We are Simuka.
A human-first AI consultancy, built by people who believe technology should work for you — not the other way around.
Our story
Simuka was founded by Ana and Andre de Oliveira — a sister and brother team with South African and Portuguese roots, building an AI consultancy for businesses that want practical help, not hype.
Between us, we bring together strategy, business development, and technical delivery. Ana leads on client relationships, brand, and the human side of change — and works directly on workflow process design and implementation. Andre leads on the technical build: AI setup, integrations, and complex deployment. Together, we cover every part of the journey from first conversation to working solution.
We started Simuka for reasons that go beyond spotting a market opportunity. Between us, we have spent years working in and alongside professional services businesses — managing operations, building client relationships, and navigating the real, daily challenges of running a small business. We have felt firsthand what it means to have hours disappear into admin, to wade through AI tools that promise transformation but deliver nothing practically useful, and to wish that someone would simply sit down with you and help. We wanted to build the thing we wish had existed for us.
Ana brings almost three decades of experience spanning the insurance, operations, and professional services sectors across South Africa and Europe. A graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand and holder of an MBA in Entrepreneurship from EU Business School in Barcelona, she has held senior leadership roles at companies including ANV Global Services, Coverys European Holdings, and AEC Europe (where she was also one of the founders) — and co-founded her own underwriting and portfolio management business in South Africa. She holds several AI certifications and brings direct, practical experience working across a broad range of AI tools and platforms.
At Simuka, Ana leads client relationships, brand strategy, and workflow design — bringing the kind of business experience that means she understands your challenges from the inside.
Andre holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics from the University of South Africa and brings nearly a decade of hands-on experience in financial services operations, regulatory compliance, and the integration of trading systems and technology platforms. As Manager of the Foreign Exchange Dealing Desk at Exchange4Free — operating across Johannesburg and London — he built high-performing teams, managed complex client operations, and led the implementation of new systems in a fast-moving, regulated environment.
At Simuka, that operational and technical rigour translates directly into AI solutions that are robust, practical, and built to last.
Most AI consultancies are built for large organisations with in-house tech teams and big budgets.
Many professional services businesses are being left behind or oversold solutions they do not need.
Simuka is here to change that.
What Simuka means
Simuka comes from the Nguni and Sotho language families of Southern Africa. It means we rise — or let us rise together. It is a call and an invitation shared between equals.
That is exactly what we believe AI should do: help every person and every organisation rise on their own terms, with their own capability, at their own pace.
AI that empowers people — freeing up their time, sharpening their capability, and letting them do more of the work that genuinely matters.
We help you help yourself.
What we believe
AI should make you more capable — and give you more control.
Our starting point is always your specific situation. In some cases, the right solution will be an existing AI tool or platform — one that is well-established, well-supported, and immediately useful for your needs. In many cases, though, off-the-shelf tools fall short on data protection: most weren't built with UK and EU GDPR in mind, which makes them a poor fit for businesses handling sensitive client information. That's often where our own AI agents come in — built and hosted by us, kept private to your business, and included without an extra subscription to manage.
And where it adds genuine value, we can also design and build a new AI agent tailored entirely to your business, working precisely the way you work. Not every client will need or want a bespoke agent — and we will never recommend one unless it genuinely serves you better than the alternatives.
Simple beats clever.
We are not here to impress you with jargon or complexity. We are here to make things work. The best AI solution is the one your team actually uses.
Trust is earned through honesty.
We will tell you when AI is not the right answer for something. We will tell you when a simpler approach would serve you better. Our job is to give you an honest picture — not to sell you more than you need.
People come first, always.
Technology should never overshadow the people it is meant to serve. Every recommendation we make starts with understanding your people, your clients, and the work that actually matters to your business.
How we work
We work with a small number of clients at a time — by design. That is how we make sure every engagement gets our full attention and produces real results.
Every client starts with Simuka RiseScan: a practical, human-first review of where you are today, what is possible, and what to do next. It is designed to give you something genuinely useful — whether or not you continue working with us.
From there, we design and build together. No pre-packaged methodology. No solutions looking for problems. Just practical, considered work that fits the way your business operates.
Want to know if we are the right fit?
We are happy to have an honest conversation about your business and where AI could genuinely help. No pressure, no pitch — just a straightforward exchange.