YUSUF RANDERA REES - CHAIRMAN
Yusuf was awarded a scholarship at Harvard University where he studied Economics and graduated with Honors. Yusuf then moved to New York to work in a volatility trading group for Credit Suisse Investment Bank and thereafter was awarded a South Africa-at-Large Rhodes Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford, where he completed two Masters degrees, the first a MSc in Financial Economics and the second a MSc in African Studies. At Oxford the idea for the Awethu Project was born and Yusuf is currently the co-founder and CEO of the Awethu Project. The company developed one of the lowest-cost and most scalable job creation solutions in South Africa and one of the country’s most successful social impact investment funds with over 2,200 entrepreneurs incubated, over 3,000 jobs created and over R450 Million raised and invested. The flagship fund realizing an IRR of 20%.
PETRO MAGOS - CEO
Petro is a serial entrepreneur and martech guru, utilizing cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the way organizations market themselves to customers. With over 20 years of experience in both front-of-camera and behind-the-scenes roles, Petro brings a unique perspective to the table. An alumnus of the IMM Graduate School, Petro cut his teeth in the service industries where he learnt the value of client relationships. Petro has been the force behind several successful businesses, including being the founder and CEO of Magos Media, founder and partner in Legends Actors and Performers Management, founding partner in RevX and a sitting advisory board member to Dark Matter Studios. In addition, Petro is an avid and highly successful real estate proprietor and investor.
SAVVA ARGYROS CA (SA) - CFO
Savva is qualified Chartered Accountant (SA), having completed his Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting (with Honors) at the University of Johannesburg and his 3 -year articles at KPMG in Johannesburg. After a short stint at PwC in Athens as a Senior Auditor, Savva transitioned into a career as a professional equities trader focusing on US growth companies. Savva later founded Black Leaf Capital, a proprietary trading firm, which as the Head Trader actively trades and manages the funds of the firm, as well as overseeing the activities of the firm’s traders. Savva is also the CFO and a Board Member of GotBot AI, an innovative AI-ChatBot company.
NICK ARGYROS - COO
Nick is currently the co-founder and Group CEO of INJOZI Technology Studio, Audio Militia and GotBot AI Solutions. Establishing and heading the INJOZI Technology Studio team for over a decade, the studio has received numerous accolades, including multiple Promax, Bookmark, Midas, Clio, FWA and Loerie Awards. Audio Militia has similarly seen achievements at the Loeries under his curatorship and was credited on a Cannes Grand Prix winning project. Both businesses have been voted into the Top 3 Digital Agency and Audio Post Production companies on the African continent over multiple years. GotBot AI was selected as one of the Top 10 Start-Up companies on the African continent by StartupBootcamp in 2017, Top 10 with Plug and Play, Top 10 Start-Ups with Level Up and was voted Most Innovative Customer Service Delivery Platform. Nick’s undeniable experience in the machine-learning sector has also seen him presenting, demonstrating and introducing the product to local and international audiences, from WPP Stream to Viva Tech Paris.