What's Next with Aki Anastasiou

In this What’s Next interview, Aki Anastasiou meets with Raymond Wright, the founder and CEO of Network Alliance, to discuss the value of Microsoft Modern Workplace and the security benefits associated with using Microsoft 365 Defender. Wright founded Network Alliance in 1995 and has grown the business to become a leading provider of professional and scalable IT solutions to organisations across t...

In this What’s Next in Motoring interview, James Barclay — Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal and the Managing Director of JLR Motorsport — discusses Jaguar’s presence in Formula E with Aki Anastasiou. Barclay was appointed team director for Jaguar’s Formula E programme in November 2015 and has managed the British brand’s exciting return to motorsport in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Ove...

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Lisa Wright – Ecosystem Partner Manager at Console Connect – discusses why Console Connect is a great Network-as-a-Service solution for businesses looking to transform their operations. Wright is a seasoned IT professional whose strategic prowess has been instrumental in establishing and expanding PCCW Global’s ecosystem – including Console Conne...

In this What’s Next in Motoring interview, Craig Roberts – MD of Mazda Southern Africa – joins Aki Anastasiou in-studio to discuss the new Mazda CX-60. Roberts has worked for Mazda Southern Africa since 2014, where he served as the Head of Sales until taking on his current role as MD in 2017. He uses his passion for the automotive industry to promote Mazda’s challenger spirit and its reputation fo...

In this episode of What’s Next in Cloud with Aki Anastasiou, Dr Angus Hay – the African Data Centres Regional Executive for South Africa – discusses the rise in data collection by African businesses. In his current role, Dr Hay oversees all the commercial and operational development of Africa Data Centres’ facilities in Johannesburg and Cape Town. He is also the current Director of the Number Port...

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Justin Hume – the Vice President of Mobile Experience at Samsung South Africa – discusses the company’s newest foldable smartphones. Justin Hume is a Samsung smartphone expert, having worked at the company for over 11 years. He has held his current position since March 2022. In his interview on What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Hume discusses what...

In this What’s Next with Aki interview, Netstock Co-Founder and CTO Barry Kukkuk discusses the journey that has seen the proudly South African software company go global. Kukkuk is an experienced technology expert who has helped grow Netstock into a leading global brand. In this interview, Kukkuk tells the story of how a homegrown South African software company has gone global. He then discusses h...

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Lisa Gibbon – the Divisional Executive for Onboarding at Liberty Life – discusses full disclosure and its importance in underwriting. Gibbon has a Bachelor of Commerce, MBL Management from the University of South Africa, and boasts over 20 years of industry experience. In her What’s Next interview, Gibbon explains what an insurance company underw...

In this What’s Next interview, Tom Crotty – the Lead Specialist for Technical Marketing at Liberty Group South Africa – discusses the group’s recently-published Claims Stats 2022 report. Crotty is a trained actuary who worked as an Actuarial Analyst at Arthur Els & Associates from 2009 until 2013. In this What’s Next interview, Crotty meets with Aki Anastasiou to talk about the findings of Liberty...

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Brent Petersen – Head of South Africa and Legal Lead at Easy Crypto – discusses the differences between cryptocurrency investing and forex trading. Petersen is an admitted attorney and Notary Public of the South African High Court who boasts over nine years of industry experience. In this episode of What’s Next, Petersen discusses how interest ra...

In this What’s Next interview, Robert Timmis – CEO of Emergent Energy and Fund Manager of Fedgroup’s Green Energy Fund - talks about the feasibility and growth of solar power in South Africa. Timmis is a registered engineer with extensive experience in nuclear, conventional, and renewable power generation in South Africa. Timmis meets with Aki Anastasiou to discuss the silver lining of South Afric...

In this episode of What’s Next in Motoring with Aki Anastasiou, Craig Roberts – Managing Director of Mazda Southern Africa – discusses the launch of the Mazda CX-60 in South Africa. Roberts has served as the Managing Director of Mazda Southern Africa for over six years and has spent a further 16 years in the automotive industry. He previously worked at Volvo Car Group as its National Sales Directo...

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Mike van Lier – Vice President of Consumer Electronics at Samsung South Africa, discusses the latest advancements in Smart TV technology. Mike van Lier has over 20 years of experience working across multiple categories in the ICT and Consumer Electronics industries. During this time, he has provided meaningful strategic leadership and accumulated...

In this What’s Next interview, Aki Anastasiou meets with Gour Lentell, the CEO of mobile data optimization company Datafree, to discuss its new tool - Datafree Connect. Lentell began his career at PWC as a Management Consultant in the United Kingdom and Australia. He then joined Oracle in 1992 as a Consulting Industry Director, before becoming the Senior Vice President for Systems Delivery at OzEm...

In this What’s Next interview, Fedgroup’s General Manager for Ventures, Warren Winchester, talks about the role of sustainable investing in global issues such as food and energy security. Winchester is a qualified chartered accountant with experience in investment banking and debt capital markets. Winchester has held several key financial positions at top organisations and has a track record of su...

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Brent Flint – Cloud Services Executive for Dimension Data Middle East and Africa – discusses everything your business needs to know about cloud migrations. Flint has been a part of the Dimension Data team for over 20 years, where he has held strategic leadership roles across multiple departments. He has an intimate understanding of the IT services...

In this What’s Next interview, Fedgroup CEO Grant Field meets with Aki Anastasiou to discuss how sustainability trends can positively impact the investment landscape. Field holds a BSc in Engineering from the University of Witwatersrand and an MBA from the University of Pretoria. He has worked at Fedgroup since 2002, where he initially used his tech expertise to help set up its IT department. In h...

Brandon Horn is the National Sales Manager at SolarAfrica Energy and boasts over 16 years of sales and business development experience. He possesses a proven track record in driving sales growth and business expansion, with a strong focus on developing solar energy and battery storage proposals for commercial and industrial customers. In this Driving Sustainability with Aki Anastasiou interview, H...

In this episode of What’s Next, Tony Bartlett — Dell Technologies Director of Data Centre Compute for the SADC Region — meets with Aki Anastasiou to discuss Dell Technologies’ new PowerEdge servers. Bartlett has worked at Dell Technologies for over 16 years and has a comprehensive knowledge of the brand’s solutions. Prior to joining Dell Technologies, Bartlett worked at Tiger Brands, where he held...

In this What’s Next interview, Aki Anastasiou meets with Morne Hugo – Executive for Microsoft Solutions at Mecer Inter-Ed - to discuss how the education solutions provider achieved the global title of 2023 Microsoft Learning Partner of the Year. Hugo is an innovative Microsoft Training and Certification Solutions specialist with decades of experience in South Africa’s ICT training industry. He beg...

In this episode of What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou, Cheri Scholtz – CEO of PETCO – provides valuable insight into the South African recycling industry. Scholtz has led PETCO since it was founded in 2004 and has grown it from a small, industry-based initiative to a leading entity at a global level. In her role, Scholtz performs traditional CEO functions and operates in a hands-on corporate capacity...

In this episode of What’s Next, Takealot.com CEO Frederik Zietsman discusses how online purchasing trends have been impacted by load-shedding. Zietsman attended Paarl Boy’s High and studied at Stellenbosch University, where he became a qualified Chartered Management Accountant. Before joining Takealot in 2015, Zietsman spent over five years working for Distell, focusing on revenue growth managemen...

In this episode of What’s Next in Cloud, Stone He – President of Huawei Cloud in Southern Africa – discusses how Huawei Cloud supports e-commerce businesses in the region. He is an experienced ICT leader in the African market, who has worked in Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, and Innovation through Technology. Previously the Managing Director of the Huawei Telkom Key Account in South Afr...

In this What’s Next interview, Africa Data Centres CEO Tesh Durvasula meets with Aki Anastasiou to discuss the company’s journey to becoming an industry leader in the data centre and hosting industry. Durvasula is an experienced CEO who specialises in digital infrastructure. He served as the Vice President of the Internet Services Division at AboveNet Communications from 1997 until 2002 – when he...

In this What’s Next interview, Aki Anastasiou is joined by Anita Erasmus, Head of Business at Bob Group; Graeme Cumming, Chief Product Officer at iKhokha; and Gill Balfour, Co-Founder of Stone Hut Designs, to discuss their companies’ exciting new partnership. Anita Erasmus heads up the business systems of Bob Group – an ecommerce ecosystem aimed at making online shopping reliable, simple, and trus...