Laurens Cloete

Experience

• 

  University of Pretoria

  Jan 1989 - Dec 1990

  CEFIM Postgraduate Fellow

  Masters degree R&D on automated design and layout of DCVSL CMOS circuitsSysadmin support on VAX mini computer

• 

  Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

  Jan 1991 - Jan 2009

  Leading role in the conceptualisation and Management of the Meraka Institute since is establishment in 2005. Contributes to growing the unit from around 60 people in 2005 to over 200 by 2012. Strategic and Operational leadership of the Information Society Technologies Centre (ISTC) in CSIR. ISTC was an R&D centre focusing on ICT for Development and Information Society Technologies including wireless broadband, ICT in Education, ICT for Health, human language technologies and e-government. Leadership and management of Software and Internet technologies R&D group. Line and technical leadership to Software Engineering capability group in CSIR Mikomtek. Project management of ICT R&D projects. Design and development of custom CMOS VLSI integrated circuits for RFID systemsR&D on fuse-linked bipolar PROM technologySoftware development in C and C++ on in-house CAD systems for IC designSoftware development for NETSEQ secure routerResearch on the use of DSP chips for encryption

  • Operations Manager at Meraka Institute

    Jan 2005 - Jan 2009

  • Centre Manager - Information Society Technologies Centre

    Apr 2003 - Mar 2005

  • Programme Manager - Computing

    Apr 2000 - Mar 2003

  • Technology Area Manager - Software Engineering

    Apr 1997 - Mar 2000

  • Project Manager

    Apr 1994 - Mar 1997

  • Design Engineer

    Jan 1991 - Mar 1994
• 

  SoftStart

  Jan 2001 - Jan 2005

  Chairman

  Approval of the strategy, plan and budget of the ICT incubatorApproval of the annual performance reportNegotiation of funding and performance targets with stakeholderRecruitment of CEO

• 

  Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

  Jul 2010 - Dec 2017

  Strategic and Operational Leadership of CSIR's Information and Communication R&D and Cyberinfrastructure unit - R&D and business strategy for capabilities in Broadband strategy and policy, Wireless Communication, Smart Systems and Internet of Things, ICT for Earth Observation, Public Sector ICT systems, - Integrated strategy for Cyberinfrastructure encompassing High Performance Computing, National Research and Education Network (NREN), national research data infrastructure and e-research. Show less

  • Group Executive: Operations

    Nov 2014 - Dec 2017

  • Executive Director (DPSS - Aerospace & Defence Technology)

    Oct 2013 - Oct 2014

  • Executive Director (Meraka Institute - CSIR ICT R&D unit)

    Jul 2010 - Sept 2013
• 

  University of Pretoria

  Jan 2018 - now

  Doctoral Student

  Researching the Role of the State in Research and Development-Led Innovation in South Africa - How do we solve the Innovation Paradox? Countries that are further from the technology frontier should benefit more from investment in innovation than those that are closer to the frontier. Yet, the paradox is that such countries invest less in R&D and innovation than advanced countries due to a lack of of innovation complementarities and weaker firm and government capabilities. The study comprises an inter-country comparative study of peer countries to determine the policy interventions that can enable middle income countries with an existing technology base to optimise R&D investment for enhanced innovation outcomes. Show less

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  REBELGROUP ADVISORY SOUTHERN AFRICA

  Dec 2019 - now

  Focussing on science, technology and innovation consulting

  • Science, Technology and Innovation Consultant

    Jun 2021 - now

  • Associate

    Dec 2019 - May 2021
• 

  Infrastructure South Africa

  Aug 2021 - Mar 2022

  Digital Infrastructure Technical Working Group Convenor

  Convenor for the Digital Infrastructure Technical Working Group as part of Infrastructure South Africa (ISA). We help public and private sector sponsors with identifying and planning large bankable infrastructure projects in the digital space.