16 minute read
Letter from Editor
ETERNAL HOPE WITH A POSITIVE MINDSET
Today I would like to share a story I heard with you.
Advertisement
A man sat down at his desk and wrote the following story.
“In 2021 I had a gall bladder operation to remove gall stones. In the same year I had to retire from the company I loved after 35 years. Still in the same year I lost my dear mother and as if that was not enough my son who was in his final year of medical studies did not pass his studies due to a motor accident. The exorbitant costs to repair the vehicle was really the cherry on the cake for this bad year”.
As he was writing his wife walked into the room, looked over his shoulder and saw what he was writing. She turned around and walked out. After 20 minutes she came back into the room where her husband was sitting and sulking. She placed a piece of paper before him on which she had written the following story.
“Last year my husband at last got the gall bladder operation that relieved him of the pain he had to endure for so many years. I am so glad that my husband could retire in good health and I thank God for the 35 years that he could work and provide so well for us, his family. Now he can give much more time to his writing which has always been his passion and hobby. In the same year my 95-year-old mother in law passed on with no pain after a long fulfilling life. The same year my son was in a serious car accident with great damage to our car but through the grace of God he got out unhurt.”
Her last sentence was, “This last year was a year full of extraordinary blessings from God and we have embraced it in awe and gratitude”.
This made me realise that everything in life is about perspective. How do we look at attitude, work, people, different opinions and much more? Are we critical or do we allow other people to do things as they see fit? Are we negative or are we positive? Do we complain about the dark clouds but do not see the silver linings around them that bring hope? Are we sitting feeling sorry for ourselves or are we making the best use of every opportunity that arises around us? Do we complain about everything or are we satisfied with what God has so graciously granted to us?
I end off with something Abraham Lincoln said. “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or we can rejoice because thorn bushes have roses”.
I for one and I hope you too will look at this letter and take the decision to be a person who is forever optimistic and seek the good in our God-given creation.
Annelize Wepener Editor
INDEX OF THE MAGAZINE VOL #22
07
COVERstory
Making oncology treatment more affordable
04 Letter from Editor
contents
15
Software development trends help improve the shopping experience
Log4Shell will have a lasting ripple effect 17
From diagnosis through to treatment
07
11
ONpoint
Introducing Cybereason XDR powered by Google Chronicle
13 The greatest asset becomes the biggest risk
15 Software development trends help improve the shopping experience
17 Log4Shell will have a lasting ripple effect 19 Brands must respond faster to changes
21
INtheKnow
Opportunity for Africa’s youth in the Great Resignation
23 How smart are smart homes really
25 Trends to keep an eye on
27 On-demand economy booms as consumers expect even faster delivery
45
LIFEstyle
Mercedes Benz C-Class: Leading by example
53 Roadtest: Peugeot Landtrek extending a proud heritage
59 RHyundai Staria Multicab
29
PayUp app simplifies lay buys
Addressing the risk from cyber attacks in the Russia-Ukraine conflict
31 59
Hyundai Staria Multicab
31 Addressing the risk from cyber attacks in the Russia-Ukraine conflict
33 Securing cloud environments at petabyte scale
35
FOCUSonEXCELLENCE
Contributing to a sustainable future
39 Bluegrass Digital scoops prestigious SMARTIES Award
41 How successful African businesses leverage an entrepreneurial culture Publisher
CEO Global (Pty) Ltd Tel:+27 82 883 4901 info@ceoglobalgroup.com www.ceoglobalgroup.com
Chief Executive Annelize Wepener annelize@ceoglobalgroup.com
Patron for CEO Global Foundation Lucy Quainoo
Consultant: Financial Support Carl Wepener carl@ceoglobalgroup.com
Head of Social Media Lynn Richards - Rubix Cube Digital lynn@rubixcubedigital.co.za
Special Projects & Content Development Consultant Vishnu Singh
Tel: +27 71 851 2066
Production Manager/Creative Director Enola Meyer - Mazeadilly design house enola@mazeadilly.com Tel: +27 61 048 0084
Printers Lexlines Press (Pty) Ltd Tel: +27 21 507 9030 Fax: 086 509 2749
* No article or part of an article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. The information provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith but do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher or editor. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However, neither the publisher nor the editor can be held legally liable in any way for damages of any kind whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages, or from any statements made in or withheld by this publication.
MAKING ONCOLOGY TREATMENT MORE AFFORDABLE
BY CARL WEPENER
OOver the past decades, the medical fraternity has made giant leaps in treating cancer, leading to the nowfamous adage that cancer can be beaten. However, for most South Africans – and particularly those in remote areas and from lowincome groups – oncology treatment is simply unaffordable. And this disparity lies at the heart of what Lynne du Toit is tackling through her company, Eurolab.
OPPORTUNITIES AND INNOVATION
Eurolab was first launched in 2011, but Du Toit’s journey in the medical sector began long before then. “I have always had a passion for helping people, so I qualified as a nurse and midwife in 1981. Although I enjoyed this work tremendously, I also had a keen interest in business, so I soon found myself looking beyond direct patient care to establishing a business of my own.”
After working for both Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Hoechst AG (now part of the Sanofi-Aventis pharmaceuticals group), Du Toit finally succeeded in her goal in 1991 when she joined forces with Gabe Simaan to found and launch one of the first generic pharmaceutical companies in South Africa, Garec Pharmaceuticals. “Generic medicine has enormous cost-saving potential, but unfortunately there are misconceptions about what the word ‘generic’ means in the public space,” says Du Toit.
To develop and sell medicine, pharmaceutical companies go through a rigorous research, development, testing and clinical-trials process. If the medication proves effective, the pharmaceutical company registers a patent, which gives it exclusive right to manufacture and sell the medication for a period of time – so that it can recoup the expenses it has incurred. Du Toit adds that, “Once the patent lapses, other manufacturers are able to produce the exact same medicine, which mimics the originator, following the detailed specifications in the patent, at a fraction of the cost. These ‘generic’ medicines work in exactly the same way, and provide the same clinical benefits, as their brand-name counterparts.”
Garec was extremely successful, and was ultimately bought by the Malbak group. This was to become a trend in Du Toit’s career: her and Simaan’s ability to identify opportunities in the healthcare sector would lead to them launching new, and innovative businesses, which would then soon be acquired by larger (often listed) entities seeking to expand their portfolios.
TAKING ONCOLOGY BY STORM
In 2011, Du Toit and Simaan founded Eurolab. “This was at a time when oncology products had just started coming off patent, so it was the perfect opportunity for us to focus our attention on oncology, and see what we could do to bring down the costs and create access to treatment for cancer patients,” explains Du Toit.
Eurolab soon secured licences for a number of generic medicines, but the road to market was not simple. “Like many sectors, the medical sector is a value chain, and there are role players positioned all along this chain. It might sound strange, but one of our first challenges was how to physically get our medication to healthcare providers! The market was initially dominated by one oncology courier company, and we faced a lot of opposition getting our products into that part of the value chain. In the end, we decided to simply set up our own oncology courier company. Although the situation was very frustrating at the time, there was a real lesson in it for me: You need to consider the entire value chain if you want to deliver affordable, high-quality medical care to patients.”
This appreciation for the entirety of the value chain has led to what Eurolab calls its ‘whole-of-cancer’ approach. What started out as a focus on generic medication has now expanded to include oncology-related manufacturing, specialised technology, innovative therapies and batch testing of products. “For us, it is about offering a solution from diagnosis through to treatment, and we have made this happen through a highly professional and experienced internal team, a focus on innovation, and strategic partnerships. Ultimately, I believe that if we all do what is best for the patient, then business success is sure to follow.”
PATIENTS COME FIRST
Du Toit’s philosophy is paying dividends. Eurolab is the largest generic oncology company in South Africa, and is recognised as an innovator when it comes to cancer treatment, management and care. The company’s focus is on offering oncologists the best, most innovative, latest and most affordable options for their patients’ cancer treatment.
In addition to its wide range of generic oncology medicines, Eurolab has also established an Aseptic Services Unit (ASU) that offers a centralised mixing service for sterile oncology medicines, the preparation of advanced therapeutic medical products, and the preparation of sterile clinical trial medicines. “The ASU has a direct impact on the accessibility of chemotherapy treatment for patients,” explains Du Toit. “Chemotherapy infusions are not offered at all district hospitals or primary healthcare centres, especially in remote areas. This means that patients often need to travel long distances – and incur huge costs – to access treatment. At the ASU, we mix chemotherapy bags on site, and test them for sterility and stability, before transporting them absolutely anywhere in the country.”
Eurolab also has a state-of-the-art oncology and haematology testing facility, called Oncolab. Oncolab provides specialised diagnostics in haematological malignancies and solid tumours, which are often outside the
scope of practice of other diagnostic laboratories. The tests are designed to provide clinically actionable and relevant results that can provide direct insights into patient management. Du Toit explains: “Oncolab has significantly reduced the cost of oncology and haematology testing, since many of these specialised tests were not previously available in South Africa. We have managed to reduce the cost from around R100 000 to R15 000 in some instances, and this is what our vision is all about.”
“One of the other innovations of which we are very proud is our introduction of the Gamma Knife into Netcare Milpark Hospital in 2017,” says Du Toit. “Despite its name, the Gamma Knife actually replaces the need for surgery in many instances. It offers non-invasive and less harmful radiosurgery for patients suffering from diseases, tumours or abnormalities in the brain, head and neck. The treatment is easier and quicker, and has fewer side effects than older treatments. In the past, patients had to travel abroad for this type of treatment, and I am extremely proud that we were able to bring this lifechanging technology to the African continent.”
“I have always been a firm believer in strategic partnerships,” continues Du Toit, “and these partnerships lie at the heart of our latest initiative, called Biomab.” Biomab was launched in 2020 through collaborations with Roche Pharma South Africa and the Center for Molecular Immunology in Cuba. Its purpose is to offer clinicians in South Africa and their patients a consistent pipeline of new therapies that improve patient safety, clinical outcomes and quality of life. “Through this initiative we have already brought some worldclass cancer treatments into the country, and we are hoping to expand our list of solutions through additional innovation and partnerships with organisations on the rest of the continent, and further afield.”
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
In recognition of her tremendous contribution to the pharmaceutical sector, Du Toit was awarded the prestigious CPhI Excellence in Pharma: CEO of the Year Award in 2021. However, Du Toit is quick to point out that her success is due in large part to her team – her business partner Gabe Simaan, their employees, partners, stakeholders, and other professionals in the sector. Her family and faith are the grounding pillars for her work.
“Increasing the accessibility and affordability of cancer treatment is a massive undertaking, and no single person can tackle it alone. I have been privileged to work with people and businesses that share my passion, and together we have managed to make a real difference to clinicians, and to cancer patients – most of whom are going through the most difficult time in their lives,” explains Du Toit.
Eurolab employs a host of top professionals – pharmacists, medical professionals, regulatory and finance experts – and Du Toit depends on their wisdom and experience to chart the course forward. “It is important for me, and for the business, that employees reach their full potential. We need to brainstorm together, learn together, and celebrate triumphs together. This is the only way we will realise the successful execution of our whole-of-cancer approach.
“And you obviously also need diversity in approaches. My partner, Gabe, is very visionary, whereas I tend to focus on the operations and ‘making things happen’. These different strengths have really moved the business forward. We are both driven, and are always seeking new business and product opportunities in order to grow the business. Having our children and other young professionals in our business, with different generational ideas, has been a true privilege.”
Du Toit also ascribes Eurolab’s success to the input she has received from oncologists, haematologists and their healthcare teams. “When we started Eurolab, we knew that we needed to be able to meet the ever-changing needs and requirements of our key customers and patients. We see patients and healthcare professionals as key stakeholders, and we actively engage with them to understand more about what they need, and how they make life-changing decisions. Without them, we would not be where we are today.”
With a career spanning over 40 years, one might be forgiven for believing that Du Toit is thinking of slowing down. “Never!” she says. “This is my passion. Every cancer patient deserves access to affordable, highquality treatment and care. I will keep doing my part to ensure that this vision becomes a reality.”
Du Toit is currently exploring opportunities to take Eurolab’s whole-of-cancer approach and businesses into South Africa’s public healthcare sector and countries on the African continent.
CYBEREASON
LIOR DIV
Cybereason, the XDR company, and Google Cloud today announced the availability of Cybereason XDR powered by Google Chronicle, giving Defenders the ability to predict, detect, and respond to cyberattacks at planetary scale and maximum speed across the enterprise, including endpoints, networks, identities, cloud, and workspaces.
“Together, Cybereason and Google Cloud are delivering the industry’s first true XDR platform. Other vendors have simply done an endpoint extension and called it XDR. That’s not good enough. Defenders need to secure the entire continuum of how work gets done,” said Cybereason CEO and co-founder Lior Div.
“Our AI-Driven XDR platform paints one unified story of an attack, and it takes one coordinated set of actions to end attacks while predicting and preventing tomorrow’s threats.”
CYBEREASON DELIVERS FIRST AI-DRIVEN XDR PLATFORM
capable of ingesting and analysing threat data from across the entire IT environment on a planetary scale
AI-DRIVEN XDR
PLANETARYSCALE PROTECTION:
analysing over 23 trillion security events per week
SCHEDULE A DEMO TODAY and benefit from an operation-centric approach
Cybereason and Google Cloud are dedicated to teaming with Defenders to end cyber attacks from endpoints to the enterprise to everywhere. Schedule a demo today to see how your organisation can benefit from an operation-centric approach to security.
In today’s environments, anything connected to the internet can be part of an organisational attack surface, yet Defenders are forced to use multiple siloed solutions to try to find and end these complex malicious operations.
Now, Defenders can leverage Cybereason AI-Driven XDR to predict, understand, and end sophisticated attacks with the only solution on the market that delivers:
Planetary-Scale Protection: Cybereason AI-Driven XDR combines the Cybereason MalOp, which analyses over 23 trillion security events per week to deliver instant detection and incident response, with Google Cloud Chronicle’s unrivaled ability to ingest and normalise petabytes of data from the entire IT environment for planetary-scale protection.
Operation-Centric Detection and Response: Instead of being alerted about individual events, users can instantly understand the entire attack progression across every device, user identity, application and cloud deployment to end them immediately. The Cybereason MalOp provides automated and guided response actions to reduce human error, upskill analysts, and achieve a 10x faster time to response than competing solutions. Chronicle also allows analysts to map incident intelligence to retrospective data to find persistent threats across their environments.
Predict Attacker Behavior: Defenders can shift from a labor-intensive, alertcentric posture to a predictive operation-centric model. Through context-rich correlations, Cybereason AIDriven XDR identifies subtle signs of malicious behavior and predicts an attacker’s next steps to anticipate and proactively block attacks.
“Cybereason and Google Cloud are partnering to bring enterprises joint cybersecurity solutions that are built for speed and efficacy at cloud scale. By combining Chronicle’s powerful data normalisation and rules engine with Cybereason’s MalOp engine, organisations now have an extended detection and response defense platform to help prevent malicious operations with confidence,” says Sunil Potti, general manager and vice president of cloud security at Google Cloud.
Cybereason and Google Cloud are dedicated to teaming with Defenders to end cyber attacks from endpoints to the enterprise to everywhere. Schedule a demo today to see how your organisation can benefit from an operationcentric approach to security.
AI-DRIVEN XDR
instantly understand the entire attack progression AI-DRIVEN XDR
shift to a predictive operation-centric model
