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Education is key to staying relevant and keeping ahead of the game , which provides the ability to test and develop cutting edge solutions or even move onto the bleeding edge of innovation .
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office ?
I tend to do activities that require my full focus , forcing me to disconnect from the workplace and redirect my thoughts about work to the activity I ’ m busy with . I enjoy technology home automation projects that require coding . At the other extreme , I like to wakeboard and race my quad bike which also requires my full attention . Another activity would be cooking and trying new challenging recipes that require me to focus and follow instructions . Keeping my mind busy with a different task that has a tangible reward at the end can bring clarity or a new perspective for when I return to making decisions and being involved in work-related events .
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
I don ’ t believe in changing the past because I believe success is built from failures . But in saying that , when it comes to ever-evolving technology , if I knew then what I know now , I would have benefitted even more from that information or IP , because I would have understood its importance and been more motivated in my learning during my earlier days . It ’ s never too late to learn something new .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
Those major areas ( which are also quite broad ) are security , Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and Machine
Learning ( ML ). With cryptocurrencies , NFTs and similar , it is becoming more obvious that data is the new currency of the world .
We ’ ve long spoken about data being the lifeblood of any organisation , and that becomes even more true every day that passes . The obvious investment would be to protect such assets and your data through backup , protection , security and cyber resilience measures .
With data being the new currency of the world , you have technologies like AI and ML to help get the most of your data and increase the value of your currency , better understand your data , and allow it to work for you by gaining insights and enhancing automation processes while creating data autonomy .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Africa ?
With ever-growing and changing technologies , new skills are needed . My view is that certain technology advancements are desired but not yet achievable because of the lack of skill to execute the innovation .
Education is key to staying relevant and keeping ahead of the game , which provides the ability to test and develop cutting edge solutions or even move onto the bleeding edge of innovation .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
We ’ ve seen the global pandemic entirely change the way we work . We have had to adapt to new ways of engaging in our job responsibilities . Although some processes have become more productive , others have become lessons learned .
I see the next 12 months , developing a working model that encompasses the benefits of the traditional and the benefits of the new norm to create a mutually beneficial workplace .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
Look towards a role model or mentor as this will help shape the idea of who you would like to grow towards . If you are honest , this will build trust amongst your team and colleagues . Being transparent and open also demonstrates respect to those around you , and lastly , never stop learning . p
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