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A wise woman once said that adaptation is a profound process. It means that you figure out how to thrive in an ever-changing world. In a world driven by vast technological changes, adapting is no longer a matter of choice. Success is now determined by how well you and your company go with the flow of the digital revolution. The buzzwords that are flying around when technology experts make predictions for 2018 would have made little sense not so long ago. Yet these days, even old-school business leaders have to take cognisance of concepts such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain technology, Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Cloud.

The Grove Innovators’ Club had a bustling year with seven exclusive meetups in Johannesburg and Cape Town, where thought leaders had the opportunity to rub shoulders with trendsetters and out-of-the-box thinkers. ​ Our guest innovators covered an array of hot and newsworthy topics and, apart from the excellent networking that always happens at Innovators’ Club meet-ups, the exposure to fresh perspectives left those who attended inspired. Grove Innovators’ Club even made an impact overseas when we launched the first such meet-up for people with a passion for technology, innovation and social change in Kingston Jamaica.

Grove Group’s international reach was highlighted when two of our stars went to Jamaica recently to share our expertise and hosted Grove’s first Innovators’ Club meet-up on the Caribbean island. Over the past few years Grove has forged relationships with multiple companies in Jamaica such as JMMB, the ICD Group, The Gleaner and RJR Communications, General Accident Insurance and JP Tropical foods. This trip gave Grove the opportunity to meet with existing clients and to showcase its focus on European business, presented by Shabeer Ramsingh of our UK office, with Chad Bartlett of our South African team unlocking access to African markets and possibilities.

South African farmers are a hardy species, but even the most traditional old-school folk have started to change their way as they become part of a wave of progress taking agriculture by storm. All over the world farming is undergoing a revolution as new technology impacts on the agricultural, manufacturing and food production sector. Faced with challenges such as a severe drought, the depreciation of the Rand, rising fuel prices and investor uncertainty, South African farmers are increasingly looking for technological solutions to help them cut cost and increase productivity.