About Dr. Gavin Symanowitz

Gavin Symanowitz, an actuary, headed up Strategic Product Innovation for Investments at First National Bank (recognized internationally as the Most Innovative Bank in the World) for over five years. He won the prestigious Innovator of the Year award in 2008, and subsequently left the bank to found a number of revolutionary web-based businesses. One of these, FeedbackRocket (formerly GetAGreatBoss.com) was recognized as one of the 10 Most Promising Digital Innovations world-wide in 2009, by Netexplorateur, an international organization set up under the auspices of the French Government Ministry for the Digital Economy.

The company has won a number of other international awards for innovation:

  • Finalist in The Economist Disruptive Innovation Challenge (Boston, 2011)
  • Technology Top 100 Company (2011)
  • Founder awarded Strategic Leader in HR at the World HRD Congress (India, 2011)
  • Finalist in SeedCamp, Europe's premier tech start-up competition (London, 2010)
  • Finalist in Next Top Start-up Competition (Barcelona, 2010)

Gavin was featured in the Harvard Business Review article "Learn How to Think Different(ly)" and is a Thought Leader on the South African Innovation Network. He has been a regular finalist in numerous international open innovation competitions. Gavin also writes a weekly column on innovation for Finweek, and is a trainer for Duke Corporate Education (ranked #1 in the world in custom executive education by Financial Times and Business Week for the last eleven years).

In 2005, Gavin obtained a PhD in Mathematical Statistics. He lectured formally at Wits University, and continues to lecture MBA students on an informal basis. As a member of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa, he has developed a reputation for being able to explain difficult concepts in a simple-to-understand manner.

Gavin is passionate about innovation and how it can change the world for the better.
"Gavin offers a unique mix of solid management experience, international recognition for innovative thinking, and dynamic presentation skills."

"Gavin needs to be heard in every exec boardroom and management meeting in every company in the country. Shake 'em up!"