In this What’s Next in Security interview, Sudipto Moitra – GM for ICT Solutions at MTN Business – joins Aki Anastasiou to discuss MTN’s transformation from a telco to a TechCo. Moitra has built up extensive experience holding several strategic management positions at leading companies – including TCS and Dimension Data. In his current role at MTN Business, Moitra is responsible for ensuring that the company creates industry-leading B2B ICT solutions by converging legacy telco infrastructure with modern technology. Moitra is a distinguished thought leader in this arena and is building a strategy that will move MTN Business up the ICT stack. Moitra begins this What’s Next interview by explaining what a TechCo is and why MTN Group is focused on becoming one. He then unpacks the latest B2B ICT trends and highlights the trends where South Africa is lagging behind the rest of the world.

In this episode of What’s Next, Anker experts Lorraine Gillesen and Chantelle Batty discuss the brand’s best load-shedding products. Lorraine Gillesen is the Anker National Sales Manager at Premium Brand Distributors. She has over 20 years of experience in IT hardware sales, business development, and channel management across different market verticals. Gillesen has an innovative approach to sales, with a proven track record in increasing brand awareness, coverage, and growth – while driving up sales. Chantelle Batty is the Anker Product and Procurement Manager at Premium Brand Distributors. Batty is responsible for selecting products within the Anker range and its subcategories that are globally relevant, feature-rich, and meet the needs and requirements of local consumers. Her biggest strengths are understanding what benefits a product can offer a customer and analysing data to make informed business decisions. Batty has extensive experience in direct sales and marketing, including over four years in brand and inventory management at SMD Technologies. In this What’s Next interview, Gillesen and Batty begin by unpacking the key procurement and sales trends they have observed with Anker’s energy products.

In this What’s Next interview, Metacom founder and chairman Réan van Niekerk meets with Aki Anastasiou to discuss the benefits and challenges of building an ICT company in Africa. Van Niekerk is an accomplished thought leader, technology architect, innovator, and entrepreneur who has successfully built multiple companies and complex tech solutions throughout his 40-year career. This includes Van Niekerk founding Metacom in 2001, which he has been instrumental in growing into a leader in the ICT space. His vision for Metacom is to be the go-to, point-to-point connectivity partner for enterprises, connecting data securely, reliably, and cost-effectively – no matter the location. Van Niekerk begins the interview by unpacking how he founded Metacom and grew it to become an industry leader in Africa. He then explains why African companies prefer products and services designed in South Africa.

In this episode of What’s Next, Thabiso Hlatshwayo – Senior Solution Consulting Manager at OpenText Africa – discusses the relevance of Cloud FinOps, a topic he will be presenting at the Cloud & Security Conference 2023. Hlatshwayo leads a team of highly-experienced solution consultants who are responsible for the design of multifaceted technology solutions for clients across Africa. Born a digital native, he describes himself as a proud and passionate African who believes in the potential of people. He holds a BSc Honours degree in business and technology and has over a decade of experience in high-tech industries. In this interview, Hlatshwayo discusses Cloud FinOps – including why it is relevant and why businesses should care about it. To find out more about the 2023 Cloud & Security Conference visit the conference website: https://cloudconference.co.za/

In this episode of What’s Next, Marco Fonto – Managing Director at Stratum Benefits – discusses the benefits of gap cover. Fonto worked in the insurance industry in the late 1990s and early 2000s, before founding Stratum Benefits after noticing an opportunity in the market. Specialists were charging more than medical aid members were covered for, and the patients were struggling to pick up the difference. Stratum Benefits was founded to solve this problem and has grown from strength to strength ever since. Fonto believes in going the extra mile for every client and encourages his employees to tap into their individual strengths to leave a positive mark on the people around them. In his What’s Next interview, Fonto explains what gap cover is, as well as why someone should consider getting it if they already pay for medical aid. He then provides examples of how gap cover from Stratum Benefits helped two clients who required significant medical procedures.