PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
I am an experienced systems architect with expertise in the politics, administration and technology of digital transformation, data governance policy, and data standards. With my data standards experience I am proficient in delivering data interoperability and designing integrated information systems architectures. I am a veteran of the South African liberation struggle and am committed to the digital transformation of Africa
EXPERTISE
Digital transformation
As the author of “Digital compacts: gobal ideals, regional realities” I have conducted extensive research on the current status of digital transformation in Africa. I have a particular interest in issues of data sovereignty, data localisation and cross-border data flows within Africa. I have been the technical lead on programmes in East Africa that partner with local governments to deploy appropriate technologies to deliver paragmatic digital solutions.
Data governance
I developed a data landscaping methodology to assess national data infrastructures and employed this in UNICEF-funded missions to Zimbabwe, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Malaysia and South Sudan. I have written on the lessons learnt from these contracts in three well-received papers: “The data side of leaving no one behind”; “Data disharmony: How can donors better act on their commitments?” ; and “Is the SDG monitoring framework broken?”
Data standards
As technical lead in the secretariat of the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) I was responsible for the development of the IATI standard (and remain active in the IATI community). I have experience in building architectures for governments to develop central data dictionaries and information system inventories to ensure that data collection effectively meets the needs of requirements, mapping gaps, duplications and redundancies.
Data interoperability
As content lead on the Omidyar-funded Joined Up Data Standards project I led work aimed at bridging the divide between national statistics offices and non-offical data providers. This work led to the formation of the Data Interoperability Collective, the first collaboration between the UN Statistics Division and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data.
Systems architecture
As lead developer and managing director of a software house specialising in electronic data interchange and middleware for supply chain logistics I received an early grounding in database design. I have utilised these skills in my data landscaping work and in a confidential study assessing the global complexity of UNICEF’s corporate systems.
Team leadership
As managing director of a software house, programme lead at Development Initiatives, technical and content lead on various projects and lead consultant on a range of consultancies I have proven experience leading teams and mentoring junior colleagues.
WORK HISTORY
Data ecosystems lead Development Initiatives 01/2018 - 10/2024
Development Initiatives (DI) was a leading international development organisation that went into liquidation in October 2024.
Developed a data landscaping methodology to assess national data infrastructures and national and sectoral data strategies.
Led data landscaping missions for UNICEF in Zimbabwe, Uganda, UAE, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Malaysia and South Sudan.
Technical lead on local government data modelling and ecosystem development programmes in Uganda and Kenya.
DI alternate representative on the programme committee of the UN World Data Forum.
Founder member of the Technical Advisory Group of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data.
Author of a number of studies on global data governance, most recently on the Global and African Digital Compacts.
Supported the appropriate introduction of natural language processing and data modelling across all DI programmes.
Data standards advisor Development Initiatives 03/2010 - 12/2017
Technical Lead of the International Aid Transparency Initiative responsible for the development of the data standard.
Content Lead on the Joined-up Data Standards programme that led to the inclusion of the principle of interoperability in the Open Data Charter and to the creation of the Data Interoperability Collaborative.
Led work with UN, governments and NGOs bridging the divide between official statistics and non-official data.
Co-drafter of the Africa Data Consensus, a forerunner of current African Union data policies.
Information systems specialist Self-employed 01/2004 - 02/2010
Consultancies in Botswana for the Ministry of Finance and the National Aids Coordinating Agency.
Study of the African open data landscape for mySociety
Managing director of African Development Information Services which developed an online database on Who's Who in African development
Lead developer and MD MasterLink Management 01/1994 - 12/2003
Managing director of a software house delivering electronic data interchange and middleware for supply chain logistics.
Intelligence Analyst African National Congress 01/1977 - 12/1990
Specialist on the deployment of the South African armed forces. Head of data processing group in military headquarters.
EDUCATION
I matriculated in South Africa with distinctions in Maths, Physics and English. After 1 year of university I was conscripted into the apartheid army from where I deserted, testified to the United Nations on its atrocities, and joined the African National Congress. Due to my full time political commitments I was not able to continue my studies. I have spent my entire career in intellectually demanding positions of post-graduate equivalence.