Sheraan Amod

Current

• Co-Founder & CEO at Personera
• Facilitator; Collaborater at Corvus Future Design

Past

• Social Networking Focal Point at DiploFoundation
• Facilitator at Civic Concepts International
• Vice Chairman at IEEE Student Branch (UCT)

• Electrical and Computer Engineering student at University of Cape Town
• Manager of Technology, Speakers, VIPs at SAWomEng
• CRM Analyst (Intern) at Unilever Foodsolutions
• Strategist and Project Manager at Immedia
• Founder & Managing Partner at Trafik Student Networks

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Education

• DiploFoundation
• Stellenbosch University/Universiteit Stellenbosch
• The New Anglo-American College in Prague

• University of Cape Town
• Argentina I.L.E.E (Insitutos De Lengua Española Para Extranjeros)

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2 more...

Recommended

17 people have recommended Sheraan

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Internet

Sheraan Amod’s Summary

"Hi [big smile], what can I do for you?" is probably what you'd get if you called me right now.

I am a maven, salesman and connector: a technology evangelist with solid experience in successful startups, global NGOs and large corporations. I am the managing co-founder of an early stage technology company that is working on a disruptive personalized media delivery platform. My qualifications include a BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Areas of specialist focus include:
- Hi-tech entrepreneurship and startup management
- Online social networking and media strategy
- Web-based KM & Web 2.0 business tools
* Inter-disciplinary problem solving and idea generation
* Global youth leadership in politics and Internet Governance
* Powerful public speaking and effective communication

At this stage I'm happy to offer my services in speaking, advisory, and people connector roles on exciting projects. I enjoy doing pro-bono work and assisting friends whenever possible. I am based across South Africa but am also interested in temporary international opportunities. If you operate in a space linked to my startup, I'd like to meet you.

I love sharing with people and building relationships. Shall we connect?

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Find me in the social web at www.sheraanamod.com.

Sheraan Amod’s Specialties:

technology business strategy, Internet trends and forecasting, communicating and interpersonal skills, selling, entrepreneurial experience, technical/analytical ability, exceptional ICT proficiency, social networking expertise, virtual teams, knowledge management, Web/Enterprise 2.0 tools, geek management :-)

Sheraan Amod’s Experience

• Co-Founder & CEO

  Personera

  (Internet industry)

  February 2008 — Present (1 year 10 months)

  Personera is a media technology startup that enables the creation of personalized print products that integrate all of a user's Facebook content.
  
  It's an online to offline ("web to print") approach, merging the latest social networking and variable data publishing technology. In November 2009, Personera launched the world’s first print calendar that is fully personalized with a user’s Facebook friends’ birthdays, upcoming events, and photos.
  
  Finalist (top 3) in the SA-leg of the HIT Global Entrepreneurship Competition, as well as in the Technium Challenge International. Winner of the recent 2008 FNB Enablis Business Launchpad (the biggest small business competition in Africa).

• Facilitator; Collaborater

  Corvus Future Design

  (Think Tanks industry)

  July 2007 — Present (2 years 5 months)

  Corvus Future Design is an inter-disciplinary think tank that is backed by a wealthy patron. The mandate of the group is open-ended and fluid; but it is the consistently high quality of ideas and people that characterize its development. In 2007, a large scenario planning project was undertaken to explore future economic and business trends in a post 2010 (i.e. after the Soccer World Cup) South Africa. More recent work in 2009 has focused on the development of young entrepreneurs.

• Social Networking Focal Point

  DiploFoundation

  (Non-Profit; E-Learning industry)

  August 2007 — March 2009 (1 year 8 months)

  Selected from global candidates to co-develop Internet Governance strategy on various e-roundtables. Also the winner of an International Telecommunication Fellowship to be DiploFoundation's youth representative at the 2nd UN Internet Governance Forum in Rio de Janeiro. Tasked with producing social networking best practices and related content for the organization.

• Facilitator

  Civic Concepts International

  (Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Non-Profit Organization Management industry)

  January 2007 — January 2008 (1 year 1 month)

  CCI is a NGO based in Prague which specializes in creating international platforms for political training and cross cultural exchange amongst young, global leaders. I managed and facilitated team work amongst a group of delegates at the 1st International Youth Leadership Africa conference in Cape Town, 2007, and at the 15th International Youth Leadership Conference in Prague, 2008.

• Vice Chairman

  IEEE Student Branch (UCT)

  (Non-Profit; 10,001 or more employees; Telecommunications industry)

  November 2006 — December 2007 (1 year 2 months)

  The IEEE is the largest technical professional body in the world, with over 360 000 members. I was the first undergraduate appointed to the student branch executive. After my arrival in the student branch leadership, we managed to attain a branch membership growth rate of 300% from the previous year, and create one of the most successful IEEE student branches in the country.

• Electrical and Computer Engineering student

  University of Cape Town

  (Educational Institution; Telecommunications industry)

  February 2004 — November 2007 (3 years 10 months)

  see "Education"

• Manager of Technology, Speakers, VIPs

  SAWomEng

  (Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Civil Engineering industry)

  October 2006 — October 2007 (1 year 1 month)

  I was the first male executive of SAWomEng (South African Women in Engineering)- a non-profit which hopes to improve the current gender-equity status quo in the engineering industry in South Africa. In 2007, we hosted a week long conference for the top 50 female engineering students in the country. I managed the technology portfolio, and sourced selected speakers and VIPs for the conference.

• CRM Analyst (Intern)

  Unilever Foodsolutions

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Consumer Goods industry)

  July 2007 — July 2007 (1 month)

  Foodsolutions is a smaller, fast moving B2B unit within Unilever. As the first ever intern in this department, I analysed rate of sales data from strategic business partners and developed a methodology to provide a broad sales-out view of the business, which was used to optimize CRM and increase business intelligence.

• Strategist and Project Manager

  Immedia

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Internet industry)

  November 2006 — January 2007 (3 months)

  Immedia is a leading Internet solutions company, and counts the Kagiso Media group amongst its key customers. Responsibilities included designing and project managing the development of a comprehensive knowledge management system for the business, as well as working with clients in Internet strategy and other e-Solutions.

• Founder & Managing Partner

  Trafik Student Networks

  (Marketing and Advertising industry)

  October 2004 — September 2006 (2 years )

  Born out of a dorm room in first year of university, the company created an innovative marketing model (based on a tiered-discounting scheme for students) which engaged various stakeholders of the national student advertising and retail sector. Also acted as an accelerated marketing channel for corporate and entertainment entities to advertise to and develop brand presence with students.

Sheraan Amod’s Education

• DiploFoundation

  Certificate , Internet Governance , 2008 — 2008

  DiploFoundation is a widely respected educational institution which uses sophisticated e-learning methods to train international actors in the Internet Governance arena. I successfully completed their Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme (IGCBP) Foundation Course.

• Stellenbosch University/Universiteit Stellenbosch

  Master of Science , Engineering Management , 2008 — 2008

  On hold due to my current focus on business interests. I explored the future virtualization of business enterprises, and completed various MBA-related courses such as Leadership and Strategic Management.

  Activities and Societies:

  Post-graduate class representative

• The New Anglo-American College in Prague

  Certificate , Leadership , 2007 — 2007

  Attended an intensive, week-long youth forum in Prague called the International Youth Leadership Conference. Themes included global diplomacy, law, human rights, EU government institutions and (naturally) leadership.

• University of Cape Town

  Bachelor of Science , Electrical and Computer Engineering , 2004 — 2007

  My choice of undergraduate study was Electrical and Computer Engineering. Being the only double-majored engineering degree, the course was challenging. The numbers in our class due to graduate on time (4 years) shrunk about 90% since first year. I specialized by doing my thesis in wireless telecommunications, and finished in the top 8 in my class.

  Activities and Societies:

  Smuts Hall Alumnus, SHAWCO charity worker, Ballroom and Latin Dance society

• Argentina I.L.E.E (Insitutos De Lengua Española Para Extranjeros)

  Certificate , Spanish , 2006 — 2006

  Studied Spanish in Buenos Aires, Argentina for 80 hours of classes, in January 2006.

  Activities and Societies:

  Argentine Tango Dancing

Additional Information

Sheraan Amod’s Interests:

entrepreneurship, technology, e-Everything, speaking & communicating, guerrilla marketing, economics, global citizenship, fitness, languages, politics and world affairs, theater, psychology, good reading

Sheraan Amod’s Groups:

IEEE, Future Entrepreneurs of the World Summit, Youth Strategy Forum for IGF World Summit, DiploFoundation, Geek Dinner

•    Davinci Institute
•    On Startups - The Community For Entrepreneurs
•    Overachievers Club
•    Western Cape Linux Users Group
•    Facebook.com
•    Endeavor
•    Web 2.0
•    Mensa - International
•    LinkedPHPers - The Largest PHP Group
•    CRM Experts
•    GeekDinner Cape Town
•    Toastmaster
•    Tennis Fan
•    Global MIT Enterprise Forum
•    Behavioral Economics Group
•    Sales Science
•    Globanet Young Execs
•    South African Web Experts
•    Elon Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership

Sheraan Amod’s Honors:

Winner in FNB Enablis Business Launchpad competition (out of 6000+, 1st in category), 2009
SA Runner-up (2nd) in HIT Global Entrepreneurship Competition, 2009
SA Runner-up (3rd) in Technium Challenge International, 2009
Enablis E-Circle Facilitator (youngest globally), 2009
Winner in Goi Peace Foundation/UNESCO International Essay Contest (top 30 out of 4700+), 2008
South African PhD Project Alumnus, 2008
Nominated for UN IGF Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (1 of 3 African candidates), 2008
Award of Service from Civic Concepts International, 2007/8
International Telecom. Union Fellowship for IGF II in Rio, 2007
Brightest Young Mind (BYM future leader), 2007
Macquarie Institute for Innovation Scholarship, 2007
Mayor's Matriculation Award (Durban), 2003
8th (out of >100 000 candidates) in Province (KZN) in Matric (Grade 12), 2003
Dux of Crawford College North Coast, 2003
Gold Medal (1st in South Africa), International Australian Schools Computer Studies Competition, 2001

Sheraan Amod’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch