What's Next with Aki Anastasiou

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Accenture’s Aadil Jappie explains why retailer need to implement a powerful cloud ERP system. Jappie is the SAP Retail Capability Lead for Accenture Africa and is a seasoned IT executive with over 20 years of experience. He excels at building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, and has worked with retailers from acr...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Absa’s Msizi Khoza discusses the challenges that African nations face in securing adequate climate finance - and how they can advocate for themselves at the upcoming COP29 conference. Khoza is CIB Managing Executive for ESG at Absa and leads the company’s extensive responsibility related initiatives. He has held several notable roles at Absa durin...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Technology Corporate Management (TCM) solution experts Phillip Ambartzakis and Vishnu Naidoo discuss IBM’s use of AI and machine learning for power and storage management. Ambartzakis is a Senior Account Executive for External Sales at TCM, and has been in the IT industry for almost three decades. He has worked with IBM products and solutions sinc...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Master Power Technologies CEO Menno Parsons discusses the company’s founding and incredible success in Africa. Since founding Master Power Technologies in 1999, Parsons’ leadership has been instrumental in the company’s strong growth. Over the past 25 years, the company has expanded to more than 16 countries and completed over 150 data centre proj...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, MVN-X CEO Valde Ferradaz discusses the value his company brings to the South African MVNO industry. Ferradaz is a highly respected and experienced business leader in the telecommunications industry, having held key positions at prominent technology companies before joining MVN-X. In this What’s Next interview, Ferradaz explains what MVN-X does and...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Brian Armstrong discusses the emerging technologies impacting the South African financial landscape. Armstrong is an independent Non-Executive Director at Old Mutual and Professor in the Chair of Digital Business at Wits Business School. He is regarded as one of Africa's foremost ICT industry leaders and has over 30 years of top-level management e...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Kevin Aron discusses the exciting changes coming to Medshield’s benefits and contributions for 2025. Aron is the Principal Officer for Medshield Medical Scheme and boasts over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry where he held multiple key positions across several major financial and healthcare businesses. These include Acting Chief O...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Connect SA Sales Director Charlene George discusses the company’s end-to-end customer experience services. George oversees Connect SA’s sales strategy and execution, and manages the company’s team of account managers and business development managers. She has over 20 years of IT industry experience, which she acquired working at global technology...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Vodacom Business Chief of Sales Peter Malebye discusses how the company became a leader in the IoT sector. Malebye is a respected leader in the South African IoT industry. Before taking on his current role, he was the BCX Managing Executive responsible for industrial and commercial IoT and operational technology commercialisation. Malebye has also...

In this What’s Next interview, Ross discusses the 2024 SingularityU South Africa event. She explains what the event is about and why Old Mutual has decided to sponsor it. Ross then highlights how Old Mutual prioritises sustainability and creates solutions that prioritise people. She also unpacks Old Mutual’s obsession with championing financial wellness in Africa and highlights Old Mutual’s focus...

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Merchant Capital Founder and CEO Dov Girnun shares his insights on the incredible entrepreneurial opportunities in South Africa and the unmatched resilience of homegrown entrepreneurs. A disruptive innovator, Girnun began his career in London’s financial sector before his ambition to start his own business brought him back to South Africa. Recogn...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Ernst Fonternel discusses the importance of putting customers first. Fonternel is MTN South Africa’s Chief Consumer Officer and boasts over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. During this time, he has worked in many important roles - including as Senior Manager at MTN Group, Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Zambia, and Chief M...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Altron Group CTO Dr Bongani Mabaso discusses the company’s impressive performance, growth, and profitability. In his current role, Dr Mabaso leads Altron’s group-wide technology function, product designs, and innovation strategies. Dr Mabaso was previously the CEO of SITA and the CIO of Digital and Customer Journeys at Standard Bank CIB, before jo...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Resilient Innovations CEO Willem Olivier discusses the value of Disaster Recovery as a Service, backup as a service, and work area recovery spaces. Olivier explains why it is important for South African businesses to embrace DRaaS and how Resilient Innovations clients weren’t affected by the recent CrowdStrike outage. He then reveals that Resilien...

Romulen Pillay is the Managing Director of Philips Southern Africa and has held this position for over five years. In this What’s Next interview, Pillay discusses the key findings from the 2024 Philips Future Health Index report. He explains how South Africa’s skills shortage is affecting the healthcare sector, and reveals how the industry is addressing this challenge. Pillay then talks about how...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Everest Wealth CEO Thys van Zyl discusses the impact the Government of National Unity is having on local markets. Van Zyl has played a key role in South Africa’s financial industry for the past decade, and under his guidance Everest Wealth has grown into a multi-million-rand enterprise. He is passionate and knowledgeable about private equity and a...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Botha van der Vyver - Founder and CEO of JustSolve - discusses how hyperautomation can help local businesses accelerate their digital transformation efforts. Van der Vyver is an IT leader with more than two decades of industry experience. In 2016, van der Vyver founded JustSolve with the purpose of building an innovative community of problem solve...

Founded in 2008, Sustainable Power Solutions (SPS) has to date successfully commissioned over 290 solar and battery storage projects in the commercial & industrial (C&I) sector across Sub-Saharan Africa, including St Helena Island and the Seychelles. We are a leading asset management company specializing in the funding, development, and operation of solar PV and battery storage plants. SPS is a po...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Poly HP’s Bob Aoun discusses how hybrid working has evolved. Aoun is the Regional Sales Director for Poly HP, a position he has held for over eight years. Aoun strongly believes that equipping employees with the right tools is critical to a business’s success. In 2024, this includes providing the hybrid working tools professionals need to thrive –...

In this What’s Next with Aki interview, CloudZA founder and CEO Jonathan Oaker discusses the benefits cloud technology offers to South African businesses. Oaker is an entrepreneur who is known for his visionary leadership in the cloud computing industry. He is now responsible for leading CloudZA as its CEO, and is committed to ensuring the company offers cutting-edge solutions to South African bus...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Tom Crotty discusses how claims processing has evolved in recent years. Crotty is Liberty’s Lead Specialist for Technical Marketing and boasts well over a decade of experience in the financial services industry. Crotty also worked as an Actuary for Alexander Forbes from 2013 to 2017 and, before this, as an Actuarial Analyst for Arthur Els & Associ...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, the director of broadcast cybersecurity and anti-piracy at Irdeto, Frikkie Jonker, discusses the importance of fighting piracy. Jonker is a highly respected name in the South African anti-piracy industry, boasting over 30 years of experience in the field. In his current role, Jonker heads up the Irdeto team fighting against piracy in Africa. Irdet...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Dr Angus Hay – Africa Data Centres’ Regional Executive for South Africa – discusses the company’s new data halls in Cape Town. He began his leadership journey in the telecommunications industry when he was appointed as the CTO of Transtel from 2001 until 2006. He now oversees the commercial and operational development of Africa Data Centres’ facil...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Bill Blackie discusses key insights from the Standard Bank Business and Commercial Banking Africa Unlocked Conference. Blackie is the CEO of Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank Group and boasts over 25 years of experience in the industry. In 2022 he was promoted to his current role, where he is tasked with ensuring Standard Bank’s com...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Boitumelo Mothoagae discusses how Liberty automates its claims process. Mothoagae is the Divisional Executive for Claims Management for Liberty Group South Africa and has worked with the company for over a decade. Her extensive experience and knowledge position her as a top expert in the insurance industry. Mothoagae begins the interview by explai...