David Scholtz

My core belief is that the most influential, interesting and effective people are those who take a different view on the world, do things differently. They are pushed by an inner need to create their own stamp on the world and in so doing create a strong pull for people to follow them. These people who challenge the norms of personal identity through their own journey... These are the people that inspire, challenge and excite the world around them.

I am the Strategy and Product Director at mallowstreet, leading niche Enterprise Social Networking (ESN) specialist in the institutional pensions sector in the UK and Europe.

My key focus areas have included advising on business growth strategy, partnership development, corporate digital strategy advisory within the digital media, mobile and online services sectors. I have a strong grasp of new technologies, web development and consumer services.

Priously I was a Director at Ariadne Capital, an investment advisory turned VC firm in London. I joined in December 2006 to be part of the transaction team where I focused on digital entertainment, local media, travel, online consumer services, e-commerce and online recruitment. He created a corporate advisory framework for corporate digital transformations based on a 5-Stage framework.

Prior to Ariadne Capital, I was a Senior Business Analyst at Yahoo! Search Marketing, a division of Yahoo! Europe, for three years where I worked in the European Operations Finance team as a finance business partner to the European YSM Business Development team. Prior to Yahoo! Europe I was at Monster Worldwide (European subsidiary of Monster Worldwide Inc) for four years as European Business Analyst, working across the European Finance and Sales divisions with the European CEO, CFO and Head of Sales.

I am married to an Events Specialist, have a dual BA Psychology degree from Richmond the American International University in London and the Open University. I love to travel and is always keen to learn about foreign cultures, phrases in new languages and is a fan of good food and drink in great settings. I am a Swedish South African and speak English, Swedish, Afrikaans and some basic French and Dutch.