The global workforce is undergoing significant transformation, driven by factors such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and evolving labour market demands. To shed light on these changes and their impact on emerging economies like Africa, BusinessDay’s Chinwe Michael in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sat down with Roberto Suárez Santos, the secretary general of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), the largest network of the private sector in the world. In this interview, he discusses the role of the private sector, the informal economy, gender disparities, and the digital revolution in shaping the future of work and how Africa’s youth population can turn challenges into opportunities.