Promise Akwaowo, CBAP®, is a business analyst and product owner working across enterprise automation, data governance, and large-scale digital transformation.

In this discussion, Promise highlights how AI and automation are rapidly reshaping tech careers, creating entirely new roles across the global ICT landscape. According to him, AI has become a core requirement in tech hiring, with around 78% of job listings now referencing artificial intelligence.

Roles such as AI business analysts and AI engineers are growing quickly, with seven of the ten fastest-growing tech jobs linked to AI. At the same time, rising concerns around data use, privacy, and trust are driving demand for governance specialists and analysts focused on AI ethics.

Data literacy

To remain competitive, ICT professionals are expected to expand their skill sets, with data literacy, cloud fluency, cybersecurity, and automation projected to be essential by 2026. For businesses, investing in AI-ready talent is key to improving efficiency and supporting long-term growth.

Promise has also worked across sectors, including logistics, higher education, and investor relations technology, focusing on turning complex concepts into scalable digital products. His projects often apply human-centred design principles while emphasising clearly defined performance outcomes.

Jabin Hallihan from Family Financial Solutions shares expert advice on investing in shares as markets fluctuate. He highlights the difficulty of timing the market and echoes Warren Buffett’s philosophy: the best time to buy shares was yesterday. For investors, understanding market timing is crucial.

The ASX 200 is currently valued at around 8,500, slightly below its October peak of 9,000. With a price-to-earnings ratio near 17, above the long-term average of 14, expected earnings for the coming year look promising at 10–11%. Hallihan emphasises the importance of a diversified portfolio and identifies AI as a continuing investment theme, while high-quality stocks like BHP and Rio Tinto offer resilience during downturns.

For funding acquisitions, consider taking profits from outperforming US tech stocks and reallocating into leading Australian resource companies. Looking into 2026, AI investment by major firms is set to accelerate, and the Australian mining sector—particularly copper—could provide significant upside. Jabin Hallihan can be contacted through Family Financial Solutions in Heatherton, Victoria.

SimpliiGood is redefining sustainable protein by turning solar-powered, desert-grown spirulina into whole-cut alternatives like plant-based smoked salmon.

Founder and CTO Baruch Dach explains how spirulina’s unique biology enables it to efficiently convert solar energy into complete protein while maintaining a structure similar to muscle fiber.

Baruch breaks down how the controlled desert environment, powered by renewable energy, allows for scalable, clean, and climate-resilient food production. The conversation dives into how spirulina’s natural properties make it an ideal base for delicate proteins like fish, something many plant-based brands struggle to replicate.

With spirulina at the centre of their innovation, SimpliiGood is pushing the boundaries of clean-label, nutrient-rich protein alternatives.

 SimpliiGood’s smoked salmon is set to launch in January, targeting restaurants, bagels, and sushi markets. Initial sales will be in Israel, expanding to Western Europe, with plans to register with the FDA for a US launch.

The company positions itself as an ingredient supplier in the plant-based and hybrid markets, aiming to provide products that create a satisfying consumer experience, whether they are entirely plant-based or contain small amounts of fish or meat.