David Cohn is a seasoned CIO with over 30 years of experience in the retail industry, currently heading the technology development for Africa's largest food retailer, Shoprite. With a deep understanding of the role of technology and data in transforming organisations, David has driven large-scale projects and ensured stable services as CIO. His passion for innovation has kept Shoprite at the forefront of global technology trends. Under his leadership, the company has won prestigious awards, including the SAP Africa Business Transformation Award (2018) and the 2020 Africa PMO of the Year.

00:00 – Intro

01:20 – David's career journey

03:11 – The field of IT Then vs. Now

04:30 – The rise of the Internet, home computing, and high-speed telecom networks

06:45 – From Sci-Fi to real innovation

08:26 – LLMs built into ERP

10:25 – David's early career

12:30 – Word of advice to Young Professionals

17:05 – Ads

17:16 – Reflecting on behaviour in the workplace

19:06 – Doing what it takes (There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch)

22:05 – David’s speaks on his favourite tech

24:03 – An old story about old tech

25:04 – Serving the communities we operate in

27:21 – Impactful Tech: Checkers Sixty60

32:10 – What you know now and not then

34:30 – David's reflection on approaching retirement

39:10 – Ads

39:20 – Mentorships and humbling experiences

41:48 – AI's impact on us in the near future

43:30 – Article reference: https://www.ghostmail.co.za/what-tiny-pineapples-can-tell-us-about-our-future/

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