Taddy Blecher

Biography

Dr Taddy Blecher is CEO of the Community and Individual Development Association; the Maharishi Invincibility Institute and the Imvula Empowerment Trust, and National Chairperson of the SA Government team on Entrepreneurship, Education, & Employability. He is a pioneer of the free tertiary education movement in South Africa, helping create six free access institutions of higher learning.

Dr Blecher co-founded the Branson School of Entrepreneurship with Sir Richard Branson, and has raised over R1 billion in cash, property and equity to support free access to post-secondary school education, and to modernizing the South African school system. As a result, over 20,000 unemployed South Africans have been educated, found employment and moved from poverty to the middle-class. These formerly unemployed youth (70% women) now have combined salaries in excess of R1.425 Billion Rand per annum. and expected life-time earnings of R41.85 billion. Over 600,000 young South Africans in schools have been reached with one-week education and life-skills training courses.

Dr Blecher was chosen as one of 21 Icons in South Africa, a World Economic Forum "Global Leader of Tomorrow" award recipient, a World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader of the World", a Skoll Social Entrepreneur winning a $1 million prize, and has been awarded with two honorary doctorates. In 2009 he was named by author Tom Peters as one of his top 5 most influential entrepreneurs in the world over the last 30 years. Over 65 published books have profiled Dr Blecher’s work.

A qualified actuary and management consultant, Dr Blecher is passionate about the approach of Consciousness-Based Education, a system of education developing the full potential of every student. This has led the Maharishi Invincibility Institute to winning the first prize in a global competition to find the most innovative education initiative in the world.