In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Deon de Klerk discusses how Standard Bank is shaping the evolution of financial services in Africa.

Deon de Klerk is the Head of Africa Regions, Insurance and Asset Management at Standard Bank.

He is a prominent figure in the finance industry with over 30 years of experience.

In his current role, which he began in 2023, he oversees the integration of Liberty’s and Standard Bank’s insurance businesses across African jurisdictions while driving great growth and customer satisfaction.

In this Business Talk interview, de Klerk outlines the role of insurance in enabling African economic development.

He discusses the practical steps that must be taken to improve trust in digital consumer tools and some of Standard Bank’s solutions in this area.

De Klerk also shares what he believes the future holds for insurance in Africa.

He concludes by noting how Standard Bank navigates the unique challenges posed by the country’s youthful demographic and their growing reliance on mobile technology for financial services in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Deon de Klerk explains how Standard Bank is shaping the African insurance market

In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Kevin Aron discusses the importance of new technologies in the medical aid industry.

Aron is the Principal Officer for Medshield Medical Scheme and is a healthcare industry veteran, having held CEO and multiple Executive roles in the Healthcare industry.

Across these roles, Aron cultivated extensive skills in strategy development and implementation, healthcare delivery models, financial budgeting and management, risk management, and operational service delivery.

Aron is also a qualified Chartered Accountant with an MBA from the Henley Business School.

Under his leadership, Medshield has enjoyed consistent financial growth and expanded its range of services to continue meeting the needs of its members.

In this Business Talk interview, Aron explains why it’s important for medical schemes to embrace new technologies.

He then unpacks how Medshield Movement and Medshield Mind deliver value to his clients, and why the recent relaunch of Medshield’s Cape Town regional office is a key strategic move.

Aron also outlines Medshield’s plans to continue improving its service offering and customer experience.

He concludes the interview by noting why those considering changing medical schemes should choose Medshield.

Kevin Aron on how Medshield is supporting its clients with new technologies

In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Amrei Botha discusses the power of Capitec’s business banking solutions – particularly for SMEs.

Botha is the Divisional Executive of Client Experience Delivery at Capitec Business.
She has over 20 years of experience in the SME sector and is passionate about helping SMEs make a tangible difference on the continent.

Alongside her extensive expertise across areas like strategy development, market research, operating model design, product development, and more, Botha has designed and delivered training curricula for both SMEs and frontline bank staff.

Before joining Capitec in 2020, Botha worked extensively at other leading African banking groups, with a strong focus on the SME sector.

Alongside her work in South Africa, she has collaborated with banks in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Angola, Mauritius, Haiti and Cambodia.

In this Business Talk interview, Botha explains how Capitec has taken its excellence in simplicity and user-first thinking and translated it to the business banking sector.

She discusses how Capitec Business balances automation with human engagement, and how it ensures its business clients are protected against cyber risk.

Botha then provides real-life examples of how small businesses have benefited from Capitec Business.

She also shares the partnerships and platform integrations that she is particularly excited about moving forward.

Botha concludes the discussion by explaining how Capitec Business tailors its services for different types of businesses.

Amrei Botha on the power of Capitec’s SME-focused solutions

In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Lunga Qegu discusses how Investec Business supports the mid-market in South Africa.

Qegu is the Head of Sales Development at Investec for Business and plays a key role in onboarding new clients to the organisation’s services.

Investec for Business offers specialised lending and financial solutions to businesses with an emphasis on those in the mid-sized sector.

Qegu believes that these services are critical to helping mid-market organisations thrive, particularly given that most offerings from other FSPs target SMBs and enterprises.

In this Business Talk interview, Qegu explains the key challenges and opportunities faced by the mid-market, and how Investec for Business approaches providing working capital to organisations in this sector.

He shares how the view on debt has changed and the funding options businesses can now use to support their growth strategies.

Qegu also notes how Investec for Business is driving better banking experiences for its partners.

He concludes the interview by sharing his advice for how mid-market businesses should choose the right lending and import partner for their needs.

Lunga Qegu explains how Investec for Business supports the South African mid-market

Take Your Automation Strategy to the Next Level | Ansible for the Growing Automator

Are you already automating tasks but feeling like there's more to unlock?

In this episode of our podcast, Ansible for the Growing Automator, we dive deep into how to level up your automation game using Ansible.

Whether you're managing a handful of servers or orchestrating across hybrid, multi-platform infrastructure, this episode offers the insights you need to scale efficiently and confidently.

What you'll learn:
Best practices for growing automation maturity
Real-world use cases across diverse environments
How to define automation once and deploy anywhere
Tips for evolving from basic scripts to robust playbooks

Whether you're just getting started or aiming to optimise at scale, this episode is your roadmap for taking automation further.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more DevOps and automation insights! And go to https://smarter.tech/for/automation

#Ansible #Automation #DevOps #ITInfrastructure #Podcast #TechTalk #SysAdmin #ITStrategy #InfrastructureAsCode

Karl Fischer on whether the tools you use really matter when it comes to automation

Lindi Monyae, Managing Executive of Corporate Benefits at Liberty, explores the South African pension fund landscape—now over R3 trillion in assets under management (excluding GEPF)—and discusses how these long-term institutional investors can drive economic growth, fulfill their social responsibility by funding critical infrastructure, balance risk and return under Regulation 28, and rely on Boards of Trustees to set investment mandates and ESG priorities to safeguard members’ futures.

Liberty's Lindiwe Monyae discusses the social and economic power of pension funds

In this episode of Business Talk, Nicole Thomson, Group Franchise Sales & Marketing Director at Cash Converters South Africa, joins us to discuss how the 30-year-old brand continues to evolve. From launching a successful webshop during lockdown to boosting franchise revenue and customer reach, Cash Converters is proving that pre-loved retail is thriving in the digital age.

Nicole also shares insights into their franchise model, upcoming product innovations, and why more entrepreneurs are turning to the brand as a business opportunity.

Nicole Thomson on e-commerce, franchise growth and the evolution of Cash Converters

In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Wendy Myers discusses portfolio diversification for individual investors.

Myers is the Head of Securities at PSG and boasts excellent success across her 21-year career in the financial and investment industries.

She started out as a Global Markets Finance Business Partner at Rand Merchant Bank in 2004, and held this role for 11 years.

In 2015, she was appointed as the COO of FNB Stockbroking and Portfolio Management for Ashburton Investments.

Three years later, she was appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer of FNB Wealth and Investments, and she took on her current position at PSG in 2021.

Myers has a Bachelor of Commerce and a Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Cape Town.

She has also held many other important roles in major financial organisations, including membership of the South African Institute of Stockbrokers since 2000.

In this Business Talk interview, Myers discusses the importance of diversification for individual investors.

She unpacks the different types of diversification and how one can decide which of these options to embrace, and to what level.

Myers then reveals the biggest issues investors can face if they over-diversify.

She also highlights the pros and cons of investing in individual shares versus ETFs and unit trusts.

Myers concludes the discussion by noting which markets and sectors she sees as particularly appealing to individual investors currently.

PSG’s Wendy Myers on how individual investors can diversify their portfolios

Dr Edward Makgotlho, PhD, is a distinguished scientific professional with extensive expertise in regulatory affairs, public health, and scientific engagement. He currently serves as Area Head of Scientific Affairs for British American Tobacco (BAT) in Sub-Saharan Africa, where he focuses on advancing knowledge of tobacco harm reduction.

Dr Makgotlho holds a PhD in Infection and Immunity from the University of Würzburg, Germany, with a background in medical microbiology and immunology. He has held significant roles in major organisations, implementing innovative health solutions and regulatory frameworks, and has been actively involved in developing regulatory strategies for smokeless alternatives.

In this episode of Business Talk, Dr Makgotlho explains why he thinks we should focus on eliminating cigarettes rather than all tobacco products.

Dr Edward Makgotlho on South Africa’s tobacco harm reduction challenges

In this episode of Business Talk, we dive into the rapidly evolving world of financial advice with Michael Summerton, Head of Experience at INN8. As wealth managers face increasing demands from clients and regulators, digital transformation is no longer optional—it’s essential. Michael explains how INN8 is reimagining the advisor experience by cutting out outdated processes, streamlining compliance, and helping advisors personalize their service at scale, without sacrificing the human touch that defines great financial guidance.

We also explore how INN8’s platform makes the advisor-client relationship more seamless and effective, especially during complex processes like retirement planning. From consolidating scattered assets to enabling dynamic drawdown strategies—all in one digital journey—INN8 is turning legacy pain points into new opportunities. If you're in the wealth management space, this is a timely look at how the right technology can empower you to serve more clients, more meaningfully.

Michael Summerton on reimagining financial advice through digital transformation

In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Gladwyn Leeuw discusses the importance of supporting entrepreneurs in Africa.

Leeuw is the CEO of E Squared Investments – a position he has held since September 2023.

Before taking on his current role, he also served as the company’s Chief Investment Officer, where he built an investment team that has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the investment ecosystem, risk management, market trends, and opportunities that translated into notable portfolio growth.

Before joining E Squared Investments, Gladwyn was a General Partner at Kingson Capital – a South African-based venture capital investment firm – where he led post-investment management.

Leeuw has also worked in Anglo American’s private investment arm – Zimele – and was a key member of the senior executive team at CCI South Africa – one of South Africa’s largest international BPOs.

He holds a Master of Management degree in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management in the field of Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Studies and International Relations from Wits Business School and Wits University respectively.

In this Business Talk interview, Leeuw begins by defining “scaling with purpose.”

He explains what sets E Squared Investments apart in its approach to investing – including its industry-agnostic approach.

Leeuw then reveals what this approach means for E Squared Investments’ ability to be hands-on during and after the investment process.

He discusses the use of a blended capital approach to investing – including the strategies that have worked best for E Squared Investments in this regard.

Leeuw also shares some of the key findings in the recently published E Squared Investments Report – including how the organisation is investing significantly in black-woman-owned businesses.

He then talks about responsible entrepreneurship – which entails simultaneously running a successful business and having a positive impact on society.

Leeuw concludes the discussion by sharing the one thing he would change about South Africa’s investment landscape.

E Squared Investments CEO Gladwyn Leeuw on supporting responsible entrepreneurship

Business Talk with Michael Avery is an online interview series – featuring conversations with South Africa’s leading executives in the business and finance sector.

The show is hosted by radio and TV personality Michael Avery, anchor of the Classic Business show on Classic FM, and Business Day TV.

Business Talk with Michael Avery centres the discussion around the complex world of business, finance, the economy, SMEs, investing and much more.

Deon de Klerk explains how Standard Bank is shaping the African insurance market

Business Talk

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