Business Day Spotlight

n this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about the outlook of business leaders in Africa about the economy.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Lullu Krugel, chief economist for PwC SA, to discuss the issues.

The discussion focuses on GDP figures released earlier this week; President Cyril Ramaphosa speech on Thursday about the state of the economy; the impact of load shedding on SA’s prospects; PwC’s recent Africa Business Agenda 2021 report; the attitude of African business leaders regarding the economy; regional integration; the impact of vaccine rollout on Africa’s economy; and an outlook for the rest of the year.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about the use and growth of online investment trading platforms in SA.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Dany Mawas, regional director at Infinox, an online trading platform.

The discussion focuses on the current online trading landscape in SA; the rationale for Infinox’s expansion into SA; the opportunity that the company sees in the local market; how the company has performed in SA; the impact of Covid-19 on online trading; Infinox’s business model and advice for South African traders.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about the impact of online learning on loyalty programs in SA.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Nathea Nicolay, Head of product at Sanlam Reality, the insurer’s loyalty program.

The discussion focuses on Sanlam’s investment in online education as a feature of their loyalty program; the evolution of the group’s loyalty program through the pandemic; ways in which companies have had to reconfigure their loyalty programs due to changes in the economy; loyalty programs as a tool for retaining customers; and an outlook for the sector going forward.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about the state of employment in SA.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Sifiso Skenjana, chief economist of IQ Business to discuss the issues.

The discussion focuses on the latest unemployment figures released this week; factors that have contributed to current rates; how different industries and sectors have fared in terms of hiring; factors discouraging people from seeking employment; the impact of technology on the jobs sector; policies that need to be put in place for sustainable hiring in future; and an outlook for SA’s economy in the rest of 2021.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about the development of health technology services in SA.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Sheraan Amod, founder and CEO at RecoMed, a healthcare booking platform.

The discussion focuses on RecoMed’s business model; the development of health technology platforms in SA; the effect of Covid-19 in helping to increase the use of technology for healthcare professionals and patients; opportunities in the industry; ways in which technology can be made more accessible in the local healthcare system.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about the growth of digital payments in SA.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Aldo Laubscher for country manager for SA at Visa.

The discussion focuses on Visa’s role as a technology company and its relationship with the financial services industry; the growth of digital payments around the world; the trends seen by Visa during the pandemic; how digital payments have fared versus cash; collaborations that Visa has with other fintech companies; and an outlook for the industry.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about the growth of the bond market over the pandemic period.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Victor Mphaphuli, the head of Stanlib’s fixed income division.

The discussion focuses on the role of Stanlib’s fixed income unit; how the bond market works; the performance of fixed income relative to other assets classes; the impact of Covid-19 on the bond market; the risks and opportunities associated with bonds; and an outlook for the market.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about growth of the African tech startup industry.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, founder and general partner at Future Africa, together with Okendo Lewis-Gayle, founder and chair of the Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance (HEA).

The discussion focuses on the work being done by Aboyeji and Lewis-Gayle; the importance of networking for entrepreneurs and startups; Aboyeji and Lewis-Gayle’s career highlights; identifying gaps in the African startup ecosystem; highlighting the available opportunities for new startups; and tips around finding the right investor for a business venture.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about what it takes to run and operate a business successfully in the digital economy.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by William Mzimba, Chief Officer of Vodacom Business.

The discussion focuses on the activities of Vodacom Business and its performance in the last financial year; an overview of their new report on the readiness of business to trade in a digital economy; highlights from the study; the growing power of consumers; investment in technology; and advice for businesses looking to take advantage of the trends.

In this edition of the Business Day Spotlight, we talk about the use of mobile power station as possible solution for SA’s current energy crisis.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Peter Bird, a Managing Director at Berkeley Research Group (BRG)’s Singapore office.

The discussion touches on SA’s emergency plan to address the energy crisis; the case for using mobile power stations to support power generation; how such technology and approaches have been used in parts of Asia and South America; the costs involved; the economics of renewable energy; and an outlook of progress in the sector.