Following on from the success of 2024, Customer Connect returns to South Africa in 2025, with our first event in Cape Town on 24th March, followed by Johannesburg on 26th-27th March. 

We will be bringing together our customers and global team for another showcase of Ab Initio, to learn about the latest developments within the Ab Initio Data Platform, how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMS) are enabling improved governance and accelerating automation.

The event is a wonderful opportunity to learn, network with peers and interact with our development and consulting teams. Be sure to choose your favourite tracks and sessions at the Product Demos as well as the *new* product Test Drives.

Keep on reading for more details.

AGENDA

Cape Town, Monday 24th March
Radisson Collection Hotel, 100 Beach Road, Granger Bay Blvd, Mouille Point, Cape Town, 8002

11:15	Lunch & Registration
12:30	Welcome Brigitte de Billot, Ab Initio
12:45	Industry Trend: Data Products Powered by Generative AI Stephen Brobst, Ab Initio
13:30	Data Products with the Ab Initio Data Platform Alan Parker, Ab Initio
14:15	Break
14:45	The Vodacom Data Governance Journey Paula Dunsby & Lizelle van Wyk, Vodacom
15:15	AI: Accelerated Data Products Ian Schechter & Rhys Duggan, Ab Initio
15:45	Break
16:15	Mastering Technical Metadata Boipelo Rathebe, Access Bank
16:45	Compute Fabric: Scalable, AI-Driven, Portable Execution Scott Studer, Ab Initio
17:30	Closing Alan Parker, Ab Initio
17:35	Evening Reception & Demo Stations

Johannesburg, Wednesday 26th & Thursday 27th March
Marriott Melrose Arch, 42 The High St, Melrose, Johannesburg, 2076

Day 1 - Wednesday 26th March

08:30	Registration
10:00	Welcome Shireen Pillay, Ab Initio
10:15	Industry Trend: Data Products Powered by Generative AI Stephen Brobst, Ab Initio
11:00	Data Products with the Ab Initio Data Platform Alan Parker, Ab Initio
11:45	Break & Demo Stations
12:15	Mastering Technical Metadata Boipelo Rathebe, Access Bank
12:45	AI: Accelerated Data Products Ian Schechter & Rhys Duggan, Ab Initio
13:15	Lunch & Demo Stations
14:15	Accelerating Data Products with the Knowledge Fabric Andrew Chang & Sadi Melbouci, Ab Initio
14:45	CDC Loading to DataBricks at Discovery Bank Dirk de Jager, Ab Initio & Hannes Pieters, Discovery Bank
15:15	Break & Demo Stations
15:45	Trusted Data Products Jacob Wolmarans & NC Smit, First National Bank
16:15	Compute Fabric: Scalable, AI-Driven, Portable Execution Scott Studer, Ab Initio
17:00	Closing Alan Parker
17:15	Evening Reception & Demo Stations

 

Day 2 - Thursday 27th March

07:30	Registration & Demo Stations
08:45	Welcome
09:00	Metadata-Driven Automation vs. Mountains of Technical Debt Stephen Brobst, Ab Initio
09:45	Steps to Build a Data Fabric Scott Studer, Ab Initio
10:30	Break & Demo Stations
11:00	Knowledge Fabric Deep Dive Andrew Chang & Sadi Melbouci, Ab Initio
11:45	AI: Deep Dive into ML, Language Model Studio and More Ian Schechter & Rhys Duggan, Ab Initio
12:30	Closing Warren Fisher, Ab Initio
12:45	Lunch & Demo Stations
13:30	Test Drives:
	1) Data Quality - Automated Controls
	2) AI Enablement

 

Demo Stations
 - Semantic Discovery - Building the Knowledge Fabric
 - Using AI to enable Data Products
 - Portal and Data Products
 - OTF Cloud Loading

Test Drives (Johannesburg only)
Please register to join us on March 27th if you'd like to attend a Test Drive. The Test Drives were very popular at Customer Connect 2024 and space is limited - we can't guarantee all will receive a spot. We'll run the 2 sessions concurrently this year. So please register and join us for an interactive session experiencing 2 brand new Test Drives.

Data Quality — Automated Controls
Use the Ab Initio Data Platform to easily specify sophisticated controls that automate the measurement and reporting of data quality and policy rules at scale. 

AI Enablement
Use the Ab Initio Data Platform to build a machine learning model that recommends which loan applications to approve and employ an LLM to generate offer letters.

Evening Reception
Both events will also offer an informal evening reception - after the event in Cape Town and at the end of the first day in Johannesburg.

LOCATION
Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, 100 Beach Road, Granger Bay Blvd, Mouille Point, Cape Town, 8002

Our first event in Cape Town sees us at the Radisson Blu Waterfront. Both easily accessible from the city centre and uniquely situated on the oceanfront, this venue provides an ideal setting for our day of sessions and networking. Parking is available on site.

LOCATION
Marriott Melrose Arch, 42 The High St, Melrose, Johannesburg, 2076

Set within the iconic Melrose Arch Precinct, the Marriott Melrose Arch reflects the energy and buzz of its surroundings. The amazing facilities in the hotel provide the perfect backdrop to our sessions, demos and test drives. Parking is available on site.

LOCATION

 

Our first event in Cape Town sees us at the Radisson Blu Waterfront. Both easily accessible from the city centre and uniquely situated on the oceanfront, this venue provides an ideal setting for our day of sessions and networking. Parking is available on site.

 

Set within the iconic Melrose Arch Precinct, the Marriott Melrose Arch reflects the energy and buzz of its surroundings. The amazing facilities in the hotel provide the perfect backdrop to our sessions, demos and test drives. Parking is available on site.

 

Thank you for your interest in Ab Initio's Customer Connect South Africa events.

Please hit Submit below, and one of the team will be in touch shortly.

If you have any questions,
please get in touch at CustomerConnectSA@abinitio.com.