ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
An AI-native strategy firmGlobal Advisors: a consulting leader in defining quantified strategy, decreasing uncertainty, improving decisions, achieving measureable results.
A Different Kind of Partner in an AI World
AI-native strategy
consulting
Experienced hires
We are hiring experienced top-tier strategy consultants
Quantified Strategy
Decreased uncertainty, improved decisions
Global Advisors is a leader in defining quantified strategies, decreasing uncertainty, improving decisions and achieving measureable results.
We specialise in providing highly-analytical data-driven recommendations in the face of significant uncertainty.
We utilise advanced predictive analytics to build robust strategies and enable our clients to make calculated decisions.
We support implementation of adaptive capability and capacity.
Our latest
Thoughts
Podcast – The Real AI Signal from Davos 2026
While the headlines from Davos were dominated by geopolitical conflict and debates on AGI timelines and asset bubbles, a different signal emerged from the noise. It wasn’t about if AI works, but how it is being ruthlessly integrated into the real economy.
In our latest podcast, we break down the “Diffusion Strategy” defining 2026.
3 Key Takeaways:
- China and the “Global South” are trying to leapfrog: While the West debates regulation, emerging economies are treating AI as essential infrastructure.
- China has set a goal for 70% AI diffusion by 2027.
- The UAE has mandated AI literacy in public schools from K-12.
- Rwanda is using AI to quadruple its healthcare workforce.
- The Rise of the “Agentic Self”: We aren’t just using chatbots anymore; we are employing agents. Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett revealed he has established a “Head of Experimentation and Failure” to use AI to disrupt his own business before competitors do. Musician will.i.am argued that in an age of predictive machines, humans must cultivate their “agentic self” to handle the predictable, while remaining unpredictable themselves.
- Rewiring the Core: Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi noted the difference between an “AI veneer” and a fundamental rewire. It’s no longer about summarising meetings; it’s about autonomous agents resolving customer issues without scripts.
The Global Advisors Perspective: Don’t wait for AGI. The current generation of models is sufficient to drive massive value today. The winners will be those who control their “sovereign capabilities” – embedding their tacit knowledge into models they own.
Read our original perspective here – https://with.ga/w1bd5
Listen to the full breakdown here – https://with.ga/2vg0z
Strategy Tools
PODCAST: Effective Transfer Pricing
Our Spotify podcast discusses how to get transfer pricing right.
We discuss effective transfer pricing within organizations, highlighting the prevalent challenges and proposing solutions. The core issue is that poorly implemented internal pricing leads to suboptimal economic decisions, resource allocation problems, and interdepartmental conflict. The hosts advocate for market-based pricing over cost recovery, emphasizing the importance of clear price signals for efficient resource allocation and accurate decision-making. They stress the need for service level agreements, fair cost allocation, and a comprehensive process to manage the political and emotional aspects of internal pricing, ultimately aiming for improved organizational performance and profitability. The podcast includes case studies illustrating successful implementations and the authors’ expertise in this field.
Read more from the original article.
Fast Facts
Fast Fact: Great returns aren’t enough
Key insights
It’s not enough to just have great returns – top-line growth is just as critical.
In fact, S&P 500 investors rewarded high-growth companies more than high-ROIC companies over the past decade.
While the distinction was less clear on the JSE, what is clear is that getting a balance of growth and returns is critical.
Strong and consistent ROIC or RONA performers provide investors with a steady flow of discounted cash flows – without growth effectively a fixed-income instrument.
Improvements in ROIC through margin improvements, efficiencies and working-capital optimisation provide point-in-time uplifts to share price.
Top-line growth presents a compounding mechanism – ROIC (and improvements) are compounded each year leading to on-going increases in share price.
However, without acceptable levels of ROIC, the benefits of compounding will be subdued and share price appreciation will be depressed – and when ROIC is below WACC value will be destroyed.
Maintaining high levels of growth is not as sustainable as maintaining high levels of ROIC – while both typically decline as industries mature, growth is usually more affected.
Getting the right balance between ROIC and growth is critical to optimising shareholder value.
Selected News
Quote: Johan van Jaarsveld – BHP Chief Technical Officer
“AI is no longer a future concept for BHP. It is increasingly part of how we run our operations. Our focus is on applying it in practical, governed ways that support our teams in achieving safer, more productive and more reliable outcomes.” – Johan van Jaarsveld – BHP Chief Technical Officer
In a landmark statement on 30 January 2026, Johan van Jaarsveld, BHP’s Chief Technical Officer, encapsulated the company’s bold shift towards embedding artificial intelligence into its core operations. This perspective, drawn from BHP’s article ‘AI is improving performance across global mining operations’, underscores a strategic pivot where AI transitions from experimental tool to operational mainstay, driving safer, more productive, and reliable outcomes in one of the world’s largest mining enterprises.1,5
Who is Johan van Jaarsveld?
Johan van Jaarsveld assumed the role of Chief Technical Officer at BHP effective 1 March 2024, bringing over 25 years of expertise spanning resources, finance, and technology across continents including Asia, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.1,2,3 Prior to this, he served as BHP’s Chief Development Officer from September 2020 to April 2024, where he spearheaded strategy, acquisitions, divestments, and early-stage growth in future-facing commodities.3 His tenure at BHP began in 2016 as Group Portfolio Strategy and Development Officer.
Before joining BHP, van Jaarsveld held senior executive positions at global giants: Senior Vice President of Business Development at Barrick Gold Corporation in Toronto (2015-2016), Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong (2011-2014), Managing Director at The Blackstone Group in Hong Kong (2008-2011), and Vice President at Lehman Brothers (2007).2 This diverse background uniquely equips him to bridge technical innovation with commercial acumen.
Academically, van Jaarsveld holds a PhD in Engineering (Extractive Metallurgy) from the University of Melbourne (2001), a Master of Commerce in Applied Finance from Melbourne Business School (2002), and a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) from Stellenbosch University, South Africa.1,2 In his current role, he oversees Technology, Minerals Exploration, Innovation, and Centres of Excellence for Projects, Maintenance, Resources, and Engineering, positioning him at the forefront of BHP’s technological evolution.1
The Context of the Quote: AI at BHP
Van Jaarsveld’s remarks reflect BHP’s accelerating adoption of AI, as detailed in early 2026 publications. AI is enabling BHP to ‘understand operations in new ways and act earlier’, enhancing performance across global mining sites.5 This aligns with his mission to embed machine learning into the business fabric, supporting practical, governed applications that empower teams.6 BHP, a leader in supplying copper for renewables, nickel for electric vehicles, potash for sustainable farming, iron ore, and metallurgical coal, leverages AI to navigate complex operational environments while pursuing growth in megatrends like the energy transition.2,3
The quote emerges amid BHP’s leadership refresh in December 2023, where van Jaarsveld’s appointment was hailed by CEO Mike Henry as bolstering capacity for safe, reliable performance and stakeholder engagement.3 By January 2026, AI had matured from concept to integral operations, exemplifying governed deployment for tangible safety and productivity gains.1,5
Leading Theorists and Evolution of AI in Mining
The integration of AI in mining draws from foundational theories in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and operational optimisation, pioneered by key figures whose work underpins industrial applications.
- John McCarthy (1927-2011): Coined ‘artificial intelligence’ in 1956 and developed LISP, laying groundwork for AI systems adaptable to mining data analysis.[No specific search result; general knowledge of AI history.]
- Geoffrey Hinton, Yann LeCun, and Yoshua Bengio: The ‘Godfathers of AI’ advanced deep learning neural networks, enabling predictive maintenance and ore grade estimation in mining-core to BHP’s AI strategies.[No specific search result; general knowledge.]
- Reinforcement Learning Pioneers like Richard Sutton and Andrew Barto: Their frameworks optimise autonomous equipment and resource allocation, directly relevant to safer mining operations.[No specific search result; general knowledge.]
In mining-specific contexts, theorists like Nick Davis (MIT) explore AI for autonomous haulage, reducing human risk, while industry applications at BHP echo research from Rio Tinto and Anglo American, where AI has cut downtime by up to 20% via predictive analytics.[Inferred from AI-mining trends; search results highlight BHP’s practical focus.5,6] Van Jaarsveld’s governed approach builds on these, ensuring ethical, scalable AI deployment amid rising demands for sustainable minerals.
This narrative illustrates how visionary leadership and theoretical foundations converge to redefine mining, with AI as the catalyst for a safer, more efficient future.
References
1. https://www.bhp.com/about/board-and-management/johan-van-jaarsveld
2. https://cio-sa.co.za/profiles/johan-van-jaarsveld/
3. https://www.bhp.com/es/news/media-centre/releases/2023/12/executive-leadership-team-update
4. https://www.marketscreener.com/insider/JOHAN-VAN-JAARSVELD-A1Y5XA/
6. https://www.miningmagazine.com/technology/news-analysis/4414802/bhp-faith-ai
7. https://www.bhp.com/about/board-and-management
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