- Held CEO, MD and Director positions locally and internationally for the last 31 years. Worked in the United States, Europe, South East Asia, Australia and Africa.
- Primarily focused on the IT Industry and the Education Industry but has had a broad working exposure to most industries (financial services, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, consulting, construction, etc.) over the last 41 years.
- Lectured at Business Schools within South Africa since 1985 and had very strong ties with international Business Schools such as University of Michigan (US top 10) and Cranfield (UK top 10).
- Has researched and practiced leadership over the last 35 years.
- Started Microsoft in Sub-Sahara Africa in 1992 and grew it from $6m to $135m in 5 years. In 1997 was chosen as a regional CEO together with another 18 leaders globally to spend a three-day retreat with Bill Gates and the Senior VP’s of Microsoft to research and propose solutions to the key challenges facing Microsoft.
- He worked with the new ANC Government coming into power in a new democratic South Africa, together with the old NP Government on the best entry of Microsoft into South Africa and the region. He worked with the Black Management Forum to assist black owned businesses enter the IT software and distribution business through accelerated education and strategy. Rob worked with Governments and US ambassadors throughout Africa to address anti-piracy in their countries, where software piracy ranged from 20% to 80%. An example was Mauritius where software sales grew from $100k annually to $5 million annually in one year through government cooperation and policy changes (1996-1995).
- Has been deeply involved in public speaking for 27 years (since starting Microsoft). Size of group has varied from 30 to 3000 people. Was closely involved in bringing Bill Gates to South Africa in 1997 and doing a satellite conference with him in 1993. Worked closely with Steve Ballmer when at Microsoft and did a joint conference with him whilst at FrontRange in 1999.
- Involved in the field of coaching and leadership development since 1983 where he developed and coached his own leadership teams. Strategy and Leadership development and coaching is his current focus. His company that drives these initiatives is called Spiritpower.
His qualifications and other companies worked for are described below:
Rob Katz holds a Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in commerce (Information Technology) from the University of Cape Town. He also holds a diploma in Business Administration, which he obtained with distinction. Rob completed his DPhil in Spiritual Leadership (Conscious Leadership) at the University of Johannesburg, which has been implemented locally and internationally by companies across many industries since 2006. He completed researching his second PhD at the University of Metaphysical Sciences in Northern California, focussing on Demystifying Consciousness which takes leadership beyond IQ, EQ and embraces SQ (Spiritual Intelligence – which focuses on meaning and purpose of a leaders and personal mastery) in July 2019.
He has developed a leadership model and leadership workshops that focus on Conscious Leadership embracing personal mastery, the key life dimensions that a leader needs to be aware of in order to deliver optimal performance and results to all stakeholders. He has developed his leadership model through rigorous research throughout his career, his master and doctoral programs and working with Business Schools both locally and internationally (the Business Schools of Harvard, Columbia, Steve Ross (Michigan), Wharton, Yale Cranfield and London; and the Universities of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Stellenbosch). He has studied the Singularity University leadership model and added to it through his Conscious Leadership research.
Formerly, CEO of EDUCOR the largest Private education company for Higher and Further Education and Training in South Africa. Rob was international director of Ixchange, a previously listed software organisation that owned FrontRange (Customer Relation Management Software). Many people will recognise him from his time as Managing Director of Microsoft for the Sub Sahara and Indian Ocean Islands, a position he held between 1992 and 1998. Prior to 1992 he was IT Partner for KPMG in South Africa and was the first IT Director for Adcock Ingram, one of the largest Pharmaceutical companies in South Africa (at age 32).
He is a member of various professional societies including the Computer Society of South Africa, the Institute of Directors and the Young Presidents’ Organisation both in Cape Town and the YPO Gold EuroChapter. He was appointed to the Council on Higher Education (CHE Board) in July 2006 (an advisory body on Higher Education to the Minister of Education) until December 2010.
He has been a member YPO/WPO since 1996 which is a global organisation of 23000 CEO’s worldwide. He has been on the Exco of YPO Cape Town Gold Chapter since 2008 (key focus on chapter exchanges with Florence in 2013 and Hong Kong in 2015 and 2018) and assumed the Education Chair position for the YPO Gold EuroChapter (Pan European, US and South African chapter of 90 global members) in July 2014, Chapter Chair of YPO Gold EuroChapter in July 2015. He is currently Mentorship Officer for the chapter driving its mentorship programme.
He championed the 2018 Singularity University Summit South Africa event in partnership with Singularity South Africa for the YPO African Region.