Mike Stopforth

I had the pleasure of spending an evening seated next to Ravi Naidoo, founder of Interactive Africa, the Design Indaba and the brain behind successes HIP2B2 and South Africa’s 2010 Word Cup Bid at an SAB function the other evening.

Ravi is one of those unique beings who has the ability to draw you, almost instantaneously, right into his space. His enthusiasm, intellect, sincerity and humanity are appealing qualities - qualities I am typically skeptical about finding in the arsenal of such a successful and high-flying businessman.

We connected immediately on the subject of the 2006 World Cup - Ravi being a fanatical rugby, cricket and football fan - and quickly got talking about Ravi’s business interests and my stuff. We ate good food, drank Peroni and mused on the challenges of Multiple Ambition Disorder (MAD). We discovered we’re both a little MAD.

If you get a chance to see him speaking, take it. My thanks to Breweries for the invite and Ravi for his time.