What's Next with Aki Anastasiou

AI and legacy systems don't have to be at odds. Graham Parker explains how businesses can modernise existing technology, unlock value from their data and adopt AI without expensive rip-and-replace projects.

Graham Parker, Executive Chairman at Britehouse, joins What's Next to discuss how organisations can cut through the AI hype and focus on practical business outcomes. Drawing on decades of experience building and scaling enterprise software businesses, he explains why successful AI adoption starts with understanding business problems, making better use of existing systems, and creating measurable value rather than chasing the latest technology trends.

The discussion explores how AI is transforming enterprise software, why legacy systems often remain valuable foundations for innovation, and the importance of data governance when deploying AI solutions. Graham also shares how Britehouse helps organisations modernise critical business applications through incremental improvements instead of disruptive replacements, while highlighting real-world AI projects spanning industrial operations, enterprise software engineering and even professional cycling through its work with Pinarello Q36.5. For South African organisations navigating digital transformation, the conversation offers practical guidance on implementing AI responsibly while keeping people firmly at the centre of technology.

0:00 Intro
2:16 Cutting through the AI hype
3:23 What Britehouse does
6:01 Two practical ways businesses can use AI
9:39 Modernising legacy systems with AI
19:54 AI in professional cycling and Team Q36.5
23:29 The future of enterprise software and AI

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#ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalTransformation #EnterpriseSoftware

In this episode of What’s Next, Aki Anastasiou speaks to Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen – Lexus Brand Ambassador about craftsmanship, humility and the discipline behind excellence. From growing up on a farm to earning global culinary recognition, he reflects on how consistency, patience and refinement shaped his journey long before the accolades followed.

The conversation explores his philosophy of modern luxury as emotional connection rather than status. He shares why simplicity, authenticity and meaningful human experiences define true success, and how building something lasting matters more than noise or fleeting recognition.

Fibre expansion in South Africa's secondary towns is transforming communities. Van Zyl Botha, co-founder and CEO of the Herotel Group, joins Aki Anastasiou to discuss bridging the digital divide outside major metros. Botha details how the network operator evolved from consolidating local wireless ISPs into an infrastructure powerhouse deploying high-speed fibre across 180 municipalities.

The conversation covers Herotel’s vertically integrated model, explaining how handling infrastructure construction, installations, and ISP operations internally removes the middleman to lower costs and boost uptime. Botha highlights localized innovations like their flexible 7-day voucher payment systems tailored to the township economy, alongside their redundant "Super Core" data centers that dramatically lower latency for regional users. Finally, he unpacks the business impact of their landmark acquisition by Maziv-aligning them with Vumatel and DFA-and how this partnership scales up operations to bring uncapped broadband to seven million unconnected homes.

0:00 Intro
1:30 Solving the digital divide outside SA metros
5:30 Evolving from local WISPs to national fibre infrastructure
17:40 Why vertical integration beats the traditional ISP model
21:30 Innovations for the township economy: vouchers and aerial fibre
28:00 The Maziv acquisition and scaling to a million homes
36:50 Unpacking the network's redundant "Super Core" secret sauce

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#FibreInternet #BroadbandSA #WhatsNext

In this episode of What’s Next, host Aki Anastasiou speaks with Riaan Esterhuysen, Senior Manager of PR and Corporate Communications at Lexus South Africa, about the brand’s long-standing electrification journey and the future of luxury EVs in South Africa. Riaan reflects on his career with Toyota and explains how Lexus has evolved from pioneering hybrid SUVs with the RX in 2006 to launching fully electric battery-electric vehicles like the Lexus RZ. The discussion explores Lexus’s “multi-pathway” strategy, which combines internal combustion, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery-electric, and even hydrogen technologies to suit different markets and customer needs.

The conversation also dives into the design philosophy and customer-centric approach that define the Lexus experience. Riaan explains how Japanese craftsmanship, driver-focused interiors, and refined electric performance shape vehicles like the RZ, which aims to deliver luxury, serenity, and usability rather than just headline speed figures. The episode highlights how Lexus is adapting EV technology for South African realities, including charging infrastructure and driving distances, while positioning electrification as a core part of the brand’s future in the country.

Youth unemployment in South Africa remains one of the country's biggest challenges, but AI, digital platforms, and new growth sectors could help change the trajectory.

Kuben Nair, Chief Technology Officer at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, joins What's Next to discuss practical solutions for connecting young South Africans with work opportunities. Nair explains how SA Youth – the country’s largest online youth recruitment platform, managed and operated by Harambee, helps work seekers and self-employed youth overcome barriers such as data costs, transport expenses, and limited access to employers. He also shares insights from Harambee's AI research, including how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries like business process outsourcing, customer service, and tourism.

The discussion explores the role of public-private partnerships in addressing the country’s youth unemployment crisis, the importance of recognising informal skills and entrepreneurial experience, the role of self-employment in economic growth, and Harambee's role in advancing the national strategy of reduce youth unemployment by 20% by 2030.

0:00 Intro
0:58 What Harambee does and why it matters
4:19 The causes of South Africa's youth unemployment crisis
11:21 How the SA Youth platform works
15:21 AI's impact on jobs and skills development
20:15 National strategy to reduce youth unemployment by 20%
24:14 Advice for employers and job seekers

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