The Patient Reward Of Intellectual Property

When Generation X transitioned from analog to digital phones, they bravely embraced a handful of cellular phone providers. Over the years they continued to embrace new features and device capacity as they were developed, all the while educating the older and younger generations on how to use these magnificent devices. Many of the developers of the mobile phone that we have used over the years have since transitioned from what was once their main product Read more

Does Global IT Growth Depend On Helium?

A perplexing headline recently caught my eye. It read something like: “Lack of Access to Helium Gas Might Affect Semi-Conductor Supply”. I wondered how the gas used to fill party balloons could have the potential to impact negatively on the production speed of the growing data centers in our country. If like me, you have not had many thoughts about helium beyond a vague recollection of it being the second element on the Periodic Table Read more

Supplier Management and AI Strategy

AI (Artificial Intelligence) has become THE business and IT buzzword for this decade. The hyper-focus on the technology comes from the promise of increased efficiency and higher returns for less capital outlay. Established organizations believe that they can save on their personnel budget, while start-ups see AI as an opportunity to scale in a way that allows them to better compete with established competitors. However, these benefits can only be reaped by those who are Read more

EV Battery Storage and Sustainability

I have been quietly “watching this space” since December 2025 when news of Samsung’s newly developed silver solid state battery hit the digital news stands (https://metalsandminers.substack.com/p/the-silver-squeeze-is-100-coming). The news had been preceded in October by the announcement of Samsung’s partnership with Silver Storm Mining in Mexico for a 100% offtake agreement that included zinc and lead/silver concentrates (https://www.miningweekly.com/article/silver-storm-partners-with-samsung-to-reopen-mexico-silver-mine-2025-10-13). Four months later, a clearer picture is emerging as South Korea and Germany have begun to reveal some Read more

The Regulatory Perspective on the African Energy Grid

As I continue to reflect on the Africa Energy Grid, I cant help but say a little prayer for the legal and regulatory teams that will be involved in the undertaking. For it is on the backbone of a strong legal and regulatory framework that a successful trans-continental grid will be built. The laws and regulations that legal teams will need to include in their draft energy agreements should embrace the foundations laid by the Read more

The African Electricity Grid

One of the more interesting facts that I picked up at the Africa Energy Indaba this year (2026) was that there are plans to join the African regional power pools into one lovely energy grid that traverses the continent. The conversation dredged up memories of my days manning Enerweb’s support desk for Eskom’s KSACS (Key Sales and Customer Services) Energy trading unit, thus piquing my interest. The mammoth task will involve making changes to the Read more

The Human Element of Laws and Regulations

Conversations about adopting AI often include a concept known as “the human element”. That bit of creativity, ability to map abstract concepts to reality, and the solving of problems in a creative manner that only the human mind is capable of. Keep this human element in mind as you consider using an AI-generated contract template. While it contains the necessary heading and signature spaces, does it take into account all the laws and regulation required Read more

Remote & Asynchronous Working

Working remotely and asynchronously means that we work not only across time zones, but across cultures as well. The question is, what happens when north meets south, or east meets west across the negotiation table? Can they overcome their cultural norms, expectations, and communication differences to develop a contract that is beneficial to all parties? Not being able to address this type of challenge has stalled many a negotiation. Those who have successfully navigated the Read more

The Management Consultant

Welcome to the management consultant blog. In this section, we will be providing you with knowledge to help you manage your suppliers, projects, and e-commerce sites. Starting with supplier management, we will explore Information Technology(IT) Suppliers and what to consider when managing them.