Face-to-face with Huawei Cloud PanGu Model CTO, unveiling the power of the PanGu Model
In this What’s Next episode, Li Yin, CTO of Huawei Cloud Pangu Model, discusses how localised AI is accelerating South Africa’s digital transformation. Li Yin highlights the practical impact of Huawei’s Pangu model across industries such as construction, agriculture, and manufacturing, and explores its potential in finance, telecoms, media, and government. The conversation covers the importance of local AI infrastructure, the role of Huawei’s Ascend platform in enabling data sovereignty, and the need for strong ecosystem collaboration to support AI localisation in South Africa.
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11:41
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11:41
Muhammed Izhaar Ebrahim discusses TCL’s growth in South Africa
In this What’s Next with Aki interview, Muhammed Izhaar Ebrahim, Channel Sales Manager for TCL Electronics South Africa, discusses the new products TCL has launched in South Africa and how the brand has become a major player in the country.
He explains why TCL has risen in popularity over the past few years and unpacks what sets TCL apart as an innovative brand. Ebrahim then focuses on TCL’s new Mini LED TVs – explaining to viewers what makes these TVs so impressive. He also unpacks TCL’s brand partnership agreements with major sports clubs like Arsenal and the Vodacom Bulls. Ebrahim concludes the discussion by TCL South Africa’s plans in the local market for the months and years ahead.
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14:49
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14:49
Achievement Awards Group’s Clint Bryce on why companies need loyalty programmes
In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Clint Bryce discusses how the Achievement Awards Group is helping companies adopt rewards and loyalty programmes.
Clint is the Product Director at Achievement Awards Group and a veteran of the design industry, having helped build, develop, and manage multi-disciplinary teams for many industry leaders.
This has included working as the Head of Design at Luno, Head of Design at Yoco, and Chief Creative Officer at 22seven Digital.
Thanks to his extensive work, he has been acknowledged with numerous different awards, including:
Marketing Achievement Award (2019) — Marketing Achievement Awards
Best in Show (2011) — Bookmark Awards
Construction New Media Award (2007) — Construction New Media Award
Grand Prix, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards — The Loerie Awards
In addition to these awards, Clint has frequently appeared as a guest speaker at notable events, such as the DisruptHR Conference (2018), the Interactive Marketing Summit (2010), and the International Design Indaba (1999).
In this What’s Next interview, Clint discusses what motivated him to take on his current role and the lessons he has learned from previous roles that are helping him in this position.
He then provides a basic overview of what Achievement Awards Group offers and why companies should implement these solutions.
Clint also explains how he is focused on fostering a product-driven mindset at the company, and the importance of platform thinking.
He concludes the interview by unpacking how Achievement Awards Group makes it easy for companies to adopt rewards and loyalty programmes and how interested parties can begin this journey.
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20:11
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20:11
Angela Wamola on how AI has the potential to improve the lives of Africans
In this episode of What's Next, Angela Wamola, Head of Africa at GSMA, joins the conversation to unpack Africa's digital transformation journey. She shares vital insights into mobile connectivity, the current state of 4G and 5G adoption across the continent, and the pressing issue of smartphone affordability. Despite growing infrastructure, many remain unconnected to mobile internet—Angela explains why bridging this gap requires coordinated efforts between governments, the private sector, and civil society.
The discussion also delves into the role of artificial intelligence, the significance of local language data, and the need for AI-ready infrastructure to help Africa leapfrog into a digitally inclusive future. Angela emphasizes the importance of investment in green energy and forward-thinking policies to unlock the continent's full digital potential. This episode is essential viewing for anyone interested in Africa’s tech ecosystem, digital inclusion, and sustainable innovation.
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21:38
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21:38
André De Wet on helping legacy retailers compete in a digital world
In this interview, André de Wet, co-founder and CEO of Flood Finance, explains how the platform helps offline retailers—like spaza shops and small grocers—become discoverable through apps people already use. Instead of needing their own e-commerce site, merchants can appear on a geolocation-based marketplace that drives foot traffic, enables in-store promotions, and supports digital payments and loyalty rewards.
Flood Finance is designed to bring informal and legacy retailers into the digital economy without requiring delivery logistics. With successful launches in the Maldives and West Africa, and interest from Latin America to Southeast Asia, the platform offers scalable tools for onboarding, data tracking, and integration. It’s a simple plug-and-play solution for partners looking to power hyperlocal commerce.
What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou is South Africa’s most popular technology show. The who’s who of South Africa’s technology and business world are interviewed on the show.
South Africa