In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Itumeleng Merafe discusses the new Investec multicurrency pockets feature on the institution’s Private Bank Accounts.

Merafe is the Head of Private Bank SA at Investec — a position he has held since April 2024.

He has worked at Investec for over 18 years in several other impactful roles, too, including Head of Sales: Investec for Business and Head: Treasury Restructuring.

Merafe is a 2017 Archbishop Tutu Fellow and holds a BCom in Economics and Investment Management.

He has also completed the Finance Executive Development Programme at Cass Business School, holds an ACI dealing certificate, and a Master’s Degree in the Management of Finance and Investments.

In this What’s Next interview, Merafe discusses the new multicurrency pockets feature available on Investec Private Bank Accounts.

He explains how this feature makes it easier to manage money in different currencies, and unpacks real-world examples of who would find this offering useful.

Merafe then discusses how multicurrency pockets challenge the legacy model of needing multiple banks — or third-party apps — to manage different currencies.

He also delves deeper into the technologies and innovations that power multicurrency pockets, and how they make switching between currencies so quick and seamless.

Merafe talks about the importance of taking banking more digital and international, and explains how multicurrency pockets fit this trend perfectly.

He concludes the discussion by explaining how Investec continues to balance cutting-edge technologies with the personal service that clients still value.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Aishwarya Singh discusses the value that AI brings to South African organisations.

Singh is the Senior Vice President and Head of Microsoft Global Practice and Digital Collaboration Services at NTT Data.

In this role, she is focused on transforming employee and client experiences through Agentic AI.

She believes strongly in the role NTT Data is playing in driving powerful transformations for its clients across areas like employee engagement, client experience, operational efficiencies, and innovation.

Before working at NTT Data, she was a partner at McKinsey, before joining NTT Ltd (now part of NTT DATA) as a Global SVP.

She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics and Instrumentation from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, and a PGPM from the Indian School of Business.

In this What’s Next interview, Singh discusses the power of agentic AI.

She unpacks the key elements that set agentic AI apart from traditional generative AI.

Singh then reveals the company’s groundbreaking Smart AI Agent Ecosystem and how it is a big step forward for the entire AI sector.

She explores responsible AI deployment and the practical integration steps that CIOs can take to ensure data security, negate bias, and minimise job losses.

Singh also shares how NTT DATA helps enterprises use agentic AI to modernise legacy systems and improve employee and customer experiences to deliver assured outcomes — even in complex environments like South Africa’s finance, healthcare, and public sectors.

She provides tips on how to begin your organisation’s agentic AI journey, and concludes the discussion by discussing what’s on the horizon for agentic AI over the next 12–18 months.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Altify Founder and CEO Sean Sanders discusses why Altify’s alternative investment offerings are a game-changer for South Africans.

Sanders is a serial technology entrepreneur with over 15 years of industry experience.

He started as an intern at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in 2008, before completing internships at Actis and RMB Private Bank.

Sanders then built up an impressive portfolio of experience, having worked as a tech analyst at Sabvest, a portfolio manager at General Pacific Management Services, a fixed-income portfolio manager for Draper Grain Investments, and an investment manager at venture capital firm Knife Capital.

He also has several start-ups under his belt, including founding online university application system Application Portal; event-driven proprietary trading firm Sataya; and crypto-asset advisory firm Blocktree Capital.

In this interview, Sanders unpacks the Altify platform and highlights its offerings.

He explains to viewers what an alternative investment is and how it differs from traditional investment solutions.

Sanders then discusses Altify’s private credit investment offering.

He closes the interview by discussing the minimum amount South Africans can invest with Altify.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Timothy Matlala discusses how Standard Bank is working with the public sector in South Africa.

Matlala is the Head of Public Sector, Business, and Commercial Banking at Standard Bank and has worked in finance for over 15 years.

He entered the industry as a Business Manager at Standard Bank South Africa and then briefly worked as a Relationship Manager at Nedbank before returning to Standard Bank.

Matlala has remained at Standard Bank ever since, holding notable positions like Senior Manager, Head of Province Business Banking for Limpopo, Head of Business Development for the Public Sector, and Head of Enterprise Development.

His stellar performance across these roles eventually resulted in his promotion to his current position in 2021.

Matlala holds an MBA from the Henley Business School and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management, Business Administration, and Management from MANCOSA.

In this What’s Next interview, Matlala outlines why banks need to reconsider how they engage with the public sector.

He then explains how Standard Bank supports municipalities without overstepping the divide between the public and private sectors.

Matlala then reveals how Standard Bank’s public sector offerings are unique, before unpacking the scope of his department - including how lending and liquidity management fit into the business model.

He concludes the interview by discussing the biggest opportunities for public-private partnerships in South Africa.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Amanda Gibbs and Duke Mathebula discuss what the SAPHILA 2025 event will cover.

Gibbs is the Chief Executive Officer at the African SAP User Group (AFSUG) and boasts 28 years of industry experience.

In her current role, which she has held for three years, Gibbs oversees a network of SAP customers and partners and helps them realise the full benefits of their SAP Investments while shaping the future of SAP software development.

Mathebula is the Chairman at AFSUG and is an industry expert with over 25 years of experience.

Across this quarter century, he has held multiple key roles that have given him the knowledge and skills to execute the duties of his current position.

In this What’s Next interview, Mathebula explains what AFSUG is, noting its importance in the current SAP market, and Gibbs outlines the organisation’s goals and vision for the future.

She then unpacks the upcoming SAPHILA 2025 event, an IT conference for key decision-makers and professionals in the SAP ecosystem.

Mathebula reveals which individuals outside the SAP industry should attend SAPHILA 2025, and Gibbs explains how interested parties can register for the event.

They conclude the interview by sharing their message for anyone who has never attended a SAPHILA event.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Ashley Smith discusses the industry success of Amoeba TSC.

Smith is the Chief Operations Officer at Amoeba TSC, where he leads digital transformation initiatives across fibre networks, ISPs, and field operations.

With over 30 years of experience in telecommunications and technical leadership, he focuses on driving innovation, automation, and sustainable growth using locally developed, industry-proven technologies.

Before joining Amoeba TSC, Ashley served as Group CTO at EDGE Telecoms Holdings, where he launched South Africa’s first disaggregated broadband solution.

In this What’s Next interview, Smith unpacks Amoeba TSC – including what it does and its key areas of expertise.

He then unpacks the role Amoeba TSC plays in the telco industry – including the typical type of client it serves.

Smith also reveals the key milestones and achievements in Amoeba TSC’s journey.

He concludes by discussing the Saldanha Bay Smart City project – including why it was created, and what its core objectives are.

In this What’s Next with Aki Anastasiou interview, Dr Ron Whelan highlights the benefits of Discovery Health’s Personal Health Pathways programme.

Dr Whelan is the CEO of Discovery Health and a veteran of corporate healthcare and health systems, with almost two decades of experience across various senior executive roles.

As CEO, Dr Whelan leads Discovery Health in its endeavour to help its clients become healthier while protecting and enhancing their lives.

In this What’s Next interview, Dr Whelan outlines Discovery Health’s Personal Health Pathways.

He highlights the AI technology and robust dataset that Discovery Health uses to power the service, and explains how Personal Health Pathways helps South Africans live healthier lifestyles.

Dr Whelan also explains how Discovery Health provides clients with financial incentives to ensure they make the right decisions.

He concludes the interview by highlighting the interest they have seen in the offering since its launch, and explains how Discovery Health members can get started on their Personal Health Pathway.

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.