What's Next with Aki Anastasiou

Guy Chennells is the Product Head for Discovery Employee Benefits and has been with Discovery Limited since October 2017. He is responsible for product, profitability, and customer experience design across employee benefits, including group risk and umbrella funds. Chennells is an innovator and a thought leader, and is passionate about using new tools to tackle any challenge in the old industry. I...

Franz Schoeman joins Aki Anastasiou on the What’s Next online talk show for the third episode of SYSYPRO’s ERP series. Schoeman is a Sales Solution Architect at SYSPRO Africa, a position he has held since 2016. He has worked within the SYSPRO ecosystem for over 25 years, focusing on manufacturing, distribution, and innovation. In this interview, Schoeman explains how ERP systems can improve the ef...

Top IT executive Deirdré Fryer, who is the Head of Solutions for SYSPRO Africa, joins Aki Anastasiou on the What’s Next online talk show. Fryer has worked in many different capacities within SYSPRO, and specialises in understanding customer needs and driving product improvement across Africa. In this interview, Fryer discusses how an ERP system can help businesses achieve their digital transformat...

Mark Wilson is the Chief Executive Officer of SYSPRO for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. He oversees the go-to-market and channel strategies in these regions while identifying key growth areas and developing new partnerships. He then joined SYSPRO Africa as the Managing Director in 2017, before becoming the SYSPRO EMEA CEO in 2020. In this interview, Wilson explains what an ERP system is an...

Dharshan Naidoo is the sales team lead for Infobip Africa and is responsible for driving digital transformation across various industry sectors, including banking, fintech, insurance, retail, and media. Prior to his appointment at Infobip Africa, Naidoo was the key account manager at Vox Telecom for over eight years, and then worked for Liquid Telecom South Africa as the enterprise business develo...

In this What’s Next episode, Aki Anastasiou is joined by Aruba’s Mandy Duncan, as well as Neo Phukubje, Prashil Gareeb, and Darisé Kirby from BCX Wireless, to discuss Wi-Fi 6. Gareeb explains who BCX Wireless is and unpacks three main categories of services it offers, including fixed wireless access which incorporates Wi-Fi 6 as a product offering. Phukubje explains how the global demand for servi...

Akash Dowra has been part of Discovery Bank for over four years, and is now the head of both Client Insights and its Technical Marketing Department. Dowra previously worked as the Discovery Deputy General Manager of Special Projects, and also spent three years working at Deloitte, and six years at McKinsey and Company. In this What’s Next episode with Aki Anastasiou, Dowra talks about how Discover...

Ryan Ramawoothar is the current Head of Software at First Technology and is an experienced business executive with 16 years in the IT Industry. He has been with First Technology since 2017, and has spent most of his career in IT security and business management roles. He has a strong background in SaaS platforms, Cloud Technologies, and Security, and is also highly skilled in go-to-market strategi...

JP Gough is the Executive of Cloud, Software, and Solutions at Mustek, and Darren Williams is the CEO and founder of BlackFog. In this What’s Next interview, Williams explains why organisations – such as Transnet and the Department of Justice – are still being caught out by cyber criminals despite a booming cyber security market. Gough discusses Mustek’s new software and cloud business unit, which...

Ethel Nyembe is the Group Head of Card & Payments at Standard Bank South Africa. Nyembe has served in several executive roles within the banking group, among them as Head of Small Enterprise and Head of Business and Commercial Transactional Products. She and her team have formed key partnerships that give customers product choice, value-added benefits and payment options when they shop, travel, pa...

This episode of What's Next is brought to you by Intel and Dell Technologies. With digital transformation being a major area of focus for businesses and government across South Africa, Dell Technologies has reinforced its commitment to advancing the country’s ICT agenda. Dell Technologies Forum South Africa 2021 will be held virtually this year and will bring together business leaders and industry...

Michelle Olivier is the Microsoft brand manager at leading ICT distributor Pinnacle. Olivier is an expert on Microsoft solutions, having previously worked with Microsoft’s products and solutions for 17 years at Mustek before joining Pinnacle. She has a burning passion for technology and where it is leading us into the future. In this episode of What’s Next, Olivier discusses Windows Server 2022, w...

Jacques Malherbe joined Axiz in 2013 to build its Advanced Technologies business and is now the Chief Technology Officer of the company. His ICT career stretches over three decades, during which time he has established a track record of building distribution businesses throughout Africa - including as the CEO of Westcon South Africa. In this interview, Anastasiou speaks to Malherbe about the new D...

Traci Maynard is the Executive Edge Consumer Software, Hardware, and HPE Business Unit Manager at Axiz Aruba. She has a track record of maximising revenue growth and offering the best possible customer service. As part of the senior leadership team, Maynard is responsible for Axiz’s HPE business unit as well as the distributor’s Microsoft and Lenovo portfolios. In this interview, Maynard discusses...

Cameron Beveridge is a seasoned cybersecurity professional and the Regional Director for Southern Africa at SAP, a role he has held since January 2019. He has 25 years of experience in technology, and after joining SAP in 2007 he led SAP Africa’s largest business unit, the SAP cloud business and related solutions, including Human Capital Management, SAP Hybris, SAP Ariba, SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud...

Bradley Pulford is an experienced IT business management professional who is currently the Vice President and Managing Director for HP Africa. Pulford has 25 years of operations and management experience within the IT industry and began his current role in November 2020. In this What’s Next interview, Pulford talks about the state of the South African technology industry and compares the local mar...

Christine Wu is a leading banking executive and joined Absa in January 2019 as the managing executive for customer value management at Absa Retail and Business Bank. At Absa, Wu is responsible for strategy, value proposition design, digital channels, strategic marketing and advanced analytics. In this What’s Next episode, Wu explores the trends in the banking industry and the relevance of traditio...

Hylton Kallner is the CEO of Discovery Bank, and has 25 years of experience within the Discovery business. He previously worked at Discovery Life as a CMO and CEO before being appointed to his current title at the beginning of this year. In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Kallner discusses why South Africans are moving away from branch-based banking and towards digital alternative...

In this What’s Next episode, Aki Anastasiou talks to prominent ICT expert Deon Geyser, the CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies in South Africa. Geyser has over 15 years of experience in the ICT and telecommunications sector and is responsible for the leadership, strategy, and operations of Liquid Intelligent Technologies in South Africa. In this interview, Geyser discusses how companies can sav...

Jeremy Osbourne is a prominent ICT figure and the Strategic Account Manager at Infobip. With over 25 years of experience in the digital communications, telecommunications and digital-security sectors, Osbourne has been a great asset to every organization that he has been a part of. In this interview, Jeremy Osbourne gives an overview of how brands communicate with their customers and explains why...

In the second What’s Next interview with Nihilent, Sabahat Kazi gives insight on the iVEN and iDEAL solutions and how Nihilent is connecting the supply chain for customers as well as vendors. Sabahat shares how SAP is positioning its Business Technology Platform (BTP) and he gives insight into the adoption of BTP by SAP customers.

Johan Scheepers is an experienced IT expert working as a Senior Manager in Solution Architects at Red Hat in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is a highly-motivated professional that has garnered 30 years’ experience in the information technology industry. In this What’s Next interview, Scheepers discusses why organisations should automate and modernise their IT systems. Scheepers highlights the benefits to...

Sabahat Kazi is an experienced SAP expert and the Global Head of ERP at Nihilent – a global consulting and services company. He is also the CEO and founder of Intellect Bizware Services, the SAP business unit of Nihilent in the APJ region. In this What’s Next episode, Sabahat explains how his team was able to produce the first Rise with SAP S/4HANA Cloud, private edition solution in the Asia-Pacif...

Julian Liebenberg is a leading ICT executive and the Chief of the Converged Communications Business unit at BCX. Liebenberg has over three decades of experience in the ICT sector having served at numerous large-scale organisations across South Africa. In this What’s Next interview, Liebenberg discusses how several enterprise network trends are combining and compelling businesses towards software-d...

Crispin Cheadle is an expert on smart home systems and runs the South African division of Advantage Air, the Smart Home manufacturer which has offices based in South Africa and Australia. Advantage Air developed the MyPlace Smart Home system 18 years ago and has been improving on it ever since. To date, their products have been recognised as world-leading products. In this What’s Next episode, Che...