Experience

Decodis

• United States
• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• CEO and Founder

  • Mar 2020 - Present

  Decodis is a social research company that offers custom data capture tools, analyses, and nuanced insight into vulnerable people. Using high-powered, but scalable and low-cost methods, we have proven to be effective in helping impact investors, private corporations, donors, thinktanks, NGOs and governments better serve their target populations. Decodis is a social research company that offers custom data capture tools, analyses, and nuanced insight into vulnerable people. Using high-powered, but scalable and low-cost methods, we have proven to be effective in helping impact investors, private corporations, donors, thinktanks, NGOs and governments better serve their target populations.



Independent Consultant

• Canada
• Business Consulting and Services
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Consultant and Senior Advisor

  • Jul 2019 - Feb 2020

  Engaged in a range of projects: • China Financial Diaries, sponsored by Visa: Creating a picture of the financial lives of poverty-designated households • Financial Diaries of refugees in Uganda, sponsored by FSDA/FSDU: Tracking the financial lives of refugee communities • Impact pathways, sponsored by UNCDF: Creating a measurement framework to connect financial services to support financial health and Sustainable Development Goals Engaged in a range of projects: • China Financial Diaries, sponsored by Visa: Creating a picture of the financial lives of poverty-designated households • Financial Diaries of refugees in Uganda, sponsored by FSDA/FSDU: Tracking the financial lives of refugee communities • Impact pathways, sponsored by UNCDF: Creating a measurement framework to connect financial services to support financial health and Sustainable Development Goals



BFA Global

• Kenya
• Financial Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Managing Director & CFO

  • Jan 2019 - Jun 2019

   Oversee financial operations across U.S. and international offices Led business development process to support BFA's new strategy

• CEO

  • Jan 2018 - Dec 2018

   Increased annual turnover to above $10 million  Continued global expansion to office in New Delhi Oversaw financial buy-out to multi-member firm

• Managing Director

  • Jan 2014 - Dec 2017

   Responsible for more than doubling revenue between 2014 and 2017 Increased client base from 10 core clients to 50 clients.  Expanded offices from a single office in Boston to offices in Nairobi Kenya, Medellin Colombia and New York City, all staffed by local talent.  Enlarged employees from 20 to 45, ranging from business strategists, economists, UI/UX designers, engineers, data scientist and policy analysts.

• Director Consumer Insights

  • Dec 2008 - Jan 2014

   Created a team of six professionals that undertake research of the financial lives of low income people.  Built a team that generated over $2 million of revenue per annum.



University of Cape Town

• South Africa
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Professor of Finance

  • Jan 2000 - Jul 2005

  Lead lecturer in Finance Created coursework for Emerging Capital markets equity, bond and currency valuation Oversaw successful completion of two Masters degrees and twenty Honours degrees Lead lecturer in Finance Created coursework for Emerging Capital markets equity, bond and currency valuation Oversaw successful completion of two Masters degrees and twenty Honours degrees



Community Growth Asset Management

• Cape Town Area, South Africa

• Portfolio Manager

  • Jan 1999 - Dec 2000

   Established an international investment business to complement a growing domestic asset management business  Developed offshore fund investing in African equity and debt markets  Established an international investment business to complement a growing domestic asset management business  Developed offshore fund investing in African equity and debt markets



The Greenwich Group

• 1 - 100 Employee

• Portfolio Manager

  • Jan 1998 - Jan 1999

   Established two offshore Funds, i.e. set up supporting business entities, applied for regulatory approvals, created marketing material and established investing procedures  Developed strategies for investing in African equity and debt markets  Established two offshore Funds, i.e. set up supporting business entities, applied for regulatory approvals, created marketing material and established investing procedures  Developed strategies for investing in African equity and debt markets



Southern Asset Management

• Cape Town Area, South Africa

• Portfolio Manager

  • Jan 1997 - Jan 1998

   Managed a R2 billion ($300 million) South African equity portfolio within the Sector Rotation/ Thematic team (team of two)  Portfolio outperformed its benchmark by 400 basis points during 9 months of tenure  Developed Sector Rotation/Thematic investing strategies for local market  Managed a R2 billion ($300 million) South African equity portfolio within the Sector Rotation/ Thematic team (team of two)  Portfolio outperformed its benchmark by 400 basis points during 9 months of tenure  Developed Sector Rotation/Thematic investing strategies for local market



Lehman Brothers

• Capital Markets
• 700 & Above Employee

• Emerging Market Economist

  • Sep 1992 - Dec 1996

  Equity Strategist, Emerging Markets (1995-1996)  Developed, researched and wrote on innovative investment ideas for weekly and quarterly publications for institutional clients  Interfaced daily with institutional sales force, traders and investment bankers to communicate investment strategies Latin American Economist (1994-1995)  Worked directly with the emerging markets fixed income desk, providing ongoing interpretive comments to institutional sales force and traders on the region International Economist (1993-1994)  Responsible for forecasting GDP growth for twelve large non-U.S. world economies  Initiated coverage of Eastern Europe economies U.S. Economist (1992-1993)  Front line involvement in U.S. economic data releases—running econometric models and providing analysis  Key role in large forecasting project of U.S. consumer credit card spending.