Research Fellow
Stellenbosch University
Total years of experience :15 years, 4 Months
Post-Doctoral Research at Electric & Electronic Engineering, Stellenbosch Univ., 2023-
Power Systems Research
Research topics:
• Owned-capacity power generation options for SA municipalities.
• Socio-economic risks associated with the liberalisation of the SA energy market.
• Pricing for renewable energy power generation and valuation of renewable energy power generators.
• Techno economic parameters for power generation technology options in SA.
• Financial implications the fleet electrification, behind-the-meter power generation, and storage.
Medical Device Development
Responsible for what we referred to as a product “Discovery” project in the product development cycle. The market for hysteroscopes (the medical device) was analysed. The proposed solution was to focus on cloud-based data management and workflow optimisation that could eventually be rolled out across the medical services industry. This solution was a joint winner of the 2023 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The project is ongoing at the time of writing.
Budget R1m
Time 1 year
Delivered: Documentation & BCD
Sea bamboo Biorefinery
Responsible for delivering the Discovery project investigating the development of a plant on the West Coast for the extraction of structural carbohydrates and growth hormones from sea bamboo; and in a managing capacity for project that constructed a pilot plant as a proof of concept. The project proved that a facility could be constructed locally that could successfully extract valuable components from sea bamboo (Ecklonia Maxima) and Namibian kelp (Laminaria Pallida) and partnerships were established with local and international players during the project. The project is ongoing at the time of writing with a batch of produce currently being extracted for Algaia (a French partner).
Budget R5-10m
Time 1 year
Delivered: Pilot Plant & BCD
Other projects include internal operational enhancements, a luxurious high-tech offroad camper, and projects of which no information may be divulged due to sensitive characteristics.
Industrial Engineering Lecturer
Modules presented:
• Business for Engineers (Masters)
• Industrial Engineering Design
• Quality Control
• Systems Engineering
Feedback from students were excellent.
A Multi-Methodology System for IT Project Management in SA Banking
After seven years of involvement in IT and operations in banking, always with the goal of improving processes, a study was undertaken with a focus on IT project management methodologies. The summary of the study, presented at the SA Institutre for Industrial Engineers Conference, won the best-paper reward.
South Africa’s major banks - Absa, Capitec Bank, FNB, Nedbank, and Standard Bank - have implemented significant changes to their information technology project management approaches and methodologies over the past decade and will likely continue to do so. Whereas these changes require significant investment and change-absorption, the benefits do not materialize as expected. Furthermore, a growing project management approach and methodology dogmatism is prevalent among practitioners and stakeholders of information technology projects in South African banking.
In response to this situation, the possibilities and needs for the development of information technology project management approaches and methodologies were investigated. Following the investigation, a Multi-Methodology System as an approach to information technology project management in South African banking was proposed as the possible and needed developmental direction; and the design requirements for the Multi-Methodology System were developed and validated.
The Multi-Methodology System was designed to adhere to systems thinking principles relating to Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety and incorporating the controllable adaptability presented by Stafford Beer’s Viable System Model.
The Multi-Methodology System presents a useful addition to the study and practice of information technology project management in South African banking as it relates to the interpretation of the large, complex project, and with regards to the selection, tailoring, and hybridization of IT project management approaches.
Covid-19 Response
Delivered multiple components of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s Covid-19 response, with some components being delivered as project manager, and others being delivered in the role approximating that of a business or management consultant. During the pandemic, most of the university’s functions were moved online; the campuses were optimised for minimum-contagion flow; engineering departments were repurposed for producing sanitizer and PPE; 1m pages of study materials were sent to students in SA and in the rest of Africa; and testing & vaccination centres were constructed.
After falling behind on technological advancement, Bank Windhoek sought rapid technological development from the middle of the previous decade. In service of this drive, former SA banking IT professionals were contracted and set up in Illovo. Our project, on which I consulted as a project office specialist, replaced the existing project office, processes, and tools, with a new set. The project delivered analysis, configuration, change management, implementation, and training of resources.
Resources in the Project Management Academy, as part of the PMO, were both responsible for analysis leading to process and tool changes, and for the testing and implementation of these changes. These changes were incremental and ongoing, in line with Nedbank’s managed evolution strategy.
Additional to training new resources on the existing processes and tools, the Project Management Academy formed part of the Tools & Training group, and were responsible for project process and tools changes, and for the implementation of these changes. We were responsible for the changing and testing of tools and processes, and for the change management, of which the training resources regarding these changes formed the bulk of the efforts. The Project Management Academy received excellent feedback ( 90%) for its training during 2014 through 2015.
Operational process establishment and improvement projects delivered in Kenia and Nigeria (both Corporate and Investment Banking), and on Jersey Island and the Isle of Man (offshore banking.
Responsible for managing the ‘work request bucket’, consisting of R8m’s small changes ( R500k & 6months), and delivered early phases of BOPCUS III and the MoneyGram replacement.
As a management consultant on Standard Bank’s Chrysalis business transformation programme, I was responsible for delivering various portions of work, which included an analysis of the demand for and capacity of IT resources in Personal and Business Banking, analysis, business process improvement, systems implementations, and training of resources.
Subjects taught:
• Politics
• Economics
• Mathematics teaching
• Rugby, cricket, athletics coaching.
Achievements include coaching the u/14 rugby team to win the county championship, and the u/15 girls’ cricket team to a national silver medal.
Golf Market in the USA
Electronic Development House (EDH) considered moving its headquarters for FlightScope to the USA at the time. My research focussed on the size and characteristics of the golf economy in the USA. EDH subsequently executed a successful move of its client facing functions to Orlando, Florida.
A Multi-Methodology System as IT Project Management Approach in South African Banking. After seven years of involvement in IT and operations in banking, always with the goal of improving processes, a study was undertaken with a focus on IT project management methodologies. The summary of the study, presented at the SA Institutre for Industrial Engineers Conference, won the best-paper reward. South Africa’s major banks – Absa, Capitec Bank, FNB, Nedbank, and Standard Bank – have implemented significant changes to their information technology project management approaches and methodologies over the past decade and will likely continue to do so. Whereas these changes require significant investment and change-absorption, the benefits do not materialize as expected. Furthermore, a growing project management approach and methodology dogmatism is prevalent among practitioners and stakeholders of information technology projects in South African banking. In response to this situation, the possibilities and needs for the development of information technology project management approaches and methodologies were investigated. Following the investigation, a Multi-Methodology System as an approach to information technology project management in South African banking was proposed as the possible and needed developmental direction; and the design requirements for the Multi-Methodology System were developed and validated. The Multi-Methodology System was designed to adhere to systems thinking principles relating to Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety and incorporating the controllable adaptability presented by Stafford Beer’s Viable System Model. The Multi-Methodology System presents a useful addition to the study and practice of information technology project management in South African banking as it relates to the interpretation of the large, complex project, and with regards to the selection, tailoring, and hybridization of IT project management approaches.
Our MSc Finance (Quantitative Finance) equips with you specialist knowledge of statistical and quantitative approaches to risk and derivatives. Through the course, you will examine the techniques and foundation of risk management in corporations, as well as learning how derivatives have shaped the financial markets as we known them. You will also gain wider understanding of econometric principles and data analysis. The programme is particularly suitable if you have a first degree in engineering, applied science, applied mathematics, economics or similar. The MSc Finance (Quantitative Finance) enables you to deepen your understanding of financial markets, banks, and their relation to economic performance. It provides a sound platform for advancing your career in finance and policy. (CeFiMS, SOAS) Modules: • Econometric Principles & Data Analysis • Econometric Analysis & Applications • Financial Econometrics • Corporate Finance • Modelling Firms & Markets • Derivatives • Research Methods • Project Appraisal & Impact Analysis
Our MSc Finance (Economic Policy) programme has been principally designed to help you work on economic policy in government, central banks, public organisations, and international institutions. The programme will increase your understanding of the principles, applications and context that underlie economic policy, focusing on the financial aspects of policy making. Additionally, you will acquire sound understanding of theories in finance and of the workings of financial markets. The MSc Finance (Economic Policy) enables you to deepen your understanding of financial markets, banks, and their relation to economic performance. It provides a sound platform for advancing your career in finance and policy. (CeFiMS, SOAS) Modules: • Macroeconomic Policy & Financial Markets • Risk Management: Principles & Applications • Public Financial Management: Revenue • Microeconomic Principles & Policy • Bank Financial Management • International Finance • The IMF and Economic Policy • Banking & Capital Marke
This is a programme for self-motivated, forward-looking people who are keen to exercise leadership by their lucid thinking, and to apply such thinking within the reality of present-day organisations. (SA Study) Major Modules: • Decision-making and Values Studies • Economics • Political Sciences • Philosophy
