Disrupted Factory

In this episode , we take a different approach to the conversation with our guest, by presenting it as a masterclass that touches on both technical and leadership elements. Who better to embody these strengths than Jendamark’s long-standing managing director and engineering guru, Quinton Uren. Quinton Uren is the founder and managing director of Jendamark Automation. With almost four decades of en...

In this episode , we discuss what it takes to be part of a world-leading automation services supplier and the need for creativity and innovation in a rapidly changing digital world. We also examine why companies need a different, more agile approach to doing business in Africa, with opportunities for both entry-level automation and high-end Industry 4.0 tech. For businesses who are slow to adapt,...

Canninah Dladla started her working life as one of the few female artisans in the challenging field of  electrical engineering but, hailing from a family driven by entrepreneurship, quickly set her sights on rising to the top by identifying the right mentors to support and guide her on her journey. Today, she is the Managing Director of Rockwell Automation South Africa and Country Sales Director f...

While South Africa battles loadshedding and major power supply problems, the introduction of electric vehicles may seem a futile subject. But, says this episode’s guest, Robert Cisek , challenges such as these are where opportunities lie. At the time of recording, Robert was the outgoing Chairman and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group South Africa, leading a team of over 4 000 employees. He has...

Claudio Ranaudo is the Senior Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa at Siemens Digital Industries. He is deeply passionate about helping the industry grow, connect, and be supported by Siemens’ digital solutions. As a forward-thinking leader, he believes one of the biggest challenges over the next decade will be for people to make the transition from the analogue world to a digital ecosystem. Clau...

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast contains content of a sensitive nature and is not suitable for children. Graphic descriptions of child abuse, sexual violence and drug abuse may be triggering to victims of similar traumas. Popina Khumanda is a young African woman who survived a nightmarish childhood in the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Captured by rebel soldiers at age 5 and her vi...

Dr Ntsibane Ntlatlapa has devoted more than 20 years to the research of technology development and we uncovered why it’s important for you to be involved in 4IR. He is the head of C4IR, a South African government initiative, which has entered into an affiliation agreement with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to focus on accelerating the adoption of transformative technologies and effective regulati...

Charles Savage is the CEO of Purple Group and the founder of EasyEquities , a platform aiming at democratising the stock exchange. His vision is an inspiration, and his legacy of achieving financial dignity for ordinary people and making them wealthy is genuinely revolutionary. He has a distinguished background in the financial services industry and his areas of expertise are business growth and s...

Styli Charalambous is one of the leading names in digital journalism in South Africa. He is the CEO and publisher of Daily Maverick – a pre-eminent news outlet in the country. His roles include handling non-editorial functions, driving business innovation, data and technology adoption and membership.  Despite having qualified as a Chartered Accountant, Styli is fully focused on the media business....

Siegfried Lokotsch has a big heart and continues to make a difference in people’s lives and – unlike his financial investments – without expecting a return. He is the director and owner of Jendamark Automation. Sitting down with him reveals the values of a focused and driven, self-made individual who has a strong personality and an appetite for risk. It was this thinking that led him to success. ...

Ajit Gopalakrishnan and Juane Schutte have a long history of working in smart technology and a lot of knowledge with the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the applications of AI in industry. Both have been using AI technology to bring solutions to societal challenges in education and manufacturing respectively. In this episode, we spoke to Ajit and Juane about the possible future and...

Himanshu Jadhav is the inspirational Jendamark India CEO, who enchants with his business acumen and incisive commentary. His experience as a strategic and fiscal operations leader is extraordinary. His communication approach is brilliantly hilarious, and he is a results-driven leader with a proven track record of success. In this episode – using technology to bring these gents together virtually i...

Greg Blandford , has a long history of working in smart technology and has gained in-depth knowledge of alternative energy generation. Negotiation, planning, operations, management, sales, and team development are among his many skills. Our conversation with him was made unforgettable by his passion for marketing and new product development. In this episode , we discuss with Yanesh and Greg what t...

Hiten Parmar has a passion for contributing to advancements within the transport and energy sectors globally through deployment of technological interventions to solve major economic, competitiveness and societal challenges.  Hiten stands as a leading executive, thought leader and industry expert, with over 15 years’ in his chosen profession. As Director of South Africa’s national electric mobilit...

We were honoured to be joined by both the Chairman of the Executive Board of Expleo Group, Mr Ralph Gillessen, as well as the Managing Director of Expleo Group South Africa, Mr Martin Sanne.  Ralph is responsible for Silver Atena, a member of Expleo, ranked among the german Top 100 most innovative Mittelstand companies. Operating in over 30 countries, Expleo is a trusted partner for end-to-end, in...

Steve Gray is a passionate believer in the improvement of our communities. He is extremely well-informed and cares deeply about others. He is using technology to improve the lives of our underprivileged areas. He is a prominent voice in the field of innovation and technology. He is the founder of The MakerSpace Foundation and an expert in deciphering technology and the human ramifications of our r...

Dr Justin Barnes is the inaugural Executive Director of the Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (TWIMS) and Chairman of B&M Analysts. He was previously Managing Director of B&M Analysts (1997–2008) and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (2011–2014). He is passionate about a wide range of critical manufacturing subjects such as lean implementation,...

Yanesh Naidoo is a visionary who has travelled the world in pursuit of the emerging tech space. He was invited to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, where he spoke at the 11th session of the Investment Enterprise Development Commission. He lectures an MBA class on the 4th Industrial Revolution and the opportunities it holds for Africa. He is also a digital strategy expert and...