This week, Steven Bartlett dominates CIOs’ favourite podcasts with insights on all things cybersecurity being a close second, but read more about what other podcasts serve as great inspiration for South Africa’s top IT leaders.
For Muhammad Ali Bhikhan, CIO for Retail and Business Banking (RBB) – Africa Regional Operations (ARO) at Absa Group, and José Soares, IT director at The Capital Hotels, Apartments & Resorts, Steven Bartlett’s podcast stands out as the most engaging and thought-provoking, keeping them captivated with its insights on life and work. Galeboe Mogotsi, chief information and security officer at the University of the Witwatersrand, on the other hand, has an appetite for all things cyber.
“I enjoy a mix of leadership, and personal development podcasts. Some of my favourites include The Tim Ferriss Show for high-performance habits and The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett for conversations on leadership, business, and personal growth,” says Muhammad. “I keep coming back because these podcasts challenge my thinking, introduce me to new ideas, and provide actionable strategies for both work and life. I also enjoy A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek for inspiring discussions on leadership, purpose, and mindset.”
“As someone who's built businesses with varying degrees of success, this podcast deeply resonates with me. The raw stories of others' journeys, both their triumphs and failures, provide invaluable perspective on my own path,” José points out, on his shared sentiments about Steven Bartlett.
Local is lekker
From a hospitality perspective, José enjoys listening to Hotel Tech Insider. “This has become invaluable for my day-to-day work. The guests they feature truly understand our industry's unique challenges, and their experiences often mirror my own in the hospitality tech space,” the Capital Hotel IT boss explains.
And betting on one of South Africa’s best exports, Trevor Noah, José is a huge supporter of the comedian-turned-podcaster. “My third favourite is What Now? with Trevor Noah. Honestly speaking, I've always been a big fan of Trevor's, so when I need to unwind while staying engaged, I find this show's genuine rapport with guests makes for both enjoyable and enlightening listening.”
Wits' CISO Galeboe Mogotsi, on the other hand, is very intentional about his picks, and here they are in no particular order:
“Darknet Diaries focuses on cybersecurity stories, hacks, and investigations,” he says.
“Why do I keep going back? The storytelling is riveting and humanises cyber incidents. Every episode reminds me how human behaviour intersects with technology, often shaping the biggest vulnerabilities and breakthroughs.”
“Masters of Scale by Reid Hoffman focuses on entrepreneurial and leadership strategies used by top business leaders. I find the interviews to be very insightful and reveal how to scale teams, technology, and culture. As a security leader, I find parallels in how to grow security maturity within an organisation,” Galeboe adds.
HBR IdeaCast keeps Galeboe coming back because it offers him concise, research-backed discussions that spark new ideas on strategic decision-making and leadership development.
Perfect for business, technical or personal development
“My go-to podcasts have shaped how I approach the way I do things in my life whether from a personal growth, leadership or decision-making perspective,” says Muhammad. “The Diary of a CEO has given me a fresh perspective on leadership, vulnerability and developing emotional intelligence, while The Tim Ferriss Show has taught me to experiment with productivity techniques and be more intentional with my time,” he adds.
José couldn’t agree more with Muhammad because listening to The Diary of a CEO has become his constant source of motivation. “There's something powerful about hearing others' stories of perseverance and success that pushes me to keep moving forward in my own journey.
“Hotel Tech Insider has been transformative for my work. Hearing how others tackle similar challenges provides both reassurance and practical strategies I've been able to implement, and in some instances avoid, based on the inputs I have had there,” he points out.
It appears that a tech leader worth their salt isn’t merely keeping abreast with all things technical but business too.
“Podcasts like Masters of Scale and HBR IdeaCast have sharpened my leadership strategies, especially around scaling teams and building resilient organisational cultures,” says Galeboe. “Hearing how CEOs and leaders across industries handle challenges provides actionable lessons on motivating teams and aligning security strategies with broader business goals.”
From a cybersecurity perspective, Galeboe reveals that Darknet Diaries and Security Now keep him informed about the latest vulnerabilities, threat actors, and security patches. “As a CISO, staying current with real-world cases helps me advise leadership accurately and prioritise our security roadmap,” he notes.
Invaluable advice
“One of the most impactful insights came from The GaryVee Audio Experience. His emphasis on staying true to yourself, regardless of external opinions, has fundamentally shaped my leadership approach. He constantly drums in the importance of maintaining humility while being genuine and persistent, this has become core principles in how I try to make decisions and lead my team,” says José.
According to Muhammad, an episode of The Diary of a CEO featuring Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer at Google X, really resonated with him. “He talked about defining happiness in a logical way, which changed how I view success – not just in business but in life. That perspective has helped me maintain a balanced approach to leadership, focusing on both results and wellbeing,” he adds.
If you're an IT leader looking for your next inspiring and entertaining podcast, Muhammad, Galeboe, and José have got your back:
Muhammad’s top suggestions:
- The Diary of a CEO
- Tech Talks
- Bloomberg Surveillance
Galeboe’s top suggestions:
- Masters of Scale
- Darknet Diaries
- The Knowledge Project
José top suggestions:
- The Diary of a CEO
- My First Million
- The GaryVee Audio Experience
