lead a team Theo Groenewald, Discovery's data management professional, brings 25 years of experience in developing and enhancing technology systems.
“My team and I are currently focused on implementing, socializing, and aligning our data strategy, with the goal of building data products that are deployed on platforms supported by robust DataOps processes. ” he says.
“All data products are built on strong ethics, privacy, governance and security foundations to ensure quality and peace of mind.”
Groenewald, who earned a graduate degree in business administration and management from Henley Business School, said focus areas for 2024 include hyper-personalization, customer journeys and cloud adoption.
TechCentral asked him a few questions for our IT Leadership Series.
What does your company do?
Discovery is a South African-incorporated financial services organization operating in the healthcare, life insurance, short-term insurance, long-term savings, banking and wellness markets.
What do you think will be the top priorities for IT leaders in 2024?
Skill, cost and value. Finding the right skills in South Africa is difficult, but not impossible. In this micro- and macroeconomic climate, it is important to keep costs down and prove value.
Who do you most admire in the business world and why?
It's difficult to single out anyone in particular. I admire people who can maintain their integrity and humanity while running a successful business.
How do you attract and retain talent?
We deploy a variety of strategies to attract talent, including the use of graduate programs and internship programs. For some roles, we've also found that searching internally for people looking to move into IT has been very successful in attracting talent with the necessary organizational knowledge. In terms of retaining talent, I help my team keep up with the rapid changes in their environment, enable them to find meaning and purpose in their work, and add the value the business needs. I am trying to do so.
If you could go back in time and give one piece of advice to your 18-year-old self, what would it be?
Your effort and perseverance will definitely pay off. That kindness towards yourself and others is really important. Everything will be okay in the end, and if it isn't, that's not the end of the world.
What is your favorite productivity hack?
The only way to be productive is to do only one thing at a time. No matter how tempting it is to try multitasking, unless you put your full effort into something, things won't get done properly.
What kind of job (other than your own) would you like to try?
Master brewer in a brewpub in an interesting location.
Where do you see the technology industry going in the next 3-5 years?
I hope that technology will move towards a more sustainable and inclusive future for humanity and the planet.
What book would you recommend to our audience and why?
Letting go, the path to surrender Written by David R. Hawkins. The more you surrender to what is, the happier you will be. — (c)2024 NewsCentral Media