What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou

00:28:25

Rajesh Ganesan on where AI delivers real value in...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/10/19

Enterprise AI is moving beyond experimentation, but businesses still need to prove where it delivers measurable value without creating new risks.Rajesh Ganesan, CEO of ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation, explains where AI is delivering practical value in enterprise IT and why many organisations are still taking a cautious approach. Ganesan discusses AI-assisted software development, cybersecurity, and the shift from copilots to agentic AI that can execute IT tasks. He explains how

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00:39:14

Jason Carlisle-Kitz on Cash Converters' fintech...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/10/16

Second-hand retail is becoming more digital in South Africa, and Cash Converters is using technology to turn that shift into a major growth opportunity. Jason Carlisle-Kitz, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cash Converters Southern Africa, explains how the company is modernising its 32-year-old business while preserving the trust built through its physical store network. He discusses the growth of pre-owned retail, why affordability and sustainability are changing consumer behaviour, and how

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00:32:57

Ajen Mothee on the risks of AI financial advice

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/10/08

AI financial advice is becoming easier to access, but trusting a chatbot with major money decisions can introduce serious risks.Ajen Mothee, Head of Innovation at Old Mutual Personal Finance, explains why more South Africans are turning to AI for financial guidance and where the technology can genuinely add value. Mothee discusses how AI can help users learn financial terminology, build basic budgets, explore future scenarios, and prepare better questions for advisers. However, he warns that AI

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00:38:01

What's Next - Jolandé Duvenage on how South Africans...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/10/07

Financial pressure is changing how South Africans save, spend, buy homes, and build additional income streams — but it has not killed their ambition.Jolandé Duvenage, Value Ecosystems and CX CEO at FNB, shares what a decade of customer behaviour on FNB nav» reveals about how people are adapting to rising living costs and greater financial uncertainty. She explains why customers increasingly want guidance rather than simply banking products, and how progress is shifting towards smaller, more

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00:24:07

Lee Lennox on how Xneelo is preparing its data...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/10/06

AI infrastructure is set to reshape South Africa’s cloud and data centre market as demand grows for more compute power, GPU capacity, and efficient hosting.Lee Lennox, Product Manager for Xneelo's Cloud and Self-Managed Hosting portfolio, explains how the company is expanding its data centre infrastructure while preparing for the next generation of cloud and AI workloads. Lennox discusses the global hardware crunch, which has pushed some component costs sharply higher and extended server delivery

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00:28:09

Biscay Mulaudzi on building South Africa's own cloud

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/10/05

South African cloud services are gaining importance as businesses focus more closely on data sovereignty, cybersecurity, predictable costs, and local support.Biscay Mulaudzi, Chief Executive Officer at Gole Cloud and Bottomline IT, explains why he built a locally hosted cloud platform designed for South African businesses, SMMEs, and individual consumers. Mulaudzi discusses how Gole Cloud keeps customer data within South African data centres while offering predictable rand-based pricing and

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00:21:24

Gregory MacLennan on why AI still needs a human in...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/10/01

AI can deliver real business value, but companies need more than licences and hype to turn the technology into measurable returns.Gregory MacLennan, CEO of Digicloud Africa, explains how South African businesses can adopt AI practically, using tools such as Gemini in Google Workspace without requiring large specialist teams. He discusses how Gemini can support everyday work across Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Slides, including multilingual communication, research, and decision-making. MacLennan also

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00:22:33

What's Next - Andrew Dawson on how technology can...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/30

Small business growth increasingly depends on using connectivity, data, cloud services, and AI to work smarter and compete more effectively. Andrew Dawson, Managing Executive: Small, Medium and Diversified Business at Telkom Business, explains how technology can help South African SMEs become more efficient, resilient, and prepared for future opportunities. Dawson discusses why small business owners often struggle with limited resources and the need to manage everything from IT to HR themselves

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00:22:18

Jan-Jan Bezuidenhout on Metrofibre’s next chapter in...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/23

In this episode of What’s Next, Aki Anastasiou speaks to Jan-Jan Bezuidenhout – Chief Executive Officer at Metrofibre about his journey from investment banking and private equity into leading one of South Africa’s fastest-scaling fibre operators. Jan-Jan shares how curiosity, decisive leadership and a generalist mindset have shaped his career, and why building an agile, entrepreneurial culture remains central as Metrofibre continues to expand.The conversation explores Metrofibre’s plans to merge

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00:13:34

What’s Next presented by SGS - Nico Engelbrecht on...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/22

Digital materials testing is transforming how South African roads, bridges, airports, and municipal infrastructure are built and maintained. Nico Engelbrecht, Business Manager for SGS South Africa Industries & Environment, explains how construction laboratories have evolved from manual testing and paper-based reports to digitised systems, automated reporting, and advanced inspection technologies. The discussion explores SGS Matrolab’s scale, independence, technical expertise, and commitment to

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00:32:19

Morné Laubscher and Nabeel Rajab on fighting AI...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/17

AI cyberattacks are forcing businesses to rethink cybersecurity as criminals increasingly use the same powerful technology available to defenders.Morné Laubscher, Chief Technology Officer at Logicalis, and Nabeel Rajab, Cisco Security Solutions Manager, explain how artificial intelligence is reshaping the cybersecurity battle for South African organisations. They discuss why traditional security approaches are struggling against AI-powered threats, particularly as businesses accumulate multiple

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00:31:06

Fred Zhou and Lionel Chen on HONOR's robot phone and...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/13

HONOR’s robot phone and Magic V6 show how the smartphone maker is pushing foldables, AI, and mobile content creation into new territory.Fred Zhou, CEO of HONOR South Africa, and Lionel Chen, Product Marketing Manager at HONOR South Africa, discuss the company’s rapid local growth and the technology behind its latest devices. They unpack the newly launched HONOR Magic V6, including its ultra-thin foldable design, 6,660mAh battery, fast charging, flagship processor, improved hinge, and productivity

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00:26:51

Jaco Van der Merwe on building software faster with AI

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/09

AI software development is allowing companies to build applications significantly faster, while fundamentally changing how engineering teams work.Jaco Van der Merwe, CEO of DVT, explains how artificial intelligence is transforming software and data engineering, with some projects already showing productivity improvements of around 50% and certain contained use cases moving even faster. He distinguishes between AI augmentation, where people use tools to improve their existing workflows, and

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00:31:49

What's Next presented by SGS - Prof Danny Myburgh on...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/08

In this eye-opening episode of What’s Next, Aki Anastasiou sits down with Prof Danny Myburgh, Associate Professor of Practice of the Workwell Research Unit for Economic, Management Sciences at NWU and a leading digital forensics and cybercrime expert, to unpack the growing threat of cybercrime. From business email compromise and ransomware attacks to large-scale data breaches, Prof Myburgh explains how hackers infiltrate organisations, why South Africa is increasingly targeted, and the staggering

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00:22:26

Prof Siedine Coetzee on how nurse leadership can...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/07

Nurse leadership could be one of the most effective ways to improve patient care and strengthen South Africa’s healthcare system. Prof Siedine Coetzee, DST/NRF Research Chair in Nursing Science at NWU, explains why the environment nurses work in has a direct effect on their wellbeing, job satisfaction, patient safety, and quality of care. Her research shows that staffing and resources remain major problems across public and private healthcare, but effective nurse leadership can have an even

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00:21:53

Philip Stander on the South African tech powering MTN...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/04

South African software company Globetom quietly powers millions of MTN customer interactions while building technology for the emerging AI economy.Philip Stander, Group CEO at Globetom, explains how the company grew from a telecoms-focused systems integrator into a technology business serving customers across telecommunications, aviation, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. Stander reveals how Globetom processes roughly 125–150 million customer interactions and more than a billion

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00:21:18

Ernst Fonternel on Pi by MTN and subscription-based...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/03

Pi by MTN is bringing subscription-style connectivity to South Africans with flexible mobile and home plans managed entirely through a digital platform.Ernst Fonternel, Chief Consumer Officer at MTN South Africa, explains how Pi by MTN was designed around simplicity, transparency, and self-service. Customers can sign up digitally, activate an eSIM, change plans from month to month, purchase additional data or voice bundles, and manage multiple lines from a single account. The discussion covers Pi

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00:16:59

Deenisha Nadesan on why South Africans aren't ready...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/02

Estate planning remains a major blind spot for South Africans, with many families financially unprepared for what happens after a loved one dies.Deenisha Nadesan, Managing Director of Fiduciary Services at Capital Legacy, unpacks the company’s Estate Readiness Index and what it reveals about South Africans’ preparedness for death and deceased estate administration. She explains why funeral cover alone is not enough. While many respondents had funeral policies, far fewer had a valid will or

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00:42:21

What's Next presented by Discovery Bank - Hylton...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/09/01

Agentic AI banking could transform how South Africans make payments, manage money, detect fraud, and receive personalised financial guidance. Hylton Kallner, CEO of Discovery Bank, explains how the bank is moving beyond conversational AI towards intelligent agents that can understand goals and complete tasks. He discusses agentic payments, where customers can upload an invoice and have the system prepare the transaction for approval, rather than manually adding beneficiaries and entering banking

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00:23:24

Ryan Swartzberg on why AI should help teachers, not...

What"s Next with Aki Anastasiou ·

2026/08/31

AI in education can personalise learning without replacing teachers, helping students overcome knowledge gaps and learn at a pace that suits them. Ryan Swartzberg, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CambriLearn, explains how the online school uses technology and learner data to build personalised education pathways for students across more than 100 countries. He discusses why children who fall behind are often incorrectly labelled as weak in a subject when the real issue may be a specific

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