Founder, GenAI Training Lead & Fractional CAiO, Imagineers.ai
- Built Imagineers.ai to train executives and teams in applied GenAI.
- Trained 600+ executives across 60 courses, with live counters maintained in the editor.
Christopher Damian Barker
Founder | Turnaround Director | ex-McKinsey/Deloitte | AI advisor & exec trainer
Summary
Mechanical and Industrial Engineer with the Wits faculty medal, ex-McKinsey and Deloitte Director, and a 34-year record of overlapping builds: Unilever operations, McKinsey modelling, Right to Care, Neotel, MTN, Africa Weather, turnarounds, Deloitte COVID/Vaccinate SA/Gigs, and current AI executive training.
Selected Experience
Director, Africa Head of Innovation & Growth, Deloitte
- Met sales targets every full year; targets were 50% above peer directors.
- Achieved R300m sales over five years, double target across projects.
Founding Partner, FutureForesight
- Founded FutureForesight as the vehicle for overlapping strategy, business-build, telecoms, healthcare, weather, education, and turnaround work.
- Delivered child projects including CSIR BioPad, Neotel, RightMed, MTN, Aquarius Platinum, OBP, Seacom, TopTV, Stutt Brick, Africa Weather, Eeziphone, and Vizier eMaths.
Co-founder & USAID Board Representative, Right to Care
- Co-founded what is now Africa's largest NGO, with R1.7bn FY21 funding and more than R7bn ethically dispersed.
- Pioneered workplace HIV treatment and board-level buy-in across South Africa.
Consultant, McKinsey & Company
- Associate at McKinsey & Company from 1998 to 1999, regarded as the office modelling expert.
- Contracted back as Engagement Manager for SAA work in 2000.
General Manager, Lipton Teas, Unilever
- Rose rapidly to become the youngest GM in Unilever Global history.
- Ran the most profitable unit in Unilever SA, with 1,200 employees across two factory units.