Many South African companies find themselves trapped in a digital quicksand due to poorly executed CRM implementations that lead to costly, underperforming systems. Eldon Bothma and Hayley Blane from Braintree discuss the risks of choosing complex, feature-heavy CRM solutions without aligning them with business needs, leading to frustration and lost growth opportunities. Instead of focusing solely on technology, businesses should consider a strategic approach that prioritizes long-term scalability, clear objectives, and a phased implementation. By doing so, companies can unlock the true value of CRM systems, drive growth, and better position themselves for future advancements like AI and automation.
Author: Africa Business
Weaponising the threat: The changing face of cybercrime
The landscape of cybercrime is evolving, with companies and high-profile individuals increasingly weaponizing cyber-attacks to disrupt competitors, spread misinformation, and tarnish reputations. In this article, Richard Frost from Armata Cyber Security delves into how cybercrime tactics have shifted from mere data theft to sophisticated strategies aimed at discrediting or misdirecting rivals. These malicious activities, which include false accusations and corporate espionage, introduce complex new challenges for businesses trying to protect their reputation and data. Frost emphasizes the importance of strategic defense mechanisms, strong security support, and heightened awareness to combat these growing threats.
The Hidden Complexity of Tokenisation: Why Implementation is Harder than it Looks
Tokenisation, a promising solution in mobile payments and e-commerce, offers secure, efficient, and seamless transactions by replacing sensitive data with randomized tokens. While the technology promises reduced fraud and enhanced security, implementing tokenisation is more challenging than it appears. This article explores the technical and regulatory complexities involved, including integration issues, vendor fragmentation, and compliance with evolving data protection laws. It also highlights how Stanchion’s expertise can help businesses overcome these challenges to unlock the benefits of tokenisation and virtual card issuing.
French and South African creative industries in the spotlight at ICC Forum 2025
The ICC Forum 2025, hosted in Pretoria, brought together French and South African leaders in the creative economy for a high-level platform designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and cultural exchange. The event, part of the France 2030 initiative, saw discussions on a wide range of topics including green design, digital innovation, and the role of creative industries in urban development. The Forum also featured dynamic panel discussions on sustainable fashion, digital arts, and heritage, showcasing the potential for long-term partnerships between French and South African creative industries.
Verto Introduces Auto Exchange: A Seamless Way for Businesses to Secure Optimal FX Rates
Verto, a leading global payment solutions provider, has launched Auto Exchange, a new feature designed to help businesses secure optimal foreign exchange (FX) rates automatically. This tool allows users to set target exchange rates and trade amounts within the Verto platform, enabling seamless execution without constant monitoring. By automating this process, businesses can save time and ensure they never miss out on favorable FX rates. Auto Exchange empowers customers to focus on growing their businesses while Verto manages the FX execution for them.
Cerebrium Raises $8.5M Led by Gradient to Scale the Leading High-Performance Serverless AI Platform
Cerebrium, a serverless AI infrastructure platform founded in Cape Town, has raised $8.5 million in a seed funding round led by Gradient, Google’s AI venture fund. The platform enables teams to build and scale multimodal AI applications without traditional complexity or cost. This funding will support Cerebrium’s growth and expansion, with the aim of meeting increasing demand in enterprise AI. Backed by Y Combinator and other investors, Cerebrium is already powering companies like Tavus and Deepgram, providing high-performance solutions for real-time voice, video, and data analytics applications.
Healing Earth Transformative Wellness Spa at Brahman Hills Earns Global Award Nomination
Brahman Hills’ Healing Earth Transformative Wellness Spa has been shortlisted for the Spa of the Year category at the prestigious 2025 Destination Deluxe Awards. The spa’s immersive wellness experience, set in the tranquil KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, combines world-class treatments with authentic South African hospitality. The nomination highlights the spa’s commitment to sustainability and wellness excellence, offering a sanctuary that blends nature with luxury. Voting for the awards is open until 31 July 2025, with the chance to showcase African wellness on the global stage.
Winners Announced at 2025 African Business Chamber (AfBC) Awards
The African Business Chamber (AfBC) celebrated the winners of the 2025 AfBC African Business Awards in a glamorous ceremony at the Millennium Conference and Hotel Kensington, London. The awards recognized excellence in African business leadership across 14 categories, including finance, healthcare, technology, and social enterprise. Notable winners included Said Adren, CEO of Bank of Africa (BOA UK), who was honored as the Top 100 Business Leader of the Year. Distinguished guests, dignitaries, and diplomats attended the event, which featured dynamic entertainment and live performances. AfBC also announced major events for 2025 and 2026, including the UK–Africa Business Forum and the next AfBC Awards.
The digital dial tone of 2025: Less a beep, more a click
Business communication has evolved dramatically from wires and hardware to cloud-based, digital-first collaboration tools. Doug Morrison, VP of Modern Workplace at Braintree, explains how solutions like Microsoft Teams and Operator Connect are driving this transformation. In 2025, companies are replacing traditional telephony systems with cloud-powered platforms that integrate voice, video, chat, and AI tools—improving productivity, reducing costs, and enabling remote work. The future of communication lies in mobility, security, and intelligent technologies that enhance customer service, automate workflows, and deliver actionable insights.
Five ways AI is creating everyday risks for African businesses
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the cyber risk landscape for African businesses. Emmanuel Tzingakis, Technical Lead at Trend Micro, highlights five key AI-driven threats: hyper-personalised phishing, deepfakes, data governance gaps, malicious code in open-source repositories, and AI hallucinations. These risks demand urgent attention as attackers increasingly exploit AI tools for fraud, social engineering, and data breaches. The article explores how businesses can strengthen cybersecurity through better visibility, improved data governance, and proactive AI monitoring to stay ahead in this evolving digital battlefield.