What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, North-West University (NWU) Professor Anné Verhoef discusses the NWU AI Hub, of which he is the director. The NWU AI Hub was launched at the beginning of 2025, with Verhoef at the helm, to provide groundbreaking solutions to South Africa’s biggest AI problems. Verhoef is a professor in philosophy and the former director of the NWU School of Philosophy, which forms part of the university’s Humanities faculty. He has a strong involvement in ethics, which has prepared him to head up the NWU AI Hub. In this interview, Verhoef begins by discussing the reason for the NWU AI Hub and its biggest successes so far. He highlights the measures NWU is taking to ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI within the university. Verhoef then explains how NWU is prioritising student development to ensure its graduates remain competitive in the workforce of the future. He concludes by sharing insights into NWU’s AI literacy courses and how students have responded to these initiatives.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Nomvuyiso Batyi and Naveed Kashif discuss the evolution of the telecommunications market and how AI is reshaping RAN infrastructure in South Africa. Batyi is the Chief Executive Officer of the recently established Association of Comms and Technology – a non-profit company dedicated to addressing ecosystem issues within the broader ICT sector. Before this, she worked in roles at the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, ICASA, and Primedia Broadcasting. Kashif is the Head of Nokia’s Southern African Market Unit for Mobile Networks at Nokia. He boasts an impressive 27-year track record in the telecommunications industry, having held leadership roles at companies like Nokia, Alcatel-Lucent, and IBM. He holds an MBA focused on International Management from Vlerick Leuven-Gent Management School. In this What’s Next interview, Batyi explains what the Association of Comms and Technology does, and Kashif explains Nokia’s role in the African telecommunication industry. Kashif then outlines how AI is changing how Radio Access Networks (RANs) operate, and Batyi unpacks the challenges in optimising RAN infrastructure in Africa. She also discusses the role of policy-making in accelerating growth and change in the South African telecommunications industry. They concluded the interview by outlining how they expect the South African telecommunications industry to evolve in the coming years.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Videsha Proothveerajh discusses how Vodacom Business is leveraging new technologies to offer superior services to its customers. Proothveerajh is the Director of Vodacom Business at Vodacom South Africa and boasts over 25 years of experience in the technology and telecommunications industries. She assumed her current role at Vodacom South Africa in 2024 and leverages her extensive experience and expertise to ensure Vodacom Business sits at the top of the enterprise telecommunications industry. In this What’s Next interview, Proothveerajh explains the importance of Vodacom Business being crowned South Africa’s Most Trusted Enterprise Telecommunications Provider in the MyBroadband Awards. She unpacks the key areas she believes Vodacom Business stands apart in the enterprise telecommunications industry, and highlights the company’s most significant achievements since she joined it. Proothveerajh also discusses how Vodacom Business is leveraging new technologies like AI and machine learning to deliver improved value to its South African clients. She concludes the interview by sharing Vodacom Business’s plans for the future.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Jordaan Burger discusses the modern challenges facing CFOs. Burger is the Sage Vice President of Finance for the Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region, and has worked in the finance industry for over 20 years. He joined Sage in 2019 as the Financial Director for the Africa and Middle East region, and was promoted to his current position in 2021. In this What’s Next interview, Burger discusses how the CFO role is evolving in South Africa. He unpacks the new challenges and responsibilities that have emerged, and explains how these changes have led to CFOs having a greater impact on the C-Suite. Burger also outlines how CFOs can balance their organisations’ current finances with the need for growth. He then notes the importance of automation for generating growth opportunities, and explains how Sage can assist with this. Burger concludes the interview by sharing his vision for the future of finance, and the role Sage will play in this.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner discusses how the digital bank improves customers’ lives through enhanced banking services. Kallner has been with Discovery since 1996 and began by working on various marketing, actuarial, and strategic projects. In 2006, he was appointed as the Chief Marketing Officer for Discovery Limited and later rose to the position of Chief Executive Officer for Discovery Life in 2016. Kallner also briefly served as the CEO of Discovery SA before being appointed to his current position as Discovery Bank CEO in 2021. In this What’s Next interview, Kallner explains how Discovery Bank has achieved such excellent growth and why he predicts Discovery Bank will enjoy R3 billion in generated profits by 2029. He then discusses how banking can improve people’s lives, using the recently revealed Discovery AI as a key example of this. Kallner unpacks how Discovery AI will provide customers with a more personalised, seamless, and secure banking experience. He concludes the interview by sharing other additions to Discovery Bank - including the Discovery 911 service and the new additions to the Vitality Money offering.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Bertus van der Vyver discusses MTN’s updated brand positioning and the importance of the phrase “Today We Make Moves.” Van der Vyver is the General Manager for Residential and Postpaid at MTN South Africa. Before taking on his current role in April 2023, he held many executive roles in the South African telecommunications industry across the industry’s largest players. Through this experience, Van der Vyver has developed strong commercial acumen and the ability to solve problems and make the right decisions in high-pressure situations. In this What’s Next interview, van der Vyver discusses the important role MTN has played in connecting South Africans over the decades. He then unpacks MTN’s updated brand positioning, which focuses on the phrase “Today We Make Moves.” Van der Vyver expands on how MTN is working to address the digital divide in South Africa through access to connectivity and technology. He then discusses the moves MTN is making to build better connectivity offerings for its South African customers. Van der Vyver concludes the interview by sharing a message with South Africans who want to take charge of their future through technology.

In this What’s Next interview, Zhou unpacks the incredible growth HONOR has experienced in South Africa. He then reveals HONOR’s Project Alpha Plan, which is the company’s new corporate strategy that will transform HONOR from a smartphone manufacturer to a leading AI device ecosystem company. Zhou unpacks the three steps that this plan entails and discusses how they encourage collaboration between global technology giants for the good of technology users. He explains that HONOR believes we are at the intersection between the digital and the AI ages, and that this necessitates a new mindset. Zhou then talks about HONOR’s new Magic7 Pro smartphone, which features a cutting-edge AI photography engine. He unpacks the HONOR Magic7 Pro’s deepfake identification technology, which helps users protect themselves against malicious parties who leverage deepfake technology. Zhou concludes the interview by discussing HONOR’s sponsorship of Bafana Bafana.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Sannesh Beharie and Lukhanyo Zahela discusses the importance of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. Beharie is the Managing Executive for SME and Mobile Products at Vodacom Business. He has over 17 years of experience in fixed and mobile telecoms, having worked at South Africa’s most prominent industry players and held executive roles in Sales, Business Development and Product Development. Zahela currently serves as the Acting Executive Head of Department for Security at Vodacom Business. He is an adept leader in security technology with an unwavering passion for innovation and profitable growth within the sector. In this What’s Next interview, Beharie and Zahela discuss the reasons that SMEs often overlook cybersecurity. Beharie explains that many SMEs have two major misconceptions about cybersecurity — that they’re too small to be targeted, and that cybersecurity is too expensive. He also unpacks the major cybersecurity threats the SMEs face in 2025 — noting that many of these are becoming more sophisticated. Zahela then discusses the benefits of investing in a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy for SMEs. He explains how Vodacom Business can help SMEs enhance their cybersecurity posture, as well as how SMEs can enjoy secure network access for hybrid working set-ups through Vodacom Business. Beharie then explains how SMEs can balance the costs of cybersecurity with the importance of it to their business. Both experts conclude the interview by providing their most impactful advice for SMEs relating to cybersecurity.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Elani van der Laan discusses the emerging financial trends in the legal industry. Van der Laan is the Head of Legal and Accounting Sectors, Business and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank and boasts nearly 15 years of experience working in the legal sector. This began with her working as a Candidate Attorney, then as an Attorney, for Strydom and Bredenkamp Inc. in 2010. Following this, she worked at Leahy and van Niekerk Attorneys Inc. as an Attorney, and then became a Director at Leahy Attorneys Inc. Van der Laan took on her current position at Standard Bank Group in 2021. In this What’s Next interview, van der Laan discusses how new technologies are changing the legal sector in South Africa. She expands upon the biggest challenges facing legal professionals in South Africa, and how Standard Bank is solving these challenges through unique financial solutions for its small to medium-sized law firm clients Van der Laan then unpacks Standard Bank’s future plans to expand its legal financial solutions, and concludes the interview by giving advice to legal professionals on how to grow their businesses.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Gerhard Hartman discusses how technological innovations like AI have the ability to transform finance departments for the better. Hartman is the Regional Vice President for Medium Business at Sage Africa and the Middle East. He has worked at Sage for nearly 20 years and has extensive experience helping SMBs achieve their full potential. In his current role, Hartman is leading Sage’s strategic expansion of its accounting, human resources, and payroll businesses across Africa and the Middle East. In this What’s Next interview, Hartman discusses why financial professionals should be excited about AI, rather than worried about it. He reveals where AI can offer the most value to CFOs and finance departments. Hartman then discusses the other tech skills that CFOs should prioritise to keep up with the rapid advancement of the finance function. He also shares how CFOs must break down silos to adapt to the changing business landscape, as well as how the CFO role will continue to evolve in the years ahead. Hartman concludes the discussion by explaining how CFOs can prepare themselves today for the finance department of the future — all while maintaining a healthy work-life equilibrium.