André Nortjé is Strate’s Chief Executive Officer. He has over 20 years of executive management experience across multiple financial services disciplines and across multiple jurisdictions with a deep understanding of financial markets from both the buy and sell side. Before joining Strate, André held numerous executive roles ranging from treasurer of a commercial bank to chief operating officer positions for several investment management businesses in South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Ian Wakefield is a Medical Scientist by training and has completed his undergrad and post graduate studies at the University of Cape Town. He has extensive experience working in the healthcare sector in Africa and has built a rich career within the pharmaceutical and medical research fields. He has held positions at Groote Schuur Hospital, one of the largest public sector hospitals in Africa, as well as at the University of Cape Town, Servier and Novartis. Ian joined BD 9 years ago and has been the General Manager for BD Africa for the past 4 years. In his current positions Ian is responsible for spearheading the planning, development and implementation of results-oriented strategies to advance the company’s business goals for the region. Ian is passionate about advancing healthcare in Africa and believes that through public private partnerships a more efficient healthcare system can be developed to deliver better quality care to African patients.

Charles Savage is a visionary entrepreneur and seasoned leader in the financial technology sector. As the Founder of EasyEquities and CEO of JSE listed Purple Group, he has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives that have revolutionized investment accessibility and democratized financial markets for individuals by retaining a core focus on delivering an easy, enjoyable, rewarding and educational user experience for everyone.

With a passion for innovation and a commitment to empowering investors of all backgrounds, Charles has driven EasyEquities to become the leading and fastest growing platform for investing in South Africa, making stock market participation more inclusive and affordable than ever before. Under his leadership, Purple Group has thrived as a dynamic force in the fintech industry, continually pushing boundaries and challenging traditional norms.

Charles's entrepreneurial journey is marked by a dedication to leveraging technology to break down barriers to entry in the financial world, enabling individuals to take control of their financial futures with ease and confidence. His forward-thinking approach and unwavering commitment to financial inclusivity have earned him widespread recognition as a trailblazer in the fintech landscape.

Sam is a trained economist specialising in understanding the complexities of the South African economy. Prior to joining the EICN, Sam spent time in both the public and private sector, first as an economist within the Economic Policy division of the National Treasury, and then as a consulting economist at Econometrix, and Deloitte. During his time in private sector, Sam specialised in analysing events and government policies to dilute these into constructing business strategies. Sam also spent time in Switzerland as an economist for airline industry body IATA. Sam holds a masters degree in economics from Stellenbosch University, and has studied further at the Insitute for Social Studies in The Hague, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the Levy Economics Insitute of Bard College in New York State.