PODCAST | What’s needed to power an inclusive future for all?
Cisco Africa’s government affairs director explains why there’s more to bridging the digital divide than providing access to technology
The Covid-19 pandemic has spurred digital transformation in many countries, including SA. However, it has also highlighted how “when communities lack access to technology, they can get left behind”, says Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco, a worldwide leader in IT and networking.
In this podcast, host Mudiwa Gavaza chats to Charmaine Houvet, government affairs director of Cisco Africa, about what’s needed to “power an inclusive future for all” and how companies can play an essential role in this regard.
Houvet says bridging the digital divide is not only about providing access to technologies and internet connectivity — it’s about skills development and innovation.
She also says the pandemic has changed the way people work, possibly forever.
Houvet details how Cisco was able to quickly transition to a hybrid work culture, and to make the process of doing so seamless for its employees, thanks to its Webex suite of collaboration technologies.
For Cisco, “there is no return to the office”: the future of work is a hybrid environment that’s people-first and flexible.