Customers were able to book containers that were not actually available. At the same time, the company lacked a real-time view of operations. Real-world lessons in digital transformation often start here, with fragmentation and inefficiency.

In the agricultural sector, we integrated data from 15 different systems into a single cohesive platform. What began as paper-based interactions with relationship managers driving to farms has now evolved. Today, it’s a powerful 24/7 self-service platform. This transformation has drastically improved customer experience. It has also reduced administrative overhead and created a single, unified view of each customer.

For our financial services clients, we have tackled complex regulatory requirements while modernising legacy systems. Banks face unique challenges as they try to balance innovation with compliance. We have helped them create secure, integrated platforms that meet strict regulatory standards while still enabling new digital services.

Key insights from our experience

Throughout these projects, we’ve gained insights that apply across many sectors. One critical lesson is this: syncing systems is essential for any successful transformation. Companies often try to solve integration challenges with pre-made Application Programming Interface (API) products. This usually leads to high licensing costs and systems that fall short of expectations.

There are pros and cons when deciding whether to buy or build. In our experience, whether with financial services or supply chain companies, custom solutions are often the best option when working with complex systems or legacy infrastructure. Real-world lessons in digital transformation show that tailored architecture delivers deeper value.

We have seen how a customised central API can connect all systems and present data in one unified digital platform. Once this foundation is in place, businesses can easily add new digital channels. These could include mobile apps, voice assistants or even VR tools, all without rebuilding the core systems.

What excites me most is the potential each business holds. Disconnected systems should never be the reason that potential goes unrealised.

Making digital transformation real

When we begin any digital transformation journey, we always focus on creating a clear roadmap before implementation. We start by helping the company define where it wants to go. Then, we work together to map out how to get there.

The magic we bring lies in guiding that journey and walking it alongside the client. While it’s tempting to jump straight into shiny new technologies, doing so can lead to wasted time and resources. Therefore, a reliable digital partner should begin by assessing a business’s current level of complexity and maturity. This understanding will dictate the most effective next steps in digitalisation.

This methodical approach ensures real, sustainable progress. It’s like signing up for an ocean marathon before learning how to swim in a pool. You need foundational skills before chasing the end-state magic. Real-world lessons in digital transformation always highlight the importance of this staged, thoughtful progression.

The processes usually follows these steps:

• Assessment of business needs and current systems.
• Cloud enablement and infrastructure setup.
• System integration and modernisation.
• Targeted AI implementation where it offers real value.
• Knowledge transfer and team upskilling.

The true business value of the cloud goes far beyond just moving data. It lies in the ability to innovate rapidly and build digital products that can reach customers at a global scale.

In conclusion

As Mark Twain once said, “The secret to getting ahead is getting started”. For businesses, meaningful digital transformation is not about slide decks or agenda points. It is about having a clear vision, a well-planned roadmap, and an integrated environment that turns digital transformation into reality.

One piece of advice I always share is to choose a partner who is willing to transfer knowledge and empower your team. When we hire, we do not just look for strong technical skills. We look for people who can teach those skills to others. That’s how we ensure your success continues long after our work is done.

The post Real-world lessons in digital transformation – going beyond theory appeared first on Synthesis.

Through my work deploying AI systems in production-grade enterprise environments both internationally and across the African continent, I’ve learned that successful implementations require local expertise who understand resource constraints as design parameters. While global best practices from established markets provide valuable frameworks, local talent creates the innovations that make technology truly work under real-world conditions.

As Stanford’s Fei-Fei Li, co-director of the Human-Centered AI Institute, emphasizes: “The idea is to recognize that AI technology is very important and will be affecting human lives and society. There are also a lot of unknowns still to be explored in AI. How do we put guardrails around AI? How do we develop tomorrow’s AI? How do we move into the future, so that this technology can maximally benefit humanity and we can mitigate and govern the guardrails and the risks?” This perspective is particularly relevant for African contexts where responsible implementation can determine whether AI becomes a tool for empowerment or further marginalization.

Africa’s Real Problems Demand AI Solutions

The challenges facing our continent are urgent and solvable through intelligent AI deployment. Sub-Saharan Africa has 1.55 healthcare workers per 1,000 people compared to the WHO threshold of 4.45². AI-powered diagnostic agents can connect community health workers to specialist networks, providing expert-level diagnosis where doctors are unavailable.

In agriculture, where 70% of Africans depend on farming³, AI agents analyzing satellite imagery can provide personalized crop recommendations in local languages. Water scarcity affects 400 million people⁴—AI systems predicting drought patterns can transform water management from reactive crisis response to proactive optimization.

Financial inclusion remains critical with 43% of adults lacking bank accounts⁵. AI credit assessment agents understanding community vouching systems can extend services to populations Western banking models ignore.

The Brain Drain Crisis: Innovation as Retention Strategy

Africa loses approximately 70,000 skilled professionals annually⁶—a $2 billion annual loss⁷. This exodus isn’t just about salary; it’s about intellectual stimulation and cutting-edge challenges. The loss is particularly acute among women technologists, who face additional barriers to career advancement.

Erik Brynjolfsson, director of Stanford’s Digital Economy Lab, advocates using AI to augment human capabilities, avoiding the “Turing Trap” where developers focus on creating AI that mimics human behavior. Instead, “We can have humans do the things that we’re good at… and machines do what they’re good at.” This collaborative approach creates meaningful career opportunities where African professionals work alongside advanced AI systems while contributing irreplaceable human insight.

When fintech companies use AI to assess credit through alternative data sources, they’re creating innovation that attracts global attention. This innovation pipeline creates career trajectories competing with overseas opportunities.

Strategic Protocol Choices for African Sovereignty

Understanding AI governance frameworks and technical protocols becomes crucial for technological sovereignty. Meta’s Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun emphasizes: “Open source is necessary,” because no country will “have AI sovereignty without open-source models.”

Responsible AI Governance Frameworks from organizations like the Partnership on AI emphasize transparency and accountability—principles aligning with African values. However, most existing frameworks are designed by Global North institutions and may not adequately address African contexts.

Model Context Protocol (MCP) standardizes AI-to-tool connections through JSON-RPC messaging. While enabling rapid deployment, MCP creates strategic dependency on external platforms—an important consideration in technical framework selection.

Agent-to-Agent Protocol (A2A) offers multi-agent orchestration capabilities. A2A enables complex agent collaboration with enterprise-grade security, but the proprietary nature means organizations become consumers rather than contributors to protocol development.

Constraint-Driven Architecture: Africa’s Hidden Advantage

Africa’s resource limitations drive different design approaches than those common in abundance-rich environments. Intermittent power encourages edge computing solutions. Limited bandwidth promotes efficient algorithms. Capital constraints demand measurable returns.

Experience with distributed federated learning models at scale for African enterprises reveals that constraint-driven systems often demonstrate superior resilience and efficiency. Federated learning architectures allow organizations to train AI models collaboratively without centralizing sensitive data—particularly valuable where data sovereignty and connectivity are concerns. AI systems designed to work within infrastructure limitations through event-driven architectures that handle intermittent connectivity gracefully often outperform solutions designed for optimal conditions.

Responsible Implementation: Humans First

Sustainable AI adoption requires keeping humans central to deployment. As Brynjolfsson notes, the goal should not be creating AI that “perfectly mimics human behavior” but rather designing systems where “humans do the things that we’re good at… taking care of kids and talking to each other and interacting, and machines do what they’re good at.”

Stakeholder engagement and cultural integration significantly impact adoption success. Involving existing expertise and systems in AI implementation creates better outcomes than replacement approaches. Importantly, the rise of agentic AI systems makes subject matter expertise even more critical—human experts must serve as verifiers and validators of AI-generated insights to ensure accuracy and contextual relevance.

This collaborative approach addresses talent retention challenges. Rather than viewing AI as job displacement, successful implementations frame it as capability enhancement, creating compelling career paths while building local technical capacity.

The Path Forward: Innovation as Continental Strategy

Africa’s constraints, properly leveraged through human-centered AI innovations, become competitive advantages enabling leapfrog development. The emerging generation of African AI developers—representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives—shows instinctive understanding that our path to technological leadership runs through our constraints, not around them.

By addressing real African challenges through technically sound AI deployment while creating meaningful innovation opportunities, we can transform limitations into competitive advantages. Developing indigenous ethical frameworks offers alignment with sovereignty goals, while adopting existing enterprise solutions requires careful consideration of long-term technical implications.

The choice of technical architecture and implementation approach will determine success. Organizations across the continent considering AI implementation need frameworks that balance global best practices with local technical realities. Having architected these systems across diverse African markets, I continue to work with enterprises seeking to build AI capabilities that create lasting competitive advantage rather than temporary solutions.

Africa cannot afford to wait, but we must be strategic about technical implementation approaches. Resource constraints, when properly architected into system design, create innovative solutions that serve both local needs and broader markets—but only with the right technical expertise guiding the implementation.

References:

1. International Data Corporation. (2024, August 19). Worldwide Spending on Artificial Intelligence Forecast to Reach $632 Billion in 2028, According to a New IDC Spending Guide. Retrieved from https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240819177906/en/
   
   
2. WHO African Region. (2022). The health workforce status in the WHO African Region: findings of a cross-sectional study. BMJ Global Health. Retrieved from https://www.afro.who.int/news/chronic-staff-shortfalls-stifle-africas-health-systems-who-study
   
   
3. World Economic Forum. (2016, May). 70% of Africans make a living through agriculture, and technology could transform their world. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/stories/2016/05/70-of-africans-make-a-living-through-agriculture-and-technology-could-transform-their-world/
   
   
4. Brookings Institution. (2022, March 9). Addressing Africa’s extreme water insecurity. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/articles/addressing-africas-extreme-water-insecurity/
   
   
5. World Bank Group. (2025, January 14). Financial Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa: Overview. Global Findex Database. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/globalfindex/brief/financial-inclusion-in-sub-saharan-africa-overview
   
   
6. Mo Ibrahim Foundation. (2018). Brain drain: a bane to Africa’s potential. Retrieved from https://mo.ibrahim.foundation/news/2018/brain-drain-bane-africas-potential
   
   

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At the centre of this shift is Darren Bak, Head of Intelligent Data at Synthesis, who says it plainly: “We’ve watched the banking space evolve. We’ve grown with banks — and helped them grow in return.”

Traditional banks were once protected by regulation and scale. But today, they’re up against fast, digital-first challengers and customers who expect more — and compare their banking experiences not with other banks, but with Apple and Google.

Tech Giants Set the Pace

Apple Pay works because it’s invisible. Secure, seamless, and simple. Google, meanwhile, is going further — pushing into Agentic AI. At its recent I/O developer conference, Google showed how AI can guide users through product discovery and payment in real time. No standalone banking app needed — just search, click, and pay, all under AI supervision.

This isn’t just convenience. It’s a warning shot to legacy banks: Innovate or be outpaced.

Banks Need More Than Co-Pilots

While many institutions are still experimenting with chatbots and AI co-pilots, Bak believes the real power lies in domain-specific AI agents. “These agents,” he explains, “don’t just generate text. They solve specific, high-value banking problems using deeply contextual data.”

But there’s a catch: AI is only as smart as the data it feeds on. And in banking, data can’t just be available — it needs to be secure, structured, and ready to move in milliseconds.

That’s where Synthesis shines.

Infrastructure That Matters

Synthesis, the recipient of the AWS GenAI Prize of Excellence Award and voted the preferred software development company in South Africa for large business projects, has built resilient, distributed systems that prioritise data sovereignty, security, and scale. Its AI Launchpad platform allows banks to deploy advanced AI safely — with embedded security, real-time monitoring, automation, and cost controls that keep the CFO happy.

In high-stakes use cases like fraud detection, timing is everything. “Milliseconds matter,” says Bak. “And that’s the difference between stopping a breach or explaining one.”

Real-World Proof

If you want a glimpse into what’s possible, look no further than Vitality Group. With over 60 million life years of data, 4+ petabytes of behaviour-linked records, and 5+ billion device readings a year, they’re setting the global benchmark for AI in insurance. And they’re doing it from here.

“South African engineers are world-class,” says Bak. “We’re not behind. The only thing slowing us down is outdated systems and data silos.”

Start Smart, Scale Fast

So how should banks respond? According to Bak, the approach is simple:
“Think big, start small, and get to value fast.”

This means identifying high-impact use cases, building foundational data platforms, and delivering quick wins. One area where Synthesis has seen major traction: customer personalisation. Through rich customer data platforms, banks can serve up real-time nudges, contextual product offers, and frictionless experiences that actually reflect the customer journey.

The Stakes Have Changed

Switching banks is now easier than ever. Loyalty isn’t a given — it’s earned through smarter, faster, more personalised service. If banks want to keep their customers (let alone attract new ones), they need to stop reacting and start building.

The post We Built the Bank of the Future: Darren Bak appeared first on Synthesis.

As cyber threats grow in complexity alongside technological advancement, Synthesis leads the charge in securing the digital financial landscape.By leveraging Thales Payshield hardware security modules (HSMs), the industry benchmark for payment protection, the company ensures that sensitive financial data remains secure and compliant with PCI standards. Their Keystone solution abstracts the complexity of cryptography, enabling developers to manage secure PINs with ease. Looking ahead, Synthesis is already preparing for the quantum computing era, investing in post-quantum cryptography and crypto agility to future-proof banking infrastructure.

This commitment to security seamlessly extends into the cloud, where Synthesis empowers banks to scale with confidence. Their cloud-native architectures, built on platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud and Kubernetes, support real-time data flow, automated alerts, and resilient disaster recovery. By aligning with regulatory frameworks such as PCI DSS, POPIA, and GDPR, Synthesis ensures that cloud adoption enhances data sovereignty and security. Their successful implementations with BankservAfrica and the Top Tier Banks demonstrate their ability to deliver robust, scalable solutions tailored to the financial sector.

By combining advanced analytics, AI, and cloud-native data engineering, the team helps banks harness the power of their data through smarter decision-making, real-time insights, and operational efficiency. Intelligent data solutions, ranging from modern data platforms to machine learning for fraud detection, are built with a deep understanding of financial services and compliance.

This innovation extends into RegTech, where Synthesis transforms regulatory compliance from a burden into a strategic advantage. Their suite of tools, including TXstream and the FinSurv Suite, automates data ingestion, validation, and submission across jurisdictions, supporting compliance with SARS, HMRC, IRS, and SARB. With features such as real-time rule validation, centralised dashboards, and AI-enhanced anomaly detection, Synthesis enables banks to meet complex regulatory demands with precision and agility. Success stories from three popular banks in South Africa highlight the scalability and reliability of these solutions.

At the heart of this transformation is the modernisation of payments infrastructure. Synthesis has developed modular, API-driven platforms that support ISO 20022 and real-time processing, reducing operational overhead and enabling instant transaction visibility. Security is embedded at every layer, from cloud-native services to PCI compliance. Their collaboration with a well-known bank on PayShap, achieving sub-5-second transaction times, exemplifies their dedication to both speed and security. As the industry shifts toward tokenisation, invisible payments, and AI-driven analytics, Synthesis continues to innovate, ensuring banks stay ahead of the curve.

Completing this digital transformation journey is Halo Dot, Synthesis’s SoftPOS solution that redefines in-person payments. By turning smartphones into secure payment terminals, Halo Dot eliminates the need for traditional hardware, aligning with sustainability goals and accelerating merchant onboarding. Certified against PCI MPoC and PCI DSS 4.0, it offers features such as attestation monitoring, digital wallet support, and offline capabilities, making it ideal for high-volume sectors such as retail, transit, and events. The upcoming Halo Dot Adaptor will give banks full control over their SoftPOS infrastructure, enhancing both autonomy and operational efficiency.

Synthesis’s evolution mirrors the broader transformation of the banking industry. From cryptographic resilience and cloud scalability to real-time payments and intelligent data compliance, their solutions are designed not just to meet today’s challenges, but to anticipate tomorrow’s.

As trends like AI-driven fraud detection, omnichannel payments, and programmable finance gain momentum, Synthesis remains a trusted partner for banks navigating the digital frontier. Their holistic approach, grounded in deep industry knowledge and a commitment to innovation, ensures that banks are not only compliant and secure but also agile and future ready.

The post From Legacy to Cloud: Synthesis Architects the Digital Core of Modern Banking appeared first on Synthesis.

“We’ve helped transform businesses across multiple industries by solving their unique integration challenges,” explains Matthew Crockett, Head of Synthesis CODE. “In shipping, we encountered a client struggling with siloed systems. Their booking system, inventory tracker, port logistics, and billing all operated independently, causing delays and errors. Customers could book containers that weren’t available, and the company lacked a real-time view of operations.”

In the agricultural sector, we integrated data from 15 disparate systems into one cohesive platform. “What began as paper-based interactions with relationship managers driving to farms has evolved into a powerful 24/7 self-service platform,” notes Crockett. “This transformation has drastically improved customer experience, reduced administrative overhead, and provided a single customer view.”

For financial services clients, we’ve overcome complex regulatory requirements while modernising legacy systems. “Banks face unique challenges balancing innovation with compliance,” says Marsh Middleton, Head of Commercial at Synthesis CODE. “We’ve helped institutions create secure, integrated platforms that maintain regulatory standards while enabling new digital services.”

Key Insights from Our Experience
Through these projects, we’ve gained valuable insights applicable across industries:

“A critical lesson from our work is that syncing systems is essential for transformation,” says Middleton. “Companies often try to resolve integration challenges using pre-made API products, which can lead to accumulated licensing costs and systems that don’t fully meet their needs.”

Crockett adds, “There are pros and cons when deciding what to buy or build, but from our experience collaborating with financial services to supply chain companies, when complex systems and legacy infrastructure are involved, building a custom solution is typically best.”

A customised central API that connects all systems and presents data in a single digital platform transforms this pain point. Once established, new digital channels—mobile apps, voice assistants, or emerging technologies like VR—can be added easily without rebuilding everything.

“What’s exciting is the potential each business has,” explains Middleton. “Disconnected systems should never be the reason they don’t reach that potential.”

Our Process: Making Digital Transformation Real

When approaching digital transformation, we focus on creating a clear roadmap before implementation.

“We start by plotting where a company wants to be and then map out how to get them there,” Crockett explains. “The magic we bring is the ability to help them chart that journey and then walk it with them.”

It’s tempting to jump straight to exciting technologies, but this often leads to wasted resources. Middleton notes, “A reliable digital partner will first assess your current level of complexity and maturity, using this to dictate your next steps for digitalisation.”

This methodical approach ensures sustainable progress: “It’s like signing up for an ocean marathon without having mastered swimming in a pool. There are fundamental skills you need before diving into the endpoint magic,” says Middleton.

Our process typically follows these steps:

1. Assessment of business needs and current systems
2. Cloud enablement and infrastructure setup
3. System integration and modernisation
4. Targeted AI implementation where beneficial
5. Knowledge transfer and team upskilling

“The business value unlocked from cloud isn’t just moving data—it’s the ability to innovate and build digital products more rapidly, releasing to customers at global scale,” says Crockett.

The Path Forward

As Mark Twain said, “The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” For businesses, meaningful digital transformation isn’t about presentations or agendas—it’s about having a clear vision, a roadmap to achieve it, and creating an integrated environment that makes digital transformation real.

“One piece of advice that stands out is to pick a partner prepared to share knowledge and upskill your team,” concludes Crockett. “When we hire, we look not just for high-end skills but for team members able to teach those skills, ensuring your success long after our project concludes.”

The post Going Beyond Theory: Real-World Lessons in Digital Transformation appeared first on Synthesis.

With over 25 years of expertise, Synthesis continues to pioneer groundbreaking technologies that deliver rapid impact and robust solutions for its customers. The introduction of Remapped enables Synthesis to further enhance its capabilities by simplifying and accelerating the complex Oracle workload assessment processes, ensuring consistent, accurate, and insightful outcomes for customers considering cloud migration.

“Partnering with Remapped empowers us to deliver optimized license assessments (OLAs) faster and more effectively,” said Paul Spagnoletti, Revenue Executive at Synthesis. “The ability to quickly and accurately assess complex Oracle workloads gives our customers clarity and confidence, streamlining their decision-making process and accelerating their migration journeys. This is a significant leap forward for cloud adoption in South Africa and a substantial value-add for our clients.”

The Remapped platform provides automated, data-driven technical and commercial analysis, significantly reducing assessment times and costs associated with Oracle workload migration projects. This partnership allows Synthesis to deliver enhanced value through reduced licensing complexities, optimized migration outcomes, and substantial cost savings, enabling them to provide a superior, expedited service to customers.

Remapped’s platform has already demonstrated substantial benefits globally, including an average 58% reduction in Oracle licensing costs and significantly shorter assessment periods. By leveraging Remapped, Synthesis anticipates driving greater efficiency and profitability for its customers, solidifying its position as the preferred cloud migration partner in the region.

Together, Synthesis and Remapped are reshaping the future of cloud migration in South Africa, helping businesses achieve faster, cost-effective, and strategically sound transitions to AWS cloud environments.

For more information, visit http://www.synthesis.co.za and https://remapped.ai/.

The post Synthesis Partners with Remapped to Accelerate Oracle Workload Migrations to AWS Cloud in South Africa appeared first on Synthesis.

Absolutely.

Although South Africa has made advances towards moving with innovation and technology, the economy still relies heavily on cash.

The concept of cash has always been tangible. It is held, transferred, and weighed, but how many people carry around cash these days?

Synthesis Software Technologies, in partnership with Mambu and Amazon Web Services (AWS), hosted the Payments Round Table 2.0 at the Twelve Apostles Hotel in Cape Town this month. The event brought together key decision-makers from FinTech, retail, insurance, and banking sectors to discuss the future of payment modernisation in South Africa.

Moderated by Howard Feldman, the round table aimed to address the challenges and opportunities presented by payment technology and innovation in a predominantly cash-based economy. Despite the availability of digital payment methods, many low-income consumers continue to rely on cash, necessitating solutions that cater to the needs of the economy.

Modernizing Payments in South Africa

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has invested approximately six billion Rand in payment technologies for the public good to drive collaboration and healthy competition across key economic players. The new National Payment System (NPS) bill, closely linked to SARB’s Vision 2030, supports creation a world-class national payment utility that meets both domestic and international requirements. This bill provides a legal framework for the management, administration, operation, regulation, and supervision of payment, clearing, and settlement systems in South Africa.

The seven pillars of the Public Digital Payment Infrastructure presented by SARB Vision 2023 are highlighted below. Read more about SARB’s vision 2023.

Harsha Maloo, Head of Payments at Synthesis, highlighted the importance of financial inclusion, noting that while 80% of South Africans hold bank accounts, a significant portion remains financially excluded. Maloo presented the need for payment solutions that address the typical consumer behaviour of withdrawing cash immediately after receiving their salary.

Insights From Industry Leaders

Many households have a head who manages one account for the family. Money is deposited into an account, and technology is needed to manage the distribution of that money to other family members. Customers queue at ATMs to withdraw cash when they can withdraw cash from a retail shop and not pay bank charges for the withdrawal. A representative in the retail industry with over 700 stores across South Africa posed the questions:

“What services can retailers offer customers instead of cash in low-income and metro areas?” and “How do we look at a digital currency as a substitute for cash?”

Using a digital currency provides advantages to retailers; therefore, value propositions need to be established. Some advantages involve the saving of cash procurement and logistic fees. Retailers can be the front end of education to consumers on how to transact digitally and what is available. Many moving parts need to come together to create a platform that prioritises trust and security for consumers. To stop customers from using ATMs in the retail space, the cultural dynamics of consumer behaviour need to be considered.

Technological Innovations and Challenges

As a former executive at Solaris (a Mambu customer), Neil Capazorio, MD of ZAZU South Africa shared valuable insights from their experience working with both banks and fintech’s. They discussed the distinctions between legacy systems and third-generation technology stacks, emphasizing the transformative shift in mindset required to leverage modern solutions. Using Al and technology as enablers, ZAZU aims to address value propositions over time. Capazorio highlighted the importance of technology in simplifying the process of opening business accounts online and in real-time, thereby reducing compliance costs.

Alfred Mukudu, AWS Financial Services Go-To Market Leader, discussed AWS’s role in payment modernisation. AWS is supporting customers on platform modernisation, B2B payments, data and Al, fraud detection and prevention, real-time payments, and blockchain and digital currencies. Mukudu shared AWS’s commitment to removing technological blockers and accelerating the adoption of innovative payment solutions.

Regional and Sectoral Perspectives

Langa Mlalazi, Chief Technology Officer of Innbucks MicroBank in Zimbabwe, presented Innbucks’ innovative solution to address hyperinflation and frequent currency switches. Innbucks has created a wallet for transactions that substitutes cash, enabling rapid growth in transaction values and effectively managing high transactions per second (TPS). As part of its next phase of growth, Innbucks has partnered with leading cloud-native core platform Mambu to transform from a digital wallet solution to a fully integrated digital bank, supporting its continued expansion across Africa. Mlalazi emphasised the importance of creating a payments ecosystem that competes directly with cash. The discussion also highlighted the need for a unified African payments system to democratise different currencies, enabling seamless cross-border transfers across the continent, regardless of the local currency.

Addressing Consumer Behaviour and Trust

The round table discussion underscored several challenges and opportunities within the payment modernisation landscape.

A FinTech representative emphasised the need for banks to reduce charges and improve the usability of Payshap ID, which currently requires a banking app.

An insurance representative pointed out the anti-competitive nature of both traditional and new banks, advocating for a trusted and non-predatory ecosystem. They also noted the potential for FinTechs to offer more opportunities by reducing overhead and clearing charges and suggested that app messages could replace SMS costs.

Mlalazi stressed the importance of creating incentives for all stakeholders, while Mukudu mentioned that banks are not reluctant but face operational expenses that hinder their ability to reduce charges, suggesting partnerships between FinTechs and Banks.

Future Directions for Payments and Education

The biggest challenges identified include trust, education, value propositions for key players, profitability, culture, ecosystem awareness, traditional banks, regulation, adaptability, and transaction friction.

An insurance representative emphasised the need to start with the education system and the youth to ensure financial and digital literacy.

The broader perspective focused on solving societal problems and growing the economy in a way that benefits all stakeholders. Payments are an enabler to economic growth and should be seen as one as opposed to a revenue tool.

The post Creating Payment Ecosystem Awareness – Moving the Economy from Cash to Digital appeared first on Synthesis.

The Impact of Broadcom’s Acquisition of VMware

Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has brought significant changes, particularly in licensing and operational structures. The shift from perpetual to subscription licensing has increased costs for some customers by up to tenfold. This dramatic expense rise has prompted many organisations to reconsider their IT strategies and explore more cost-effective alternatives.

Why VMware Customers Should Migrate to AWS

Migrating to AWS offers numerous benefits which include:

• Enterprise Leader – AWS is positioned as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service, worldwide.
• Operational Resiliency – Helping millions of customers since 2006. Best availability track record. Running a wide variety of use cases at a greater scale than any cloud provider.
• Long-Term Value – Continuous improvement. Culture of customer cost reductions: 134 since 2006.
• Culture of Innovation – Recognized as the most innovative public cloud provider.
• Breadth and Depth – AWS offers 200+ services to support any workload, with custom-built silicon like Graviton and Nitro for better performance and efficiency.

AWS provides enhanced scalability, flexibility, and the opportunity to unlock further innovation with access to its comprehensive suite of services. By moving to AWS, businesses can reduce their reliance on costly VMware licenses and take advantage of AWS’s robust infrastructure and advanced capabilities.

Synthesis’s Migration Approach

Synthesis has developed a structured approach to ensure a seamless migration from VMware to AWS. This approach consists of four key phases:

1. Assess: The first step involves evaluating the current VMware environment and determining the best strategy for migrating workloads to AWS. This phase includes preparing a migration business case and a roadmap for future modernisation.
2. Mobilise: In this phase, Synthesis prepares workloads for migration by establishing a best practice landing zone, creating a migration framework, and securing the necessary resources. AWS investment can be used to cover this cost partially or fully in some cases.
3. Migrate and Modernise: Synthesis rapidly executes the migration of VMware servers to AWS, eliminating the need for VMware licenses. This phase ensures minimal downtime and disruption to business operations.
4. Operate and Optimise (Optional): Post-migration, Synthesis offers managed services to support customer workloads, ensuring a seamless transition and ongoing optimisation.

Addressing Key Challenges

The transition from VMware to AWS addresses several critical challenges faced by businesses in the wake of Broadcom’s acquisition:

• Licensing Changes: Broadcom’s new licensing model has significantly increased costs for on-premise VMware customers. Migrating to AWS eliminates the need for these costly licenses, providing a more cost-effective solution.
• Support and service disruptions: mergers often lead to restructuring and shifts in service and support models. By moving to AWS, businesses can avoid potential delays, reduced service quality, or changes in support terms associated with the acquisition.
• Strategic uncertainty: the future roadmap for VMware products under Broadcom’s ownership is unclear. Migrating to AWS provides businesses with a stable and predictable environment, aligning with their long-term IT strategies.
• Operational disruptions: the integration of VMware into Broadcom’s operations may cause temporary or long-term disruptions. AWS offers a reliable and stable platform, ensuring the continuity of critical operations.

Why Choose Synthesis?

Synthesis stands out as a trusted partner for AWS migrations, with over a decade of experience and recently attaining AWS Premier Tier status. Recognised as one of the most highly skilled AWS partners in South Africa, Synthesis has a proven track record of successfully migrating customers to AWS. The company has also obtained the AWS Migration and Modernisation Competency, further demonstrating its expertise and commitment to delivering exceptional results. Our competencies provide our customers with AWS Funding on migration as an added benefit.

AWS Migration Pathways and Tools

AWS offers multiple migration pathways to suit different needs, including AWS native services such as EC2, ECS, EKS and Outposts. AWS’s native migration tools, such as AWS Application Migration Service (MGN) and AWS Database Migration Service (DMS), along with third-party ISV tools such as Cloudamize and Migration Evaluator, accelerate and simplify the migration process.

Synthesis’s customer-centric approach ensures that each migration is tailored to meet the unique needs and goals of the business. The no-cost assessment provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of migrating to AWS, helping businesses make informed decisions about their IT strategies.

The acquisition of VMware by Broadcom has created significant challenges for businesses relying on VMware’s on-premise solutions. Synthesis offers a timely and cost-effective solution by facilitating the migration to AWS, enabling businesses to reduce costs, enhance scalability, and unlock new opportunities for innovation. With a structured approach and a proven track record, Synthesis is the ideal partner to guide businesses through their cloud migration journey.

The post Synthesis Helps Accelerate Business Cloud Journey’s With No-cost VMware Migration to AWS appeared first on Synthesis.

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The discussion was rich with insights, covering critical areas such as data value, security, compliance, artificial intelligence, and the future of data-driven decision-making. Participants shared their experiences and challenges, offering a comprehensive view of how organisations are adapting to the ever-changing data landscape.

The strategic role of data in business

They began by acknowledging that data is not just an operational asset but the lifeblood of modern businesses. It informs strategy, customer experience, investment decisions, and return on investment. However, the question arose: are businesses truly maximising their data’s potential?

A key discussion point was data quality – ensuring that organisations collect and maintain high-integrity data. Without clean and accurate data, insights become unreliable (garbage in, garbage out). They explored how businesses could enrich and refine data to increase its utility and overall business value. The conversation naturally led to the question of how to assign value to data.

They discussed the importance of aligning security measures with the value of the data being protected. For example, investing in a US$10-million security solution for data worth only $50 000 is not justifiable. This led to an exploration of the broader concept of the data economy, where data is monetised and its value is directly tied to its utility and relevance.

Data value and monetisation

Assigning value to data remains a challenge and the conversation naturally evolved into data monetisation and how businesses can assign tangible value to data? This led to a broader discussion on the data economy – how organisations leverage data as a revenue stream while maintaining privacy and compliance. They also discussed how businesses can break down silos and enhance data collaboration through cryptographic solutions, enabling secure data sharing while preserving privacy.

Data security and collaboration

A significant hurdle discussed was the concept of collaboration, both internally between departments and externally with partners. A key takeaway was the importance of anonymising and encrypting data to maintain security while still deriving value. The participants in the round table debated methods of stripping personally identifiable information to allow secure data sharing without compromising security policies, ethics or regulations.

Another area of concern was dated data. As businesses move towards real-time data utilization, old and outdated data loses relevance. The shift towards live-streaming data and AI-driven insights was acknowledged as a necessity for businesses striving to remain agile and competitive in 2025 and beyond. Participants also critiqued some regulations, particularly in regions like the EU, where fines for non-compliance could sometimes be seen as a cheaper alternative to investing in expensive security measures. This raised a broader question: do existing regulations genuinely improve security, or do they create unnecessary barriers to business innovation?

Data security as a business enabler

One of the most engaging discussions centred on the changing perception of security – specifically, positioning security as a business enabler and using robust data security measures as a differentiator in the market, appealing to customers who value data ethics and trust.

Round-table participants also explored the challenge of securing data while maintaining agility. Businesses need real-time insights but must balance speed with security. They debated how security gates and controls can be implemented without stifling innovation and discussed how encryption, for example, can facilitate data sharing between departments or even businesses within the same industry, breaking down silos and enabling more informed decision making.

Bridging the gap between security and business leaders

Many organisations struggle to communicate data security needs to executives and board members effectively. One attendee pointed out that CISOs and CIOs often fail to speak the board’s language, making it difficult to secure investment in security initiatives.

Instead of focusing solely on cyber risks, security leaders must frame discussions around how data security drives business value, efficiency and competitive advantage. Participants dived into the aspect of positioning and being able to align technical solutions to business gains.

Data discovery and platforming challenges

The discussion then moved into data discovery and platforming. Many organisations struggle with data silos, where valuable data is hidden across different business units and divisions. We discussed the importance of finding ways to discover and pool data from various sources, while also addressing the concerns of different teams through robust security and encryption mechanisms – allowing them to benefit from the use of the data without the challenges of it containing to sensitive information.

The evolving role of the CFO in data security

The conversation expanded beyond traditional security leadership roles, emphasising that cybersecurity is now a burden to chief financial officers. As cybersecurity investments become a critical budgetary consideration, CFOs need a deeper understanding of security risks and solutions. This shift is driving more informed financial decisions around security spending and investment in risk mitigation strategies.

Round-table panellists discussed how this change is driving more intuitive customer experiences and better business outcomes, as CFOs are now more involved in understanding the value of data and the need for innovative solutions to address gaps and fine-tune strategies. This also has a direct impact on the quality of the questions being raised about data, its security and the business’s investments in this space. Ultimately this raises the bar in terms of the questions the business can ask about data, its security and how we value that data in the first place.

Skills and the global data landscape

The discussion also touched on the loss of South African professional skills. Participants shared insights from different countries, like Nigeria, where repatriation of skills is prevalent and these professionals, having gained experience in more complex developed-world environments, bring back this thinking and innovation. There could be a “brain-gain approach” to entice skilled professionals back to share their valuable knowledge and skills in South Africa.

Participants also discussed the challenges of adopting new data-related technologies, particularly in regions like South Africa where some global innovations are not yet viable.

Key takeaways

1. The value of data must be carefully assessed to ensure that security investments are proportionate to the data’s worth.
2. Breaking down data silos and enabling secure data sharing through encryption is critical for collaboration.
3. Businesses need to drill down into the utilisation of mechanisms that provide real-time data insights to improve agility and guide business strategy.

Conclusion

The round table provided a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and opportunities in cryptography and data security. From the importance of data quality and value to the evolving role of AI, the discussion highlighted the need for a balanced approach to data security that enables business growth and innovation. As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of the data landscape, the insights shared during this event will serve as a valuable guide for future strategies and data decisions.

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