Taddy Blecher
{{Short description|South African actuary, management consultant and educational entrepreneur}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Taddy Blecher
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{bya|1967}}
| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa
| death_date =
| known_for =
| occupation = Actuary, management consultant, educator
}}
Taddy Blecher (born 1967) is a South African actuary, management consultant and educational entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of CIDA City Campus and was given the World Economic Forum's Global Leader for Tomorrow Award in 2002 and again in 2005.
Early life and education
Blecher was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1967.{{cite web |author= |date=7 June 2005 |title=Taddy Blecher believes in dreams |url=http://www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=812&Itemid=52 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703055759/http://joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=812&Itemid=52 |archivedate=3 July 2014 |accessdate=5 July 2013 |publisher=Joburg: Official website of the City of Johannesburg |df=dmy-all}} At university he studied actuarial science and was given "several awards, including the Liberty Life Gold Medal for the top actuarial honours student in the country."
Career
While working as an actuary and international business consultant{{cite web |author=Lindow, Megan |date=6 January 2004 |title=Stepping into Africa's future |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0106/p14s01-legn.html |work=The Christian Science Monitor}} Blecher "was voted consultant of the year three consecutive times at Monitor Company." In 1995 he received an R1, 3-million job offer in the US. However, after buying his plane ticket he had a change of heart and decided to remain in South Africa to pursue education and employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth.
In 1999, after four years of teaching the Transcendental Meditation technique to students at schools in the Alexander township, Blecher began contacting rural schools and city business' to recruit students and donations for an "almost-free business university"{{cite web |author= |date=1 September 2007 |title=The transcendental crusader |url=https://www.economist.com/business/2007/08/30/the-transcendental-crusader |work=The Economist}}{{cite web | url=http://www.fm.co.za/business/fox/2013/05/09/lesson-in-business-admin | title=Lesson in Business Admin | work=Financial Mail | date=9 May 2013 | accessdate=5 June 2013 | author=Jones, Gillian}} which he co-founded with 250 students. The school, called Community and Individual Development City Campus (or CIDA City Campus), provided a low cost educational opportunity, in an area of high poverty and low job skills, and cast Blecher as "a local hero". To get the school started, Blecher was given the use of a Johannesburg office building by an investment bank called Investec{{cite web |author=Pohil |first=Otto |date=31 December 2003 |title=A New University, Filling Apartheid's Gaps |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/31/nyregion/a-new-university-filling-apartheid-s-gaps.html |website=The New York Times |publisher=}} and his former employer gave him use of an office. He taught students to type 30 words per minute using a photocopy of a computer keyboard{{cite news | title=Big business keeps the dream alive for Cida kids | work=The Star | date=28 January 2008 | author=}} and successfully pursued donations from companies including JPMorgan and Dell computers as well as entrepreneurs Oprah Winfrey and Richard Branson. Later, Blecher was given the World Economic Forum's Global Leader for Tomorrow Award in 2002 and again in 2005.{{cite news | title=A free university for Africa's disadvantaged | work=African Business | date=1 January 2003 | author=Nevin, Tom}} As the CIDA City campus' chief executive officer Blecher accepted a $1 million donation from the Skoll Foundation in 2007.Unknown author, [http://www.communityindividual.org/trackRecord.html Track Record] CIDA official web page, accessed 30 December 2012
Blecher left CIDA "to start another free educational body, called the Maharishi Institute".{{cite web | url=http://www.fm.co.za/business/fox/2013/05/16/unlocking-potential | title=Unlocking Potential | work=Financial Mail | date=16 May 2013 | accessdate=5 June 2013 | author=Jones, Gillian}} In 2009 he co-founded "a 225-seat call centre and a large data-capture facility" called Invincible Outsourcing.{{cite news | title=Blecher's latest venture offers hope; Revolutionary new call centre and educational academy in downtown Johannesburg to enrich lives of South African youth. | work=The Star | date=11 June 2009 | author=}} A project designed to allow disadvantaged students to earn funds for education while they are still in school.
Blecher is a member of the Human Resource Development Council of South Africa{{cite news | title=Google launches project for S. African businesses | publisher=Associated Press | date=19 January 2012 | author=Bryson, Donna}} and a co-founder of an innovation award program called InnovationTown{{cite news | title=South Africans have the ability to innovate and be pioneers | work=The Star | date=8 March 2007 | author=Serrao, Angelique}} and the Branson School of Entrepreneurship.{{cite news | title=Insight-rich guide to running a profitable business; 'Old systems often hinder rather than enhance staff aptitude | work=The Star | date=8 February 2010 | author=}}{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/supportservices/5906838/Sir-Richard-Branson-teaches-African-entrepreneurs-Dragons-Den-style.html | title=Sir Richard Branson teaches African entrepreneurs Dragons' Den-style | work=The Daily Telegraph | date=25 July 2009 | accessdate=8 July 2013 | author=Ruddick, Graham}}
Personal life
Blecher has been described as "a Harry Potter lookalike" with a passion for education. Blecher says he learned to meditate when he was 10 years old and practises yoga and meditation daily. In addition to providing the disadvantaged with educational opportunities Blecher wants to "help people find direction in their lives" and is "an advocate of Transcendental Meditation".
After overcoming a fear of public speaking he was described by The Star "as one of the top 100 people" in the news headlines and "An inspirational speaker whose incredible story made every major publication in South Africa."
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.skollfoundation.org/entrepreneur/taddy-blecher/ Bio at the Skoll Foundation website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20141202185635/https://www.ashoka.org/fellow/adam-paul-blecher Bio at the Ashoka website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140516085915/http://maharishiinstitute.org/the-institute/meet-our-directors/ Bio at the Maharishi Institute website]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFZsTF5YoqU TEDx talk video]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160821154422/http://www.heavychef.com/en/Article/taddy-blecher-interview/ Interview with HeavyChef]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blecher, Taddy}}
Category:People from Johannesburg
Category:South African educators
Category:South African business executives