Modernisation fails when it’s led by tools instead of strategy.
In this episode of The Angle, Valter Adao breaks down how he and Cadena Growth Partners approach growth and modernisation: start with a clear business ambition, define the value you want (growth, productivity, experience), and only then pick technology and vendors. His data point is stark: plenty of programmes ship “on time, on budget”… yet fewer than a third actually unlock the promised ROI - because they were tech-first, not strategy-first.
We also dig into why adding constraints makes innovation work, how to spot healthy leadership signals, and the right capital–policy mix to let private investment flow. Finally: the real meaning of the Engels/AI pause—and why so many firms are stuck in theatre instead of impact.
What you’ll learn:
A practical sequence for modernisation (ambition - value - tech) and why leadership beats tooling.
How deliberate constraints (scope, timelines, KPIs, budgets) turn “idea fairs” into value.
The gladiator traits Valter hires for: agency, resilience, adult problem-solving - and why a constantly “too busy” C-suite is a red flag.
Strategy before regulation - and the rails policy must lay to attract investment and protect property rights.
Why South Africa’s AI trust & adoption are surprisingly high, average time online is 9h37m/day, and how to turn usage into productivity.
The real AI/Engels pause: lots of pilots, little P&L movement - because firms chased “AI projects” instead of business cases.
Chapters and Timecodes:
00:00 – Cold open: long-form vs short-form, how audiences really consume
01:32 – Formats that teach vs doom-scrolling (and where TikTok fits)
03:15 – Valter’s brief: growth + modernisation are leadership problems, not tech problems
03:43 – Cadena’s two tracks: repackaging legacy for new markets; modernising the core
04:50 – Why fewer than 30% of modernisation efforts deliver promised ROI (tech-first traps)
06:55 – The “fluency gap”: building an executive academy for better decisions
07:33 – Counterintuitive truth: more constraints → better innovation outcomes
08:08 – Designing constraints: value, timeline, scope, KPIs, and budget discipline
10:40 – Operating across 17 African countries: patterns of high-growth firms
11:11 – Utility first, then tech; unreasonable product expectations the tech must meet
13:24 – Leadership signals: clear decisions, governance, teams that actually own problems
15:09 – The “too busy” CEO as a diagnostic for organisational dysfunction
16:40 – Regulation as rails: how policy enables investment and protects property rights
18:39 – Strategy → regulation sequencing; anchor on jobs & growth, digitise to compete
20:03 – Industry-agnostic by design; cross-pollinating models (prepaid → energy)
22:16 – Tech augments humans: fear vs the “rock-breaker” productivity effect
27:02 – SA optimism, partnership mindset, and public–private execution gaps
31:01 – Where AI sits on the hype/maturity curve (and why AVs are further along)
32:51 – SA doesn’t lag when tech is mature; infra limits vs corporate capability
33:57 – SA’s high AI trust/adoption + 9h37m online: leapfrog potential if harnessed
37:08 – Engels/AI pause: stuck in demos because business cases came last
39:47 – From pilots to P&L: embed AI where it moves revenue, cost, or experience
40:28 – Closing: strategy first, then technology—no silver bullets
#TheAnglePodcast, #ValterAdao, #DigitalTransformation, #StrategyOverTech, #AIROI, #PNLImpact, #Leadership, #Innovation, #ChangeManagement, #SouthAfricaBusiness, #DataStrategy, #productivity
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