The AfD was declared extremist. This decision has wide-reaching consequences for organisations, business and their leaders. How do you deal with supporters or members of this party when you see them amongst your staff or even leaders? How can this process get aligned with the organisation's values? Niels Brabandt discusses this issue in this week's episode. Host: Niels Brabandt /  Contact:  Leadership Letter:  Website: &nbsp;

#413 The case of the AfD - confirmed extremist - what to do?

When an employee resigns, quits, or leaves, an exit interview is crucial. However, often, these exit interviews are not conducted at all, lack structure and focus, they deliver no results. How do you conduct an excellent exit interview? Niels Brabandt discusses the issue in this week's episode. Host: Niels Brabandt /  Contact:  Leadership Letter:  Website: &nbsp;

#414 Exit Interview - Procedure, Details, Benefits

Wenn Mitarbeitende kündigen, ist ein Exit Interview wichtig. Oftmals weden diese jedoch gar nicht, unstrukturiert oder falsch durchgefüht. Wie soll ein optimales Exit Interview aussehen? Niels Brabandt diskutiert das Thema in der aktuellen Episode. Gastgeber: Niels Brabandt /  Kontakt:  Leadership Letter:  Webseite: &nbsp;

#422 Exit Interview - Vorgehen, Details, Nutzen

Führungsverhalten beeinflusst andere Abteilungen positiv oder negativ. Recruiting und HR sind hierbei keine Ausnahmen. Welche positiven und negativen Beispiele gibt es hierfür? Wie sieht optimale Führungsarbeit aus und wie kann jene umgesetzt werden? Niels Brabandt bespricht das Thema in der aktuellen Episode. Gastgeber: Niels Brabandt /  Kontakt:  Leadership Letter:  Webseite: &nbsp;

#423 Recruiting, HR und Führung - Verhalten und dessen Konsequenzen

Leadership behaviour has an immediate impact on any other department. HR and Recruiting are no exception to this rule. What does excellent leadership look like, and which impact does sub-standard leadership have? Niels Brabandt discusses the issue in this week's episode. Host: Niels Brabandt /  Contact:  Leadership Letter:  Website: &nbsp;

#415 Recruiting, HR and Leadership - behaviour and its consequences

Fresh off the back of his release with us, @rowant-sc delivers an hour of tweaky House, Techno, and progressive cuts for our Manualcast series

‘my intention with mixes is to create a flow of momentum through the set, some fun, some deep and some trippier elements to carry a journey. The aim of this set was to build grooves and head into some more left-field, trippier elements in the back end’ - Rowant

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MANUALCAST008 - Rowant

Virginia De Assis - Reels To Riches – Free Download Course – Content Lounge

Get the course here:

https://www.greatxcourses.com/courses/reels-to-riches-by-virginia-de-assis-free-download-course-content-lounge

Enjoy the track!

Virginia De Assis - Reels To Riches – Free Download Course – Content Lounge

Episode overview:
Andrew Hall faces a unique challenge: building profitable telecommunications infrastructure across one of Africa's largest countries with one of its smallest populations. As managing director of Paratus Namibia, Hall oversees operations spanning vast distances where traditional business models struggle to pencil out.

Andile Masuku invites Hall to share on the realities of building networks where "you'll see three fibres running next to the road" instead of shared infrastructure, why COVID accelerated their consumer business, and how recent oil discoveries are reshaping Namibia's economic landscape.

Key insights:
- On geographic challenges: Namibia's vast distances and sparse population create unique infrastructure economics where covering remote areas requires careful return-on-investment calculations across extended payback periods.
- On competitive landscape: Operating alongside two state-owned enterprises creates complex market dynamics where regulatory considerations and different organisational mandates influence infrastructure deployment strategies.
- On infrastructure sharing: Despite logical benefits, competitive dynamics often result in duplicated infrastructure: "three towers standing next to each other" rather than collaborative deployment approaches.
- On consumer versus enterprise: Traditional enterprise focus (75% of business) provided stability, but consumer growth since 2016 now drives expansion, particularly accelerated during COVID-19 periods.
- On technology transitions: Moving from WiMAX limitations (4-10 Mbps) to fibre required strategic timing; balancing asset sweating against customer retention as bandwidth demands increased around 2018.

Notable moments:
1. Hall's description of infrastructure redundancy: "If you drive down the road, you'll see three fibres running next to the road. If you're driving from one town to the other, you'll see two or three towers standing next to each other"
2. The COVID-19 catalyst: Consumer business performed "very, very well" as people became "100% reliant, work-wise, education-wise, entertainment-wise on connectivity"
3. Recent oil discoveries creating positive economic outlook with increased foreign investment interest and improved business confidence

The development question:
Hall addresses the expectation that telecoms should "unlock growth economically for an entire nation" by emphasising education as the foundation. Paratus's corporate social responsibility focuses on educational sector connectivity because "for children to have access to the internet, it makes the world a lot smaller."

His perspective reflects broader African infrastructure challenges: balancing commercial sustainability with development impact, managing investor expectations whilst serving diverse stakeholder needs, and building institutional capacity in environments with limited technical specialisation.

"I think access to the internet plays a crucial role. And I think it starts at grass root level in the form of education... for children to have access to the internet, it makes the world a lot smaller."

Image credit: Paratus Namibia

Andrew Hall of Paratus Namibia: Building Networks Serving Small Populations Across Vast Distances

Excerpt from Virtual Navigation EP

Virtual Navigation is a cross-connection between the oceanic and computer worlds in dreamlike networks, from the past, present, and future.

Deep Torrent (unidata 04)

Are all empires equally bad? If some were better than others, what criteria can we use to make such judgments? Why must we study networks, not only hierarchies, to understand our past, present, and future? What happens to societies in times of catastrophe, and who has the best chances of survival? And finally — why is Ukraine so important for the world today?

***
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine.

Guest: Niall Ferguson — a renowned British-American historian and author of numerous books, including “Empire”, “The Square and the Tower”, “The War of the World”, “Doom”, and others. 
Ferguson is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution.
We had this conversation during the Yalta European Strategy Forum in Kyiv in September 2025.

***
Thinking in Dark Times is a podcast of reflection from Ukraine. We try to see the light through — and despite — the current darkness. 

This episode was made possible thanks to the support of Politeia, a Ukrainian NGO dedicated to preparing a new generation of change-makers in Ukraine.

***
UkraineWorld is an English-language media about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine

You can support UkraineWorld on https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld
We rely on crowdfunding to continue our work. 

You can also support our regular trips to the frontlines, where we provide support to both soldiers (cars) and civilians (books): PayPal, ukraine.resisting@gmail.com 

***
CONTENTS:

00:00 - Intro: Niall Ferguson, a renowned British American historian and author of numerous books.
01:58 - Why does historian Niall Ferguson keep coming back to Kyiv, and what value does he find here?
04:06 - Does the war in Ukraine truly hold a global meaning?
10:01 - Was the British Empire good or bad for the world?
12:17 - What's the difference between a 'liberal' empire and an 'illiberal' one?
19:30 - Does the European Union find a balance between the Empire and the Nation-State?
26:59 - Can Ukraine become an 'antifragile' state?
28:48 - Is being threatened by a 'big bad neighbor' the key to becoming an innovative society?
31:07 - How did the last decade of Russian aggression ultimately lead to the birth of the Ukrainian nation?


Niall Ferguson on Empires, Networks, and Ukraine

Africa-focused technology, digital and innovation ecosystem insight and commentary.

sometimes DJ + always label + sometimes party

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This is Niels Brabandt's / NB Networks' Soundcloud profile. No worries, this is not about business. Or at least it is not mainly about business. Who can be productive without listening to great music? For Niels Brabandt music always played an important role in his life. Growing up in the clubbing scene of Hamburg, he got in contact with electronic music early. From his very first touchpoint (2 Unlimited, "Workaholic" - please do not judge him ;-) ) until today this did not change. "One more time" from Daft Punk is a song which he still considers as his personal favourite and anthem. From Hamburg, Niels Brabandt moved to Berlin. He moved there a lot earlier before it became hip, cool and trendy to live there. His experiences in the Berlin club scene were life-changing. DJ Maringo or DJ Chris Bekker from Berlin are still his favourite artists. Together with DJs like Matt Blue and Neal Porter from Hamburg he always leaves the house with good music he can listen to. These DJ's music accompanies him everywhere he goes. While he prefers electronic music, he stays open-minded for suggestions and other kinds of artistic directions as well. If you have any ideas which may inspire him, he for sure is happy to listen to it. In general, he prefers electronic music. Still, electronic music with a great tune, a good beat, a rhythm. He is not a big fan of the 7-minute-long repetitions of the same 3.5 seconds of dum-da-da-dum. As DJ Maringo says: music tells a story and that is what every DJ tries (or should try). This makes the art of music as fantastic as it is. And now: enough about Niels and it is time to listen, enjoy and relax. Enjoy the music and have a great time on Soundcloud.

Just in case you are interested, here are some details about Niels.
EDUCATION: University of Hamburg - wanted to become a teacher, decided to leave for free enterprise and self-employment (still working as an Independent Reseacher)

WORK / EMPLOYMENT: worked for a branch of a pharmaceutical company. Then joined an international IT and Computer Training Franchise. He worked here as a freelancer. Then focused full-time on NB Networks. His own business since 1998.

INTERESTS: science, music, football, a nice evening in a pub, a great night out in a club, politics, hiking, travel

A podcast by UkraineWorld.org, a multimedia project about Ukraine run by Internews Ukraine. Explaining Ukraine, its politics, society and its culture. Support us: patreon.com/ukraineworld

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