VUKA Group has appointed Alex Searle, a community builder, communications & AI advisor and speaker, as its new consultant Head of AI Enablement & Human Systems.
The creation of this role takes place at a critical inflection point in the conferencing and media sector, where the impact of AI-driven automation, shifting audience expectations and exponential technologies is rapidly transforming how events are conceived, produced and experienced, according to a statement by VUKA.
Searle and CEO David Ashdown first collaborated across South African ventures nearly 10 years ago, where their shared passion for exponential technologies and the power of human-centered AI was first born.
“All business, irrelevant of industry verticals are at the point of disruption, and that is driven by the role of AI. It has become very real to me that if we fail to embrace AI now, we risk becoming obsolete, and I will not allow that to happen to VUKA Group” said Ashdown.
Ashdown added, “That sounds like a strong statement, but I observe the world around me, and the approach to business is evolving fast and it’s driven by technology. I have been in the conference industry for over 25 years and for 23 of those years we have seen incremental change in operating process.
“In contrast, in the last two years we have witnessed exponential shifts in how we operate and the Board at VUKA Group has made a conscious decision to accelerate AI adoption and redeploy our human capital around a balanced blend of human and digital capability. It is critical to our evolution. This allows our people to focus on what they do best: creating the space for connection and innovation to flourish.”
VUKA Group’s digital transformation now has an existential purpose: to harness AI as an opportunity – not a threat – to cement its position as Africa’s leading conferencing and media innovator.
Alex’s appointment is a clear reflection of the VUKA Group’s commitment to defining its own digital future rather than being subjected to external forces. Guided by the exponential models and principles of Open ExO, Alex will spearhead this ambitious transformation.
Ashdown stated, “I am grateful that Alex joins us at this critical time, and I know he will create a deployment model that blends human skills with AI platforms that change the nature of work output. Alex is passionate about the importance of humanising AI and we are excited to work with him.”
“I’m genuinely thrilled to join VUKA at this pivotal moment,” added Searle. “Together, we’ll harness AI to amplify human creativity, reimagine how events are experienced and build a future-proof playbook that keeps VUKA and its clients many steps ahead in a rapidly evolving world.”
As the founder of Humble Mind, Searle also comes with rich strategy and execution experience across communications, media, community-building. He is the host of The Humble Mind Podcast, which has welcomed Ashdown and Dominic Wilhelm, Executive Director, of The Global Trust Project (a VUKA Group venture)
A respected thought leader with a substantial LinkedIn following, Searle advises on the human-AI synthesis driving leadership, company culture, trust and how the elements come together to drive outcomes.
“I’m confident that, together, we will evolve our business model, empower our teams and coach our people to be career secure in an evolving disrupted marketplace. We are confident AI will further contribute to creating unforgettable experiences across Africa and beyond for our attendees and trusted clients,” said Ashdown.
