Christopher Damian Barker
37 years' experience......plus parallel initiatives
Imagineers.ai
Founder, GenAI Training Lead & Fractional CAiO
Jan 2024 - Present | Johannesburg, South Africa
Current chapter: AI executive trainer, advisor, and fractional CAiO.
- Built Imagineers.ai to train executives and teams in applied GenAI.
- Trained 600+ executives across 60 courses, with live counters maintained in the editor.
- Secured fractional Chief AI Officer and board advisory roles, including Curro.
Daily Maverick AI Executive Retreat · ExecutiveNavigants.co.za · AI executive training programme
Ask about my career
Answers only from the CV data, with citations.
Deep dives
I have re-invented myself 12 times, arguably becoming an SA lead each time.
01Top engineering student
Graduated with a 10-year record GPA in Mechanical Engineering, winning the Wits faculty medal at graduation.
02Internationally recognised factory manager
At Unilever, ran SA's most profitable unit, led 1,200 employees across two factories, and took the factory from #16 to #2 in Unilever international benchmarks.
03Top SA modelling expert
At McKinsey, regarded as the office modelling expert in a pool of internationally recognised modellers.
04SA's leading workplace HIV consultant
Pioneered employer-funded HIV treatment, taking the economic case to roughly 150 top South African boardrooms, resulting in Anglo American first-in-the-world program.
05Builder of SA's third-largest pharmacy group
Co-founded and owner-built RightMed Pharmacy, at one stage SA's third-largest retail pharmacy by cost of sales.
06Country's leading Telecoms bid expert
Led the win of Neotel's second network operator licence and led MTN Iran bid work, outcompeting major consulting and operator teams. Amongst many other CDMA and GSM bids and acquisitions.
07SA's lead Weather commercialisation expert (pioneer)
Built Africa Weather, the first business to sell weather in Africa, and built the top-grossing SA-developed iPhone app for 3 years running.
08Prolific start-up entrepreneur
Built or co-built ventures across telecoms, pharmacy, weather, education, AI, and turnarounds, with multiple exits.
09SA's leading Critical Thinking trainer
Developed Critical Thinking expertise now used to train consulting firms and executives, including Deloitte consultants.
10Fastest SA business build
Within Deloitte, led COVID response work including Vaccinate SA, a 3,500-nurse, 1,500-site, R40Bn ARR programme, built in four months.
11Deloitte Gigs creator
Created Deloitte Gigs, a Deloitte world-first and SA-first employee entrepreneurship programme.
12Leading executive AI trainer
Leads the Daily Maverick executive AI retreat and has trained 600+ executives across 60 AI courses (mid 2026).
Skills