What's Next with Aki Anastasiou

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Tumi Mothoagae discusses how AI helps Liberty to streamline the claims process for its clients. Mothoagae is the Divisional Executive for Claims Management at Liberty Group South Africa and has worked at the company for 13 years. During this time, she has held the roles of Team Manager and Financial Advisor – having joined the company after being an Associate Lecturer at Wits University. In this What’s Next interview, Mothoagae discusses how Liberty has integrated technology into its claims processes – ensuring death and funeral claims can be processed in under 20 minutes, and lifestyle claims can be processed within 24 hours. She explains how this is enabled by the use of AI, which pulls extensive data from multiple sources. Mothoagae then discusses the challenges Liberty faced when implementing automation into its claims processes – including dealing with increased claims volumes due to COVID-19 – as well as how employees benefit from having repetitive processes removed. Mothoagae concludes the interview by unpacking the metrics which show how successful the integration of modern technologies has been for Liberty.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, MiWay CEO Burton Naicker discusses the latest trends in South Africa’s insurance industry. Naicker’s professional journey began in the banking industry, before transitioning into the insurance sector when he was appointed as a Legal Recoveries Advisor at Telesure. In the years which followed, Naicker progressed to senior management roles in the claims environment – culminating in him being appointed as the CEO of SIAS in 2010. In this What’s Next interview, Naicker discusses his journey to becoming the CEO of MiWay – explaining how the insurance industry has evolved over the past 20 years. Naicker then discusses the highlights of his tenure as MiWay CEO, as well as the biggest selling points of MiWay as an insurance provider in South Africa. He also unpacks the major trends he is seeing in the local insurance industry, and provides his top advice to South African insurance clients. Naicker concludes the interview by revealing his biggest goals for 2025 as MiWay CEO.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Metacom CMO Marius Visser discusses the company’s impressive range of SCADA, IoT, and router products. Visser is a 22-year veteran of the communications industry, who joined Metacom in 2010. Before this, he worked at MTN for six years as a Solution Consultant and Business Development Manager. He also worked at Psitek for six years as an Executive for its Access to Voice department. Visser then joined Metacom as the Executive of Business Development for Europe and Africa. He has since been promoted to Chief Marketing Officer, and was also appointed to the company’s board as a shareholding director in 2023. Visser is passionate about offering innovative connectivity solutions that meet the needs of Metacom’s clients. He details the company’s newest router range, which it launched last year, and discusses how popular these products have been. Visser then discusses the MC7000 enterprise router – outlining why it is the best enterprise router on the market. He also reveals the emerging technologies that Metacom is keeping an eye on for its future innovations. Visser shares several examples of how Metacom has helped its clients succeed, too, thanks to its superior connectivity solutions. He concludes the interview by discussing the initiatives and products Metacom is going to launch in 2025.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Ryan Switala discusses the technologies Liberty is using to improve its life insurance products. Switala is the Head of Simple Life Solutions at Liberty and has worked at the company for 18 years — beginning as an Actuarial Specialist in 2006. He then held several notable positions at Liberty before being appointed to his current role — including Head of Risk for Product Development, Actuarial Consultant for Group Reinsurance, and Chief Specialist for Partner Integration. In this What’s Next interview, Switala discusses how Liberty’s digital transformation strategy is helping make life insurance more accessible to its clients. He unpacks the powerful technologies that are being used to streamline the customer journey and make life insurance easier to understand for the average South African. Switala then expands on Liberty’s use of AI and machine learning to deliver ever-evolving, highly personalised client experiences. He concludes the interview by sharing the most exciting digital innovations that Liberty plans to incorporate into its life insurance offerings.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Shenge Buthelezi discusses Vodacom’s extensive MVNO offerings. Buthelezi is the Managing Executive of Wholesale and Carrier Services at Vodacom South Africa. He has worked at Vodacom for over 16 years and has held several important roles in the company’s Wholesale and Carrier Services business unit during this time – including Executive Head, Programme Manager, and Account Manager. In his current role, Buthelezi leads this business unit and is focused on fostering, maintaining, and growing strategic partnerships that grow revenue and profitability for Vodacom South Africa. In this What’s Next interview, Buthelezi discusses what makes Vodacom Business South Africa’s most trusted enterprise telecommunications provider, in South Africa. He then focuses on the company’s MVNO offering and the signing of its first MVNO partner: Mr Price Mobile. Buthelezi explains why Vodacom has entered the MVNO industry and why the network provider is a great partner for companies that want to launch their own MVNO. He highlights that Vodacom has built a mobile virtual network enablement platform to support its MVNO offering. Buthelezi concludes the interview by discussing the many exciting opportunities Vodacom’s wholesale business is working on moving forward.

In this Driving Sustainability with Aki Anastasiou interview, SolarAfrica Energy’s Brandon Horn discusses Electricity 2.0 – a new virtual power solutions suite for South African businesses in the commercial and industrial sectors. Horn is the Head of Commercial at SolarAfrica Energy and boasts over 16 years of experience working for multinational corporations in local and international markets. This has included working at Puma Energy, Brent Oil, and Centurion Systems. In this Driving Sustainability interview, Horn explains why volatile electricity price increases are an upcoming crisis for South Africa, and reveals the major drivers behind these rises. He then unpacks what businesses can do to combat electricity tariff increases, before discussing SolarAfrica’s Electricity 2.0 suite – including why a business will choose it over other power solutions. Horn outlines how a business can start wheeling energy through Electricity 2.0, and what businesses must look out for when choosing an electricity wheeling provider. He concludes the interview by noting how to get in touch with SolarAfrica to learn more about Electricity 2.0.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, First Technology’s Barry Neethling discusses the power of AI technologies in the workplace. Neethling is the Chief Technology Officer at First Technology Group – and has worked at the company for 40 years. He is an expert in assisting South African companies to get the best value for their Microsoft licenses, and has been involved in licensing for about 30 years. In this What’s Next interview, Neethling discusses why it is important for South African businesses to experiment with and embrace the latest AI technologies – like Microsoft Copilot. He unpacks the major security and privacy concerns that come with AI tools accessing company data, and explains how businesses can address these challenges. Neethling then discusses the potential benefits of AI in the workplace – including its impact on productivity and employee satisfaction, and how AI can be used as a “superpower.” He provides his view on the pace of technological change and the future capabilities of AI, and concludes the discussion by giving advice to people who are hesitant about embracing AI and other new technologies. Website: www.firsttech.co.za LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-technology-national/

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, gicom’s Stefan Hilger discusses how retailers can improve their profitability by using SAP solutions. Hilger is a Co-Founder of gicom and an Executive Member of its board, where he is responsible for the company’s Sales and Marketing division. He has spent over 25 years working to ensure that his global clients optimise their financial agreements, margins, and profitability. In this What’s Next interview, Hilger shares how retailers can use SAP solutions in an increasingly competitive market to improve their profitability. He explains how gicom plays an important role in this process, before revealing the key elements of good negotiating when trying to improve supplier terms. Hilger expands on how SAP solutions help with this process, as well as the role of technology in retail negotiations in general. He concludes the interview by outlining how SAP helps businesses anticipate market changes that can have a material impact on their profitability

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Liberty’s Kedibone Chuene discusses the latest insurance trends in South Africa. Chuene is the Chief Risk Product Marketing Specialist at Liberty and has over 16 years of industry experience. During this time, she has worked at several leading companies — including m-Cubed, Alexforbes, Guardrisk, and Nedbank. In this What’s Next interview, Chuene discusses the latest insurance industry trends — including several trends impacting women. She also notes how these trends have influenced Liberty’s service offerings in different ways. Chuene then explains how Liberty has adapted to changing market conditions and client needs, and reveals the future innovations and initiatives clients can expect to see in the insurance industry. She concludes the interview by outlining how interested listeners can learn more about Liberty’s insurance products.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Thabiso Hlatshwayo discusses how OpenText helps South African retailers drive innovation and improve customer engagement. Hlatshwayo is the Solution Consulting Senior Manager at OpenText Africa, and has over a decade of experience in high-tech industries. He leads a team of highly-experienced consultants who are responsible for designing multifaceted technology solutions that serve the needs of OpenText’s clients. In this What’s Next interview, Hlatshwayo explains how OpenText enables retailers to streamline their operations using automation. He reveals how automation makes it faster to move from the product ideation stage to the product realisation stage, as well as how retailers can use real-time data to improve decision-making across their operations and customer engagement systems. Hlatshwayo then discusses how OpenText’s low-code platform accelerates innovation while maintaining the agility that retailers need, as well as how OpenText enables seamless collaboration between IT teams and business decision-makers. He also unpacks the benefits retailers receive from embracing a cloud deployment model in their tech stack – including how it helps retailers personalise customer interactions while maintaining operational efficiency. Hlatshwayo concludes the interview by providing examples of how companies are leveraging the full power of OpenText’s solutions to grow their businesses

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, ZTE’s Charles Yang discusses the success of the Mossel Bay 5G Ultra-range Maritime Coverage Project — executed by MTN and ZTE. Yang is the Director of Marketing and Solutions at ZTE South Africa, and plays a key role in the development and execution of projects like the Maritime Coverage Project. Yang and ZTE approached MTN after identifying Mossel Bay Harbour as the best location to run the project — thanks to its popularity as a tourism destination and role as an economic hub. In this What’s Next interview, Yang unpacks what the Mossel Bay 5G Ultra-range Maritime Coverage Project entailed. He discusses the major goals that they achieved, as well as the biggest challenges ZTE and MTN faced. Yang then expands on how ZTE and MTN overcame the typical range limitations of 5G technology to expand connectivity 22km out to sea. He details the future plans of ZTE and MTN to leverage this technology in other South African coastal regions, and explains how the project aligns with ZTE’s long-term vision for Africa. Yang concludes the interview by revealing the response to the successful project in the Mossel Bay region.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, PEP’s Helmuth Luttig unpacks the value that PAXI offers to businesses through its business-to-door courier service. Luttig is the Chief Executive for Commercial at PEP South Africa and boasts over 15 years of industry experience. This includes serving as the Commercial Director and General Manager for Financial Services at Ackermans, as well as the COO at Capfin. In this What’s Next interview, Luttig details the benefits of PAXI’s business-to-door courier service. He discusses how PAXI’s network of over 2,800 counter points benefits clients, before revealing how the service integrates into companies’ existing shipment and delivery management processes. Luttig then explains how PAXI ensures reliability and prioritises the safety of all delivered packages, as well as how the service can be adapted to the needs of various business types. He also outlines how PAXI differentiates itself from its competitors, in terms of its pricing and service offerings. Luttig concludes the interview by explaining the steps PAXI has taken to ensure all deliveries happen smoothly this Black Friday.

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 across South Africa, the UK, and Europe. In this What’s Next interview, Jappie explains why retailers must move to a cloud ERP system – focusing on SAP S/4HANA as an example. He then outlines how Accenture helps its clients overcome their biggest operational challenges when transitioning to S/4HANA, while ensuring they make the installation as cost-efficient as possible. Jappie shares the recent innovations he’s seen in the retail ERP space, too, and explains how these new technologies help retailers stay a step ahead of their competitors. He concludes the interview by unpacking the trends he expects to emerge in the ERP cloud industry.

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 during his career, including Principal of Structured Asset Finance, and Chief of Staff to the Absa Group CEO. In this What’s Next interview, Khoza discusses the main challenges African nations face in securing adequate climate finance and details the goals and structures African nations should advocate for at COP29. He outlines the alternative financial strategies African countries should be considering, and reveals how the shift from climate loans to grant-based funding has impacted climate resilience and debt sustainability on the continent. Khoza then explains how African governments can mobilise domestic resources to fund climate initiatives if the COP29 negotiations fail to deliver the desired results. He concludes the interview by unpacking the role of national determined contributions (NDCs) in attracting international funding and investment.

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 since 1998. Ambartzakis was initially an IBM Advisory Telesales Brand Specialist, before becoming an IBM X-Series Sales Specialist in 2003 - and ultimately an IBM System X Brand Manager. Naidoo is the Technical Solutions Architect for Pre-Sales at TCM. He started his career as a Technical Support Engineer at IMS in 1991, and joined IBM as an IT Specialist in 1998. In his position at TCM, he specialises in data centre infrastructure and prides himself on meeting the solution design needs of TCM’s customers. In this What’s Next interview, Ambartzakis and Naidoo discuss IBM’s use of AI and machine learning to improve Power Systems efficiency and Storage management. Naidoo talks about the key innovations in IBM’s Power Systems and Storage solutions that empower customers to confront their business challenges. He also explains how IBM is integrating AI and machine learning into its Power Systems and Storage products to enhance performance, and unpacks the advancements being made in performance tuning. Ambartzakis details the key features that differentiate IBM Power Systems from competing solutions and architectures. He also provides insight into how IBM is addressing storage efficiency to benefit their customers – including through data compression and energy consumption. Find out more about IBM Power10 here: https://power.tcminsights.co.za/powersolutions Find out more about IBM FlashSystem here: https://storage.tcminsights.co.za/storeagesolutions

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 projects. In this What’s Next interview, Parsons explains why he decided to start Master Power Technologies and reveals the key factors that have led to its success in Africa. He discusses how designing, building, and operating data centres in Africa differs from other parts of the world — before highlighting the importance of research and development for retaining a competitive edge. Parsons then outlines the opportunities he sees for Master Power Technologies to expand into markets outside of Africa. He concludes the interview by unpacking the key emerging trends he believes will become important for the data centre industry moving forward.

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 how it has established itself so strongly in the South African MVNO market. He discusses how the MVNO business model is currently evolving to meet consumer needs, and reveals the factors driving the diversification of the MVNO ecosystem. Ferradaz then explains that MVN-X is carrier and product agnostic, and reveals why this is beneficial to businesses that want to launch their own MVNO. He also shares his thoughts on businesses ‘bolting’ on MVNOs to their existing businesses, and expands on MVN-X’s role as an enabler in helping businesses launch a successful MVNO. Ferradaz concludes the interview by outlining the process of starting your own MVNO with MVN-X.

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 experience. In this What’s Next interview, Armstrong discusses how technology is reshaping the landscape of financial inclusion in developing economies like South Africa. He outlines the role traditional financial institutions play in the digital evolution of the financial sector, and reveals the most promising digital innovations helping to connect unbanked populations with financial services. Armstrong then explains how fintech startups and established financial institutions can collaborate to improve financial inclusion, before unpacking the potential risks and challenges of rapid digitalisation in the financial sector. He also unpacks the key policy and regulatory changes needed to support the digital evolution of financial services in South Africa. Armstrong highlights the importance of mobile technologies and digital wallets in driving financial inclusion in underserved communities. He concludes the interview by revealing how data analytics and machine learning can help create more personalised and accessible financial products for diverse populations

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 Operating Officer at MSO, Private Equity Specialist at Investec, Financial Director at Solution Health Risk Management, Strategic Adviser at Mediclinic, and many more. In this What’s Next interview, Aron outlines what Medshield is, how long it has been around, and its current position in the market. He details the changes Medshield has made to its benefits and contributions for 2025, highlighting how these minimise members' out-of-pocket expenses. Aron then discusses the factors driving the rapid increase in healthcare costs and explains how Medshield is trying to negate this. He also explains the role new technologies are playing in improving Medshield’s services, as well as how these technologies enable better preventative care. Aron concludes the interview by discussing how the company will continue to grow in the year ahead.

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 companies such as IBM, Dell EMC, Oracle, and Cisco Systems. In this What’s Next interview, George discusses Connect SA’s vendor-independent approach to custom service solutions and explains how this benefits clients. George then reveals how Connect SA customises its solutions to meet each client’s needs. She explains how businesses can identify areas for improvement in their existing customer service systems, and reveals the different areas of the customer experience journey for which Connect SA offers solutions. George concludes the interview by discussing the innovative new technologies that can be used to solve the biggest customer service challenges of South African businesses.