumers. Amish shares insights from his extensive career in financial services, emph...

In this episode of “No Free Lunch,” host Greg Stewart engages with Simon Spreckley, a seasoned creative leader and founder of Futureborn, to explore the evolving landscape of advertising and the role of authenticity in brand communication. Simon shares insights from his extensive career, highlighting the transformative impact of digital advancements and AI on the industry. The conversation begins...

In this episode of No Free Lunch, I chatted to Nick De Beer, founder of Fortis X. We discussed his company’s journey from producing containers and other plastic goods for the medical field to developing biodegradable plastic solutions.  Initially involved in producing medical devices, De Beer noticed the significant plastic waste generated in the industry. This realisation, coupled with environmen...