CEO (USA)

Barry Kayton

As an instructional designer, Barry found the secret to great learning: make it meaningful. Make it learner-centered. Make personalized, practical, powerful questions the key tools. And always make the mental model stand out. Barry co-founded Cognician with Patrick to make this kind of great learning possible at scale.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Intellection
2. Relator
3. Maximizer
4. Strategic
5. Learner

CEO (UK)

Patrick Kayton

Patrick has a lifelong passion for understanding what makes people tick. He co-founded Cognician with Barry to create a platform and a company with the mission of making learning and behavior change more effective by changing the way people think.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Strategic
2. Futuristic
3. Learner
4. Individualization
5. Achiever

CFO

Michael Leeman

Michael is a serial entrepreneur, politics enthusiast, and lapsed actuary. After 15 years in investment banking, he found the prospect of improving learning for all irresistible and joined Cognician.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Achiever
2. Analytical
3. Context
4. Strategic
5. Learner

CTO

Robert Stuttaford

Robert has been writing code for 24 years and is still not dead. He is as passionate about the craft of software development as he is about learning about the mind and how to operate one effectively.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Intellection
2. Learner
3. Relator
4. Consistency
5. Harmony

GM / Talent Manager

Cali Coetzee

Cali loves the purpose that work brings and is insatiable for the challenge of new, better, right, and beautiful. She loves to write and develop reading materials and learning experiences that make a difference. Although she probably uses far more exclamation marks than would make a grammarist comfortable!

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Input
2. Learner
3. Empathy
4. Strategic
5. Achiever

Operational Support

Jeff Kayton

Jeff is never bored – he always has books to read, movies to watch, lists of things to do, and places to visit. If something is broken or not working properly, he feels compelled to fix it. Similarly, if he decides that he’s going to do something, only bullets will stop him.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Relator
3. Analytical
4. Arranger
5. Strategic

Head of Infosec Compliance

Gerrit Ellis

Gerrit has over 15 years’ experience in Information Technology, of which 10 years were spent within global financial institutions. He is passionate about all things cybersecurity with a keen interest in global politics and international relations.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Relator
2. Learner
3. Individualization
4. Responsibility
5. Focus

Head of Customer Experience

Hayley Slater

Hayley has a background in customer service, project management, and operational change. Her purpose is to build a customer-success-focused organization that empowers people to create market-winning value. She loves books, craft beer, and her family.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Analytical
3. Communication
4. Arranger
5. Input

Account Manager

Jann Acutt

Jann is on her fifth career (more or less). She started as a Social Sciences Researcher. Realising that she wasn’t cut out for an ivory tower, she traveled the world. Since returning, Jann worked in media in various incarnations before finding her home at Cognician. She cares deeply about empowering people.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Input
2. Intellection
3. Strategic
4. Restorative
5. Individualisation

Account Manager

Rhodé Odendaal

There is nothing more thrilling than seeing a team or an individual recognize the value of digital, and how it can transform lives and businesses for the greater good. Rhodé is an ardent supporter of the digital technology that helps us to live, work, and learn better as citizens.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Achiever
3. Input
4. Responsibility
5. Strategic

Account Manager

Carolynne Lengfeld

Carolynne is an educator and learner and believes that a good sense of humour is a life necessity. She loves people, new experiences and beefy challenges.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Communication
2. Strategic
3. Woo
4. Self-Assurance
5. Responsibility

Senior Project Manager

Nicole Petersen

Nicole got her Bachelor’s degree as well as a taste for ‘The Bachelor’ and other ridiculous reality television in 2015. She started as an intern at Cognician in the same year and has grown to love (and live by) standard project documentation.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Harmony
2. Empathy
3. Input
4. Analytical
5. Developer

Senior Project Manager

Lou Mardon

Although she’s a Business Analyst at heart, Lou is an experienced project manager who is passionate about business systems design and change management. She loves working on challenging or unusual projects that need strategic, creative, and thinking-outside-the-box solutions.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Strategic
2. Relator
3. Belief
4. Achiever
5. Positivity

Senior Project Manager

Tara de Beer

Tara studied Fine Arts, teaching and packaging development before settling into project management. In her spare time, she loves crafting handmade goodies for babies. She believes that you should do all things to the best of your abilities.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Relator
2. Achiever
3. Developer
4. Learner
5. Strategic

Senior Project Manager

Saskia Redivo

Saskia hates writing about herself, especially in the third person. Things she’d like you to know: carbs are life, family is important (including the furry kind), traveling is fun, and expect a lot of complaints during exercise. Other than that, she enjoys a good challenge and learning new skills.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Maximizer
2. Deliberative
3. Intellection
4. Learner
5. Adaptability

CX Support Co-ordinator

Zoë Thomas

Zoe is the single point of contact between Cognician’s services and users. While managing incidents and service requests, she’s always participating in the many various tasks at hand. She likes to spend her free time crafting, writing music, or watching random documentaries. She is a lover of art and chocolate.

Gallup StrengthFinder rersults:

1. Restorative
2. Relator
3. Individualization
4. Analytical
5. Deliberative

Customer Experience Support Coordinator

Maahirah Waggie

Maahirah is optimistic, fun-loving and hard-working. She enjoys being outdoors and finds baking very therapeutic when she’s stressed. She believes that if you believe in yourself and your capabilities, you can achieve anything that you set your mind to.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Restorative
2. Developer
3. Responsibility
4. Futuristic
5. Learner

Project Manager

Phiwe Ntloko

Phiwe’s quiet demeanor hides a big laugh. If you want to see him smile, just make him laugh. He can usually can be found flicking through comics and manga.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Consistency
2. Analytical
3. Developer
4. Arranger
5. Relator

Customer Experience Support Coordinator

Nwabisa Mene

Nwabisa’s friends would describe her as a box of choice assorted biscuits. Her interests range from social development to media and marketing. She loves dancing and watching any movie that involves dancing. She loves learning new skills and she’s always looking at new skills to develop.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Developer
3. Connectedness
4. Relator
5. Positivity

CX Intern

Thandi Magwai

Thandi is scientifically minded. When she’s not learning foreign languages, she’s figuring out how and why things happen the way they do. She scours information sources to get every bit of data before making decisions. As the saying goes, “Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence.”

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Achiever
2. Analytical
3. Connectedness
4. Learner
5. Input

Head of Design

Maryna Smit

Maryna specializes in creating intuitive user journeys and designing pixel-perfect interfaces. When she’s not busy applying design thinking (which she does to everything), she likes to read about how the human mind works and how that impacts people’s behavior.

Gallup StrengthFinder Results:

1. Individualization
2. Input
3. Learner
4. Connectedness
5. Intellection

Designer

Cassidy Procter

Cassidy likes to go by ‘Cass’. She’s proficient in Graphic/Digital Design and Illustration and is an old-school music fanatic, enjoying everything from Queen to Fleetwood Mac. Cass is an old soul with a young heart. She loves exploring nature and enjoying life to its fullest.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Restorative
2. Self-assurance
3. Input
4. Responsibility
5. Achiever

Designer

Bastien Desfontaines

Known as ‘Bash’ to his friends, Bastien’s a passionate creative who loves illustration and design. He appreciates thought-provoking conversations and engaging concepts. A sucker for funky, alternative music, he plays guitar for fun. If he’s not designing, he’s in the kitchen cooking … and eating.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Adaptability
2. Strategic
3. Input
4. Ideation
5. Developer

Senior Editor

Careena Koch

Careena is a molecular biologist turned editor, and a fancier of apostrophes, en-dashes and bacteria. She also likes tea.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Harmony
2. Consistency
3. Context
4. Learner
5. Analytical

Editor

Refiloe Metsing

Refiloe is a self-proclaimed finicky nitpicker and language enthusiast. She studied English literature, French, and psychology at UCT. A total podcast junkie, she’s got at least two going at any one time – one of which is likely to be true crime.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Harmony
2. Consistency
3. Context
4. Maximizer
5. Intellection

Head of Research

Justin Germishuys

In an attempt to remedy his life-long struggle with confusion and uncertainty, Justin studied Psychology and Philosophy at Stellenbosch University. It made his condition much worse. He also enjoys reading PG Wodehouse while eating chocolate biscuits.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Ideation
2. Strategic
3. Learner
4. Restorative
5. Individualization

Head of Development

Christopher Garratt

When he’s not daydreaming or people watching over a good cappuccino, Chris dabbles in just about everything. Languages, tennis, writing, meditating, motorsports, theatre, birdwatching … you name it, he’ll try it! (Well, just about. He’s not too keen on extreme sports.)

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Input
2. Intellection
3. Ideation
4. Empathy
5. Adaptability

Senior Learning Experience Designer

Chris Hill

Chris has almost 20 years’ experience in training, the bulk of which is in online learning, as well as experience in the Finance sector. He has a Social Science Honours degree along with additional qualifications in management, marketing, and accounting.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Intellection
3. Ideation
4. Analytical
5. Strategic

Senior Learning Experience Designer

Ivan Sadler

Ivan studied Fine Arts at UCT and runs a microscopic T-shirt printing concern in his spare time. He has previously worked as a technical writer, instructional designer, graphic designer, illustrator, and freelance film critic. He also plays guitar, loves beer, heavy metal, and keeps a pet rabbit that lives inside a couch.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Context
2. Ideation
3. Empathy
4. Input
5. Intellection

Senior Learning Experience Designer

Gabriella Garnett

Gabriella is passionate about human experiences, possibilities, and potential. With a Masters in Organisational Psychology (focusing on the employee experience of emergent change from an Applied Neurosciences perspective), she works to integrate what she learns into all spheres of life. Gabriella loves tea, hiking, and forests.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Strategic
2. Learner
3. Ideation
4. Responsibility
5. Connectedness

Senior Learning Experience Designer

Robyn Ford

During her studies in Psychology, Robyn was disappointed to learn that they would not teach her telepathy. Her other skills and talents include shrinking heads, tattooing, and reading and writing real good like. She has a passion for learning, life coaching, and community and individual development. Her Staffordshire Terrier, Poebie, is the master of her universe.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Strategic
2. Individualization
3. Intellection
4. Ideation
5. Context

Senior Learning Experience Designer

Laura Germishuys

Hoping to save the world, Laura did a Master’s in Sociology, only to realize that knowledge isn’t a magic wand. She didn’t lose her belief in education though. In her free time, perfection is a cat, a fire, and a good book.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Intellection
3. Input
4. Achiever
5. Ideation

Learning Experience Designer

Alexandra Findlay

Alexandra – known as Ali by most – studied Journalism and Media. After working as a freelance writer and editor, she settled at Cognician and found Learning Experience Design. A lover of words, cake, traveling, and dogs, she is a people person who enjoys working in a team and learning from others.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Communication
2. Empathy
3. Arranger
4. Positivity
5. Maximizer

OTS Development Lead

Gary Fensham

As a psychology graduate, Gary’s lifelong quest is to gain an understanding of what drives and motivates people. During his downtime, Gary enjoys the outdoors while mountain biking, hiking, or playing water polo. A braai (with a beer in hand) must follow these activities.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Relator
3. Intellection
4. Restorative
5. Achiever

Learning Experience Designer

Nell Hofmeyr

After a brief stint in copywriting, Nell answered the call to a career in education. On weekends, you can find her at the cinema, on a mountain or raiding the pastry counter at a bakery near you. She never says no to coffee and a chinwag!

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Intellection
2. Input
3. Learner
4. Connectedness
5. Relator

Learning Experience Designer

Andre van Vollenstee

Following his Master’s degree on graphic narratives, Andre can be found learning random facts, watching films, playing boardgames, and listening to a plethora of music. His passion for learning is rivalled only by his insatiable need for pizza.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Intellection
2. Learner
3. Context
4. Input
5. Woo

Learning Experience Designer

Freda Swan

Freda is wildly curious. Officially, she has indulged her curiosity by studying Psychology, Philosophy, and Neuroscience. Unofficially, she’s always exploring a new learning area. From coding and creative writing to sewing and baking, there’s barely a moment to spare! That said, Freda appreciates downtime too, and is an expert couch-dweller who loves feline company.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Strategic
2. Learner
3. Activator
4. Individualization
5. Focus

Learning Experience Designer

Phondie Simelane

Phondie is a walking sponge. She has an insatiable desire to comprehend the whys and how to’s. Working in the realm of instructional design allows her the freedom to jump down endless rabbit holes. She is often found near good coffee and is inspired by the beauty of nature.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Input
2. Intellection
3. Context
4. Developer
5. Strategic

LXD Intern

Chelsea Erispe

Chelsea is ambitious and driven. She is a people’s person. She is outgoing and very sassy. She easily steps out of her comfort zone and loves to learn new things.

1. Futuristic
2. Competition
3. Restorative
4. Activator
5. Intellection

LXD Intern

Anam Majikijela

Anam is quite shy person when she first meets new people, but warms up to people quickly. She’s a hard worker, a learner, and loves to laugh and have a fun time. She’s very driven and passionate about technology and is always eager to grow in life and in her career.

1. Includer
2. Deliberative
3. Adaptability
4. Relator
5. Discipline

Senior Software Engineer

Francois du Toit

I would prefer writing a description-generating program over writing a description of myself. Wait, I just wrote one didn’t I …

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Empathy
2. Adaptability
3. Relator
4. Learner
5. Connectedness

Software Engineer

Mark McFadyen

Mark studied software development at CTU Stellenbosch, where he completed his MCSD. Mark has an undying thirst for knowledge and believes that there’s nothing in the world one cannot learn and master, as long as the will to learn exists. He has a love for all things Internet- and software-related.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Restorative
2. Learner
3. Ideation
4. Strategic
5. Futuristic

Senior Software Engineer

Mike Hewitson

Mike has been captured by IT since the late 1970s and hasn’t managed to escape since. He is a maker in all aspects of his life – from computer systems to food, furniture, charcuterie, and tonic … he really struggles to do things in half measures.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Strategic
2. Learner
3. Achiever
4. Responsibility
5. Input

Software Engineer

Chris Etheridge

Chris is a nerd at heart. He loves everything about technology and the Internet. He has a huge interest in software development and is thus studying software development at Varsity College while interning as a software developer. He’s beyond addicted to coffee.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Futuristic
2. Empathy
3. Positivity
4. Input
5. Restorative

Infrastructure Engineer

Erwee de Kock

Erwee is an infrastructure engineer whose passion for technology started at an early age; the first operating system he used was Windows 3.1! Skip forward to today, and you’ll most likely find him coding, reading or playing games.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Achiever
3. Focus
4. Analytical
5. Intellection

Senior Software Engineer

Ryan White

Ryan makes things. He thought Mechanical Engineering would be a good course of study. Then he discovered the Internet, and now, when undoing mistakes, uses Cmd-Z instead of a blowtorch or an angle grinder.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Achiever
2. Positivity
3. Learner
4. Individualization
5. Responsibility
   

Data Engineer

Nkosinathi Masetlwa

Whether Nkosinathi is getting his hands dirty with data, deriving the Einstein field equations, or hitting double-touches on the piste, he does it with grace and an open mind.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Positivity
2. Learner
3. Analytical
4. Achiever
5. Innovator

Data Analyst

Herbert Hill

Herbert is an aspiring Business Intelligence Analyst who studied Chemical Engineering while trying to stay focused and extra sparkly. He’s a numbers guy; if it doesn’t add up, then it doesn’t make sense. In data we trust!

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Strategic
2. Responsibility
3. Futuristic
4. Analytical
5. Restorative

Data Analyst

Petro van Tonder

A nerd at heart, Petro is curious about everything. Solving problems creatively through technology and science excites her.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Responsibility
2. Arranger
3. Adaptibility
4. Connectedness
5. Input

Digital Content Marketing Lead

Cherice Smith

Cherice has a background in journalism and marketing communications. She started her career in Cape Town and later completed a Master’s Degree in Corporate Communication at IE in Madrid. She also managed marketing and communications for B2B organizations in Munich. She’s a brand thinker who loves developing Cognician’s marketing efforts and telling the brand story. She is driven to create strong connections and meaningful brand experiences for all Cognician stakeholders.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Learner
2. Achiever
3. Responsibility
4. Relator
5. Intellection

Content Marketing Specialist

Betty Kayton

Betty is a communications specialist with extensive experience in education, public relations, corporate finance, local government, newspapers and other media.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Harmony
2. Communication
3. Activator
4. Positivity
5. Consistency

Senior User Experience Designer

Werner Vos

Werner is a UX/UI Designer with a huge interest in cognitive ergonomics. He loves learning how things work and just so happens to also know how to develop everything that he designs.

Gallup StrengthFinder results:

1. Responsibility
2. Belief
3. Restorative
4. Strategic
5. Developer