Ravi Naidoo
{{Use South African English|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox person
|caption = Ravi Naidoo
|birth_place = Durban, South Africa
|occupation = CEO of Design Indaba
|children = 2
}}
Ravi Naidoo (born 12 August 1964) is the founder of Interactive Africa and Design Indaba, an annual three day design conference{{Cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/Archives/City-Press/100-World-Class-South-Africans-Ravi-Naidoo-20150429|title=100 World Class South Africans: Ravi Naidoo|work=News24|access-date=2018-05-07|language=en}} hosted in Cape Town, South Africa, as well as a suite of events such as Design Commons and antenna. Naidoo is also a co-founder of the Cape Innovation and Tech Initiative (CiTi) and Rain, Africa's first 5G network.
Career
Ravi Naidoo is the recipient of the 2015 Sir Misha Black Medal for innovation in design education.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mishablackawards.org.uk/medal/naidoo|title=Ravi Naidoo {{!}} Misha Black Awards|website=www.mishablackawards.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2017-04-23}} The founder of Interactive Africa,{{Cite news|url=https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/fast-company-world-changing-ideas-winners|title=Fast Company Names 12 "World Changing Ideas" From Chicago to the Bay Area|last=Dovey|first=Rachel|date=22 March 2017|work=Next City|access-date=13 April 2018|language=en}} a Cape Town-based media and project management company responsible for the First African in Space{{Cite web|url=http://www.africaninspace.com/home/mission/logs/10/index.shtml|title=about ravi naidoo|website=www.africaninspace.com|access-date=2018-04-12}} mission with Mark Shuttleworth in 2002, and the marketing bid to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup.{{Cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/Archives/City-Press/100-World-Class-South-Africans-Ravi-Naidoo-20150429|title=100 World Class South Africans: Ravi Naidoo|work=News24|access-date=2017-04-23}}
In 2008, Naidoo launched a social impact design project through Design Indaba called the 10x10 Housing Project.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dezeen.com/2008/02/26/sand-bag-houses-by-mma-architects/|title=Sand-bag houses by MMA Architects {{!}} Dezeen|date=2008-02-26|work=Dezeen|access-date=2018-04-12|language=en-US}} The project created 10 low-cost houses in Freedom Park in the Cape Flats. The buildings were made using sustainable materials such as sandbags.{{Citation|last=Indaba|first=Design|title=The 10x10 housing project|date=2009-05-18|url=https://vimeo.com/4704423|accessdate=2017-04-26}}
Naidoo has a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Physiology from the University of Cape Town and completed an MBA at the UCT GSB in 1994.{{Cite web|url=http://www.702.co.za/articles/1535/meet-design-fanatic-ravi-naidoo-the-man-who-helped-bring-the-world-cup-to-sa|title=Meet Design Indaba's Ravi Naidoo, the man who helped bring the World Cup to SA|website=702|language=en|access-date=2017-04-23}}
Naidoo is a recognised thought leader and speaker in the field of creativity and design.{{Cite news|url=https://www.good.is/features/issue-35-ravi-naidoo|title=Ravi Naidoo|date=2015-12-23|work=GOOD Magazine|access-date=2017-04-23|language=en}} He sits on the jury of the INDEX Design Awards{{Cite web|url=http://award.designtoimprovelife.dk/jury|title=INDEX: Design to Improve Life - INDEX: Award|website=award.designtoimprovelife.dk|access-date=2017-04-23}} in Copenhagen. In Amsterdam, he sits on the advisory board of THNK, and is the Chairman of the 2017 IXDA Awards{{Cite web|url=http://awards.ixda.org/juror/2017-ravi-naidoo/|title=Ravi Naidoo/ 2017 Jury Chair/ IxD Awards|website=awards.ixda.org|language=en|access-date=2017-04-23}}
In 2017 Ravi commissioned the Arch for Arch project, a tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu that was constructed in the City of Cape Town.{{Cite news|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/arch-for-arch-tribute-to-tutu-planned-for-cape-town-20170927|title='Arch for Arch' tribute to Tutu planned for Cape Town|work=News24|access-date=2018-04-11|language=en}} Naidoo, in the same year, cofounded Design Commons with World Design Weeks founder Kari Korkman. Design Commons is known as a deconstructed design conference.{{Cite web|url=http://designcommons.info/|title=DesignCommons - Helsinki|website=designcommons.info|language=en|access-date=2018-04-11}} In 2016, Naidoo co-founded Rain, a South African data network, with Michael Jordaan and Paul Harris.{{Cite news |url-status=live |archive-date=May 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508053835/https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/business-day/20160919/281492160784694 |url=https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/business-day/20160919/281492160784694 |title=New group aims to snatch a head start on building 5G data network |date=2016-09-19 |first=Tim |last=Cohen |publisher=Business Day |language=en |access-date=18 August 2023 |via=PressReader}} Naidoo was awarded the Design Prize in 2017, a design prize dedicated to design culture.{{Cite news|url=http://www.abitare.it/en/milan-design-week/2017/04/05/the-design-prize-winners/?refresh_ce-cp|title=The Design prize 2017: the winners {{!}} Abitare|date=2017-04-05|work=Abitare|access-date=2018-05-07|language=en-US}}
In 2019, Ravi served as the Chair of the annual YPO Edge Conference.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ypo.org/about-ypo/|title=Who is YPO? | the Global Leadership Community of Extraordinary CEOs}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- An [https://www.good.is/features/issue-35-ravi-naidoo interview] with Ravi Naidoo by GOOD Magazine.
- Ravi Naidoo interviewed for the [http://www.702.co.za/articles/263767/meet-ravi-naidoo-the-creative-genius-behind-the-design-indaba Radio702 podcast].
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