Roke Telkom
The Connectivity RevolutionRoke Telkom is responding to technological trends in its beloved Uganda, the company broadening its expertise and reach to the benefit of business and consumers Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki Digital transformation is pressing ahead in Uganda.According to the GSMA, around 40 million citizens (or 44 percent of the population) have a mobile subscription, with around 10 million mobile internet connections established across the country.And it is a trend that needs to continue gathering momentum if the East African nation is to move towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its Uganda Vision 2040, the rise of digital connectivity seen as crucial in realising almost all of the SDGs.For Michael Mukasa, Chief Commercial Officer at national telco Roke Telkom, the industry has reached a critical juncture.“Several things are happening at the same time,” he says. “First, the traditional voice and mobile services are largely low margin commodities, and the dominant players from that space are looking for new opportunities in financial services and data.“Secondly, there have been a large number of ISP players that had different specialised market niches, yet this is also changing where you find traditionally wholesale companies are now entering the retail and corporate market.“Lastly, there is a shift from only providing connectivity towards giving total solutions to customers including voice, television and online media.”Roke has been in operation since 2006, the company expanding beyond the remit of its Public Service Provider license in 2010 when it secured a Public Infrastructure Provider license from the Uganda Communications Commission.…
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Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa 2019
Machine Maintenance Made SmartHitachi Construction Machinery Africa has invested heavily in technology to provide a more streamlined, intelligence-driven offering to its industry customers Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Donovan Smith It’s no secret that industry in South Africa has faced slowdowns in recent years.Reduced output across sectors has resulted in lower government spend on infrastructure, which in turn has led to challenges in the country’s construction sector, a damaging cycle which is only just starting to show signs of reversing.One particularly worrisome trend for machine manufacturers such as Hitachi has been the tendency to use non-OEM parts and push equipment beyond its expected lifespan in a bid to trim overheads. However, challenges are almost always accompanied by opportunities, and for Hitachi Construction Machinery Africa (HCAF), the current situation presents an opportunity to excel at after-sales and support services.“Even though there is an economic slowdown and loss in local buying power, there are strategic businesses that need to sustain key industries for maintaining the country’s key infrastructure and income from exports such as coal, power generation, and agricultural products,” explains Philip Smith, the company’s Parts General Manager.“This is forcing the customers involved to either extend the life of capital equipment, rebuild, repair or do extensive maintenance to ensure they can keep up with the required demand to keep these key industries running.”Having the agility to serve these ever-changing needs is essential for navigating this challenging environment.Indeed, customers are now looking to OEMs for solutions to help reduce operational costs and increase efficiencies, inspiring technological innovation for the integration…
Forte Supply Chain Consulting
The Digital CompanionBy approaching software implementation and utilisation through an industry lens, Forte Supply Chain Consulting continues to tackle the practical issues faced by organisations through its esteemed network of technology partners Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Josh MannIdentifying a problem and delivering a solution is the cornerstone of entrepreneurialism.Often born out of personal experiences, a staggering 100 million businesses are launched annually according to figures from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, around three every second. For Renko Bergh, Chief Operating Officer of Forte Supply Chain Consulting, the eureka moment came during his first period of employment after majoring in logistics. Having already found a passion for the industry during his undergraduate studies at the University of Stellenbosch, he stumbled across a problem that bugged him – one which would transform his career. “My employer at the time tasked me with the implementation of some transport management software, and this was my first true exposure to software applications,” Bergh recalls.“My experience with implementation of the system, on behalf of my employer, was full of frustration and I soon realised that there was an opportunity to implement logistical software, but from an industry perspective.“I have always enjoyed problem solving, and it was then that myself and my business partner founded Forte Supply Chain Consulting, with the vision to breach the gap between industry expectations and software developers within different sectors of the supply chain.”Today the company operates through four independent divisions: Forte Data Solutions, Forte Transport Solutions, Forte Warehouse Solutions and Forte Inventory Solutions. Each caters to its own…
FMI
Inspiring Insurance-led ImpactFor life insurer FMI, the insurance industry is all about protecting incomes and positioning purpose above profit, motivating its people to champion an admirable customer-first culture Writer: Jonathan Dyble | Project Manager: Sam Love “The insurance industry is built on a wonderful combination between the heart and the mind.“It’s a sector that’s able to truly help people during tough times of loss, for example by paying a monthly income when an individual can’t work due to injury or illness. There’s a real satisfaction of knowing we’re making a positive difference in people’s lives,” says Brad Toerien, FMI CEO.“At the same time, it’s an incredibly complex industry which offers a real intellectual challenge. The extensive blend of inter-industry disciplines requires a real diversity of people to succeed, from medical doctors and actuaries to marketing and salespeople, which in itself is fascinating.”Toerien fell into the insurance sector by chance. Yet, being something of a philanthropist, this happy accident revealed itself to be a perfect fit.Opting to complete an actuarial degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, owed to the interesting fusion of maths, science and economics that it offered, he soon after secured an interview with FMI, a Division of Bidvest Life Ltd – South Africa’s fastest-growing life insurer as of Q4 2018.*“The big appeal to me at the time was staying in Durban,” Toerien explains, “but after I joined FMI, I became captivated by its culture and ambition. Three or four years on, I was then given the chance to take a major step up as the CEO – something that I embraced and have enjoyed…
Cepheid
The Diagnostics RevolutionaryCepheid is helping to deliver lifesaving diagnostic solutions across Africa, its GeneXpert System widely recognised as a game-changer in the fight against tuberculosis Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Callam Waller Tuberculosis (TB) is one the world’s top 10 causes of death.In 2017 10 million people fell ill with TB, a million of these being children, while 1.6 million died from the disease.Transmitting from person to person through the air, it only takes the inhalation of a few germs for someone to become infected, and around a quarter of the world’s population have what is known as latent TB, their chances of falling ill with the disease standing at anywhere between five and 15 percent.Tuberculosis is also becoming more difficult to eradicate. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) remains a public health crisis and a health security threat, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating that in 2017 there were 558,000 new cases with resistance to rifampicin, the most effective first-line drug.It is one of healthcare’s greatest conundrums, and something the United Nations through its Sustainable Development Goals is treating extremely seriously. By 2030, for example, it wants to end the TB epidemic.And progress is being made. Between 2000 and 2017 some 54 million lives were saved through diagnosis and treatment, the vast majority of these lifesaving activities taking place in developing nations where more than 95 percent of TB cases are found.In Africa, the disease is especially potent. It is South Africa’s single greatest killer, taking the lives of more than 300 people in the country every day, a problem exacerbated…
