Charles Nhamo RUPARE

Afro Futurist, Brother, Son, Village Boy, Farmer, Afrikan World Traveller, Polymath, Strategist, Creative, Writer, Editor, Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of African Compass International (ACI) Mining & Energy, Charles is a Zimbabwean born in Mutare and lives life through the creative eye. He attended his tertiary education in Cape Town, South Africa (IMD Business School) and in Johannesburg at Milpark Business School where he studied Strategy and obtained an MBA in International Business and Strategy.

In 2001 together with a few friends, he co-founded the iconic Kush Kollective a Pan Afrikan creative incubator responsible for iconic music shows and Kush Khoza as well as Proudly Afrikan, online Pan African journals. In 2002 he worked with Ogilvy Africa (WPP group) and was responsible for business development and client management in sub Sahara Africa. In 2005 he joined The Standard Bank Group as Regional Head: Africa, responsible for Marketing, Pan Africa football sponsorship, country strategies as well as new markets strategies i.e. Mergers in Nigeria, Kenya and Argentina as well as being part of a team that opened a new Standard Bank operation in Angola.

In 2010 he focused on ACI, where he is currently Chief Operating Officer responsible for business development, operations and managing the agri-business division. To pursue his marketing interests outside of ACI, he formed a Pan Africa consulting company called Sankofa Republik, a Pan African creative incubation hub where he works with Multi- national organisations in the areas of marketing, communication, business development, creativity and strategy development. He is an award-winning African-centered brand specialist and a director of a communication company The Jupiter Drawing Room based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Charles is passionate about ideas that change the world importantly rural development. He is a Partner and coordinator of TEDxJohannesburg, a local offshoot of TED America. TED is dedicated to ideas worth spreading and inspires him to use his creativity to make a difference in the world. He is also a drummer, saxophonist, poet and a published writer.