EP 08 – Adi Kaimowitz – Virtual Actuary – The Instinct to Act Without Hesitation

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Michael Waitze worked in Global Finance for more than 20 years, employed by firms like Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, primarily in Tokyo.  Michael lived and worked in Tokyo from February 1990 until December 2011.  Michael always maintained a particular focus on how technology could be used to make businesses more efficient and to drive P/L growth. Michael is a leader in the digital media space, building one of the biggest and fastest-growing podcast listener bases in the region.  His AsiaTechPodcast.com show has listeners in more than 130 countries and his company, Michael Waitze Media produces some of Asia’s most popular podcasts.

Adi Kaimowitz is founder and CEO of global consulting firm Virtual Actuary. The company operates in the Insurance and Banking sectors with work including regulatory compliance, capital management & reserving, financial modeling and design & pricing of various industry related products. The business also has an innovation arm servicing clients in the Insurance Technology space. Adi who was born and raised in South Africa, has grown Virtual Actuary to a team of over 70 consultants operating in multiple time zones and having achieved a revenue to date of over R250mil in billable project hours. Adi has been fundamental in spearheading the financial services consortium business model and has been featured in business publications from Financial Mail, FinWeek, Biznews, Moneyweb, Men’s Health and GQ. An international speaker on the topic of Breakthrough Economics, Adi is a keen kitesurfer and motocross rider and lives with his wife and four children in Cape Town.

We spoke with Adi Kaimowitz, the Group CEO of Virtual Actuary and author of “Slaying Giants in the Mega Gig Economy,” and discussed the transformative nature of business in today’s digital age.

Adi reflects on the rapid evolution of technology, emphasizing how today’s startups have capabilities similar to major corporations from just a decade ago. The episode underscores the importance of employee empathy in the context of the fourth industrial revolution, which encompasses technology, client interactions, and human connections. There’s a notable shift in corporate culture, leaning more towards empowering employees rather than traditional hierarchical dynamics.

Disruption is another focal point, with Adi drawing parallels between industries, illustrating how kitesurfing revolutionized windsurfing. Many large corporations, anchored by their past successes, often overlook potential disruptions to their detriment. Building a company today demands a different mindset, one that embraces digital nomad experiences – viewing life as a blend of lifestyle and business. Branding, especially personal branding, emerges as crucial, with an emphasis on fostering positive online perceptions. Launching a business is likened to the scientific method but on a grander scale, emphasizing starting small – with a single client.

The core takeaway is the value of recognizing opportunities and connecting dots across industries to innovate and disrupt.

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