Stone is a strategy and communication consulting firm that has added significant value to respected brands and client organisations since 2008. Stone’s sound strategic thinking and detailed implementation methodologies ensure clear business strategies, effective integrated marketing, media profiling and results-reaping communication for its blue-chip clients. Visit the newsroom at news.stone.consulting for media releases, thought leadership articles and consumer interest articles from our clients.

Stone

Stone is a strategy and communication consulting firm that has added significant value to respected brands and client organisations since 2008...

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Data Protection Authority

Why the Internet’s backbone needs urgent protection

By Alpheus Mangale, SEACOM Group CEO

JOHANNESBURG - In a world where the Internet powers everything from banking to healthcare, education, security, and even our social lives, we rarely stop to think about the invisible infrastructure keeping it all connected.

Heidi Bartis, Hoofuitvoerende Beampte: Academy for Environmental Leadership SA (AEL)

AEL BIED 'N UNIEKE OPLOSSING VIR STUDENTE SONDER BEVESTIGDE UNIVERSITEITSPLASING

UPINGTON - Die ongekende vraag na universiteitsplasings in Suid-Afrika beklemtoon 'n groeiende krisis in die land se onderwysstelsel. Met meer as 100,000 studente wat sonder universiteitsplasings gelaat is vir die 2025 akademiese jaar weens ‘n rekordaanvraag, is die skerp realiteit duidelik: die kapasiteit van tradisionele of hoofstroom hoëronderwysinstellings kan nie tred hou met die toename in studentetal nie.

Heidi Bartis, Chief Executive Officer at AEL

AEL PROVIDES A UNIQUE SOLUTION FOR STUDENTS LEFT WITHOUT CONFIRMED UNIVERSITY PLACEMENT

UPINGTON - The unprecedented demand for university placements in South Africa underscores a growing crisis in the country's education system. With over 100,000 students left without university placement for the 2025 academic year due to record demand, the stark reality is apparent: the capacity of traditional higher education institutions cannot keep pace with the surge in student numbers.

Freben Serfontein, Lead Solution Architect: Customer Solutions, MPN at Vodafone Business UK

Unveiling the power of innovation - Vodafone's Mobile Private Network transforms Extreme E-racing

Extreme E is a radical off-road racing series in the most remote corners of the planet impacted by climate change. Eight teams, consisting of one male and one female driver, racing to highlight global issues and inspire the next generation. Ten races across five incredible locations, highlighting the effects of climate change and how Extreme E works with changemakers to be part of the solution. Racing starts with two qualifying sessions, each consisting of two five-car heats. Then, a pair of official races determine the event winner. Qualifying is designed so that each team competes in two heats, one for each session.

Dr Brent Abrahams, coordinator of Emerging Scholars Initiative, Africa Centre for Scholarship (ACS), Stellenbosch University International

Mapping Conservation Ecology as a multi-disciplinary and integrated field of study - The AEL

I've always been interested in 'nature', in fact, many things – but 'nature' was a constant. When it came time to choose what to do after school, having applied to join the military to study engineering, amongst other things, in the end it was Conservation Ecology that stood out. But why?

Nitesh Singh, Managing Director for Communications, Media and Technology at Accenture in Africa

How can content streaming be a better consumer experience?

Although streaming has opened a new way for people to access content, the experience has become unwieldy, unfriendly, and expensive. In our recent Accenture survey of 6,000 consumers in North America, South America, Europe, South Africa, and Asia Pacific, participant responses point to three significant issues that are eroding the streaming experience.

Greg Cress, Sustainable Energy and e-Mobility Lead for Industry X at Accenture in Africa

The road to sustainable mobility

In 2023, we are standing at the crossroads of significant decisions to be made around the interdependency between our future energy and mobility industries in South Africa. Make the wrong decisions, and we will likely pay the price in terms of devastating economic and social consequences. However, make the right decisions, and our potential to elevate South Africa's relevance on the global mobility stage improves dramatically, with it, the prosperity of our people, businesses and economy.

Kevin Aron, Principal Officer of Medshield Medical Scheme

Adapting to innovation in the healthcare sector beyond just tech

Adapting to innovation takes time and effort. It took the telephone 64 years, electricity 45 years, and computers 23 years to achieve 40% consumer adoption. Although healthcare is not unique in slow innovation and adoption, it a is laggard and other sectors have been innovating better, faster and smarter. The pandemic revealed a long-overdue urgency to innovate and embrace new tools and technologies.

De Wet Bisschoff, Director of Operations and Sales at Accenture in Africa

The marketing technology nexus and the power of Thrivers

It is early afternoon midweek. Two years ago, many of us would either have been in a meeting room, behind our desks, in a car travelling to see a client or onsite dealing with a problem.

Luis Rodriguez, Managing Director for Strategy and Consulting at Accenture in Africa

How businesses can be innovative without losing their core focus

If you think about it, most large corporations grew their business by adapting to change systematically - tweaking their offering while maintaining their core business - thus optimising what they already had. But now, there is a lot more to consider as companies evolve. They must take on new ways of growing without losing their core focus. The speed of change is significantly faster than ever - an ongoing constant that, I would argue, will only get faster. The lines between industries are also blurring, leading to a new and enhanced kind of competition that includes businesses outside your industry.

Willie Schoeman, Managing Director within the Technology business and Cloud First Lead at Accenture in Africa

Changing business landscape sparks a race for digital talent

The saying goes: 'The more advanced technology gets, the quicker it becomes more advanced.' IT infrastructure is changing rapidly. Complexity is on the rise. Digital talent is scarce.

Thought leadership