I enjoy working on challenging assignments. My special interest is in developing the strategy for new ventures, where my long experience in finding, developing and positioning new technologies can play a part.
My career in high tech spans some thirty years.
- I began programming on a Univac mainframe in the late seventies at UCT, where I studied computer science, before leaving to help establish Realtime. (I subsequently acquired an Honours degree in Information Systems from UCT).
- Realtime was one of the first online bureaus in South Africa. I developed a complete application development environment for the proprietary minicomputers that we used, with which we developed all of our own accounting software for our clients.
- In the early 1980's we became involved in the microcomputer business, introducing a rugged, portable microcomputer to South Africa that became widely used in the farming industry. We also provided facilities management for large groups, and developed software for Somchem and the Argus group among others.
- In the late eighties we introduced the Progress 4GL and RDBMS product to South Africa. Extensive marketing and a deep knowledge of the product (we redeveloped all of our online bureau systems in it) led to it becoming the number 3 product in South Africa, and to us becoming one of the biggest distributors in the world for Progress Software.
- In the early 1990's we introduced the first object-oriented database, Object Design, to South Africa, and played a leadership role, including working with Chris Stone and the OMG, in establishing OO technology in SA.
- We also became the official representative for the Patricia Seybold Group, providing their high technology research papers to large corporates, and Patricia became a regular speaker at our User Conferences.
- In 1995 we became the third company in the world to obtain regional rights for Netscape. I worked closely with the Netscape team over the next two years as they worked with all of us around the world to develop policies and strategies for Netscape. I learned a tremendous amount from this experience, and we became a key player in the emerging Internet industry in South Africa.
- In 1997 my partners and I split Realtime, and I sold my part of the group to Datatec. I stayed on as a director of the new company for several months before semi-retiring to Knysna, where I became involved in ecological conservation initiatives.
- In 1999 Hannes van Rensburg, the then-CIO of Sanlam, invited me to help him found Fundamo, a startup focused on providing mobile payment solutions. I headed up the team that developed the initial business plan and product architecture, and served as their head of strategy for two years. The company received venture capital from Sanlam and Venfin, and has recently attracted a major investment by Mark Shuttleworth's HBD. The Fundamo system now handles thousands of transactions a day in numerous countries, and is the underlying system for MTN's Mobile Money in South Africa.
- In 2001 I returned to Knysna to spend more time working with the youth in my church, and to work on a long time dream of developing a holistic framework for a better world (see Worldshift).
- While I keep up closely with the whole technology industry, I am especially skilled in the area of the Internet and Web 2.0, including technologies such as ecommerce, blogging, RSS feed management, and social networking.
There is more about me on my personal blog Worldsong.
Please contact me to discuss how I can help you.
Endorsements
Helping Kris and Unis of CareerJunction to scope a new venture strategy
"Five hard working days were spent in the Ambassador Hotel in Cape Town to thrash out a new venture business strategy which involved amazing creative minds getting together to produce a world class model. Neil contributed enormously to the various options facing us in the new internet world of Web 2.0 as well as Web 3.0. Together as a team we were able to cut through business complexities and put together a comprehensive approach to new ways of Internet operability in our chosen business sectors. Neil’s energy and enthusiasm coupled with his internet savviness was a fantastic experience. Neil brings enormous value to any organisation which is willing to look at opportunities differently. Neil has loads of experience from which to tap and together with our own experiences, we were able to produce clear process thinking which we tested making some broad assumptions of what the future will look like in the new Internet world. I would work with Neil anytime again and CareerJunction will undoubtedly work with Neil again in the future."
-Kris Jarzebowski, CEO of CareerJunction
(number #1 jobs website in South Africa)
November 2007
Helping Surgical Consent to craft a strategy for their new company
It is a pleasure to write an endorsement for your services and for the input you have given to our new business. I was impressed on many counts with your approach towards building strategy, but, for me, a few things stood out.
Firstly, it is readily apparent that you keep yourself fully informed and up to date with new web and IT developments. This is even more evident in the many emails and links you have sent us long after your services have been paid for, and indicates an ongoing interest and service on our behalf.
Secondly, you shared a wealth of experience and examples of good and bad corporate strategy from many industries, detailing lessons that we would not have to relearn.
Thirdly, like any good counsellor, we were led in directions where we were able to devise solutions to our problems ourselves, with appropriate warnings from you in some areas and encouragement in others.
Fourthly, your energy and enthusiasm long outlasted ours, and extended well into the social environment, over lunches, dinners and long 'bottle of wine' discussions.
I look forward to a long and productive association!
-Dr Martin Young, CEO of Surgical Consent
February 2008
