Alistair’s purpose is to focus on human-centred design for problem solving that enables exponential positive change.

Alistair has led finance and business functions in both the private and public sectors, at a senior level over the past 20 years. During that time he has steered multiple project engagements, ranging from designing and implementing new large-scale group reporting systems and processes to designing multi-country system solutions and methodologies.

His focus area for the past 10 years has been on the Financial Services industry, around business and operating model transformation related to technologies, processes, people, culture and data - working with clients in South Africa, Africa, UK, Continental Europe, the United States and Latin America.

He is skilled in strategic transformation and building new business capabilities, using cognitive technologies and innovation techniques and has led high performing, multi-disciplinary teams in the ideation, design, development, and execution of impactful, innovative and human-centric portfolios. Alistair was a top finalist out of 300 nominees across PwC Africa's staff complement of 9000+ people for the PwC Africa Values Award.

Alistair has founded 2 companies – one focused on exponential transformation using cognitive technologies and innovation, and the other is  focused on genomics, genome sequencing and creating machine learning digital assets to reduce clinical trial costs and failure rates.

He currently devotes the majority of his time helping clients achieve their technology enabled business transformation objectives and provide clients with support across their innovation and digital transformation initiatives.

Alistair holds an Executive Master of Science from HEC Paris and various post-graduate professional certifications from Harvard Business School, Wharton Business School, Yonsei University and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business – with specialisations in disruptive innovation, competitive strategy, design thinking, deep learning for business and digital transformation.

He is a speaker, author and thought leader on Cognitive and Intelligent Automation.

A proud Dad, Technology Consultant & Developer 
Officially: Electronic Engineer with a BTECH in IT with a passion for AI 

Achievements  

• I've built some software to automate optimise workflows to enable business to scale and have a competitive edge. 
• Desktop, Web and Mobile Applications 
• Using, IOS  Android, Symbian, Windows, Cloud 
• Dealing with the issues of servicing various international markets 

Share-Point  

A place to share/measure the successes and failures in life, so we can harness the efforts of others to ultimately move forward together. 

Personal Site: gregmelson.com 

Work: share-point.co.za 

Twitter @GregMelson 

*I run a Technology Meetup (420+ Members) on AI + SharePoint and Technology today 

Working experience 

Corporate:  10+ YEARS  

Founder: 2+ YEARS 

Marianna Boguslavsky has a decade of digital marketing & strategy experience gained working in a variety of industries ranging from eCommerce, automotive, and publishing to SaaS, media, and property in London, Cape Town, Dubai, and Slovenia. She has worked at small companies, startups and large global agencies. She founded her own digital strategy agency (in UAE & South Africa) and focused on leveraging tech and specialist skills to grow startups and SMEs based regionally and internationally. She is fluent in English and Russian, is passionate about emerging AI innovations, and eats way too much sushi.

Kevin Derman is a Technology and Human Potential Evangelist. His favorite topic being the potential when these two forces are combined. Kevin is the CEO of Kaskade.cloud a cloud technology consultancy with a major focus in AI and machine learning. He has headed up the Partner and Channel Strategy both for Microsoft South Africa and IBM for the Sub Saharan Africa region. He has had various career experiences incorporating global corporates and entrepreneurial start-ups, including co-founding Infointeg, an Internet Start-up and being a motivational and business speaker. His presentations are engaging and deliver an eclectic mix of topics ranging from “the Psychology of Buying and Selling” to “Happiness – the never ending quest”.

Kevin holds the following degrees: BSc Masters, an MBA from UCT’s Graduate School of Business, and is an AWS Associate Cloud Architect.