About

I’m Chad, born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. I kicked off my career with a postgraduate degree in Computer Science, where I focused on AI and digital image processing. While studying, I launched and later sold my first online business. My first job was with IBM as a Strategy Consultant, where I worked on IBM Watson’s cognitive computing team, helping deliver Africa’s first cognitive computing project.

After a couple of years at IBM, I earned a full scholarship for an MBA in Germany, which emphasized entrepreneurship and SME development. While there, I also worked at SpinLab, a top European start-up accelerator, supporting and evaluating start-ups.

Since moving to London, I’ve led operations at Up Learn and then Strategy & Operations at Morressier, where I helped raise £15M+ in funding. Now, I’m excited to dive into my next venture!

Experience

Director of Strategy & Operations: Morressier (Aug 2021 – Feb 2024)

I served as the Head of Strategy & Operations at Morressier, and subsequently promoted to Director in Oct 2023. Morressier is the world’s leading platform for early stage research.

  • Played a leading role in scaling the company, leading the entire operations, including finance and legal.
  • Responsible for the delivery of critical initiatives to provide objective insights related to business and operational health.
  • Worked alongside the executive team to shape and strategise the business’s direction and expansion plans.
  •  Provided guidance on organisational structure, identifying new business opportunities across the parent company and the subsidiaries.
  • Instrumental in securing a successful Series B investment exceeding £15 million, driving the company’s growth trajectory.

Head of Operations: Up Learn (Jul 2017 – Jul 2021)

I served as the Head of Operations at Up Learn – a key member of the senior management team. I joined Up Learn in its early stages as the 2nd major hire. Up Learn’s investors include Holly and Sam Branson (children of entrepreneur Richard Branson) and venture capital firm Forward Partners.  

  • Scaled the company to 100 000+ signups and a £20m+ valuation.
  • Grew the core team from 4 employees to 50+ full-time employees and 40+ freelancers.
  • Prepared the company for a successful £2m fundraising round.

Consultant: SpinLab (Apr 2016 – Sep 2016)

I completed a 6-month consultancy at SpinLab (one of Europe’s top ranked start-up accelerators) whilst completing my MBA studies in Leipzig, Germany.

My work at SpinLab focused on the evaluation and recommendation of start-ups for acquisition, providing coaching and support to early-stage start-ups, as well as supporting investment opportunities.

Strategy Consultant: IBM (Apr 2013 – Aug 2015)

During my time at IBM South Africa in the Global Business Services division, I worked as a Strategy Consultant for 2.5 years. While at IBM, I played an integral role in the delivery of the first cognitive computing project in Africa with a leading healthcare administrator. 

I also had the opportunity to lead the development of a proposal for an HR solution tailored for the telecommunications market. It involved diving into the technical aspects, figuring out marketing strategies, and tweaking sales approaches.

I was a recipient of the IBM Managers Choice award – an award made by senior IBM management. This was awarded based on the role I played in securing a 7 figure deal for IBM’s cognitive computing division. 

Running

My running journey began at 16 when I dabbled in 10km and half-marathon races. However, at 18, knee surgery forced me to pause until I resumed running at 20, though casually and without much fervor.

The pivotal moment came in 2019, just months before turning 30, when I revisited a long-standing goal: run a marathon before the milestone birthday. I entered the Pisa Marathon, crossing the finish line 10 days before turning 30, completing it in 3 hours and 36 minutes. This achievement ignited a newfound passion for running, propelling me forward.

Fast forward to 2024, running has evolved into a cornerstone of my life. The constant pursuit of improvement and the challenge of pushing my boundaries keep me driven for more. Alongside my own training, I’ve also found fulfillment in coaching others, leading me to establish NextRun Coaching.

My current personal bests:

  • 5km: 15:09
  • 10km: 32:15
  • Half Marathon: 1:08:44
  • Marathon: 2:27:59

Education

  • Master of Business Administration (MBA), 2015-2017, Leipzig University Germany
  • BSc Postgraduate: Computer Science, 2012, 1st class honours, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
  • BSc: Computer Science, 2009 – 2011, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Playlists

Publications

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