Team
Our leadership team is comprised of experienced executives from various disciplines, all united in supporting Kabuni's vision.
Nimesh Patel | Founder
Nimesh is a seasoned technology entrepreneur with a rich background in property and technology, boasting over 25 years of experience as a founding CEO for innovative companies. He has served as a board member for various public and private organisations, as well as charities in the UK, Canada, and Australia.
Nimesh has successfully completed two public listings, raising over $50 million for multiple projects. Currently, he leads Kabuni, a privately-held UK company with an ambitious mission: to unlock the design potential within every individual and elevate their lives. Kabuni aims to create an unprecedented immersive platform, driving evidence-based micro-learning to enhance curricula and shape the future of work.
As part of a family of entrepreneurs deeply passionate about leaving a lasting legacy, Nimesh's four children are actively involved in both Kabuni and their own entrepreneurial endeavours.
Though Nimesh acknowledges having made mistakes as a person and entrepreneur, his unwavering curiosity and dedication to leaving the planet better for future generations continue to fuel his pursuits.
John Hayduk | Chief Operating Officer
John currently lives in New Jersey with his twin boys and wife of 21 years, Roxanne. He has over 30 years’ experience in the software and telecommunications industry and began his career at Bell Communications Research as a Senior Software Engineer.
John then took his expertise to Telcordia Technologies, where he spent the next decade in various senior management positions. He led large scale software development teams focused on development of high volume, real time transaction processing systems and operations support systems for telecommunications service providers. He also ran a new business unit for Telcordia Technologies specifically focused on operations software for new service introduction and service assurance solutions targeted at wireless service providers.
Most recently, John was the Chief Operations Officer at Tata Communications (12 years) - part of the $100+ billion Tata group of companies. He was responsible for the company’s operations and IT capability managing a team of over 2,100 staff in more than a dozen countries worldwide.
Nina Jane Patel | President Of Research
Considered cutting-edge in her field and a thought leader on the implications of safety, psychology and physiology of human interaction in the Metaverse. Patel is also a psychotherapist and doctoral scholar, awarded the Wilkie Calvert Scholarship - “Unlocking the Potential of Immersive Experiences for the Future of Human Society: Investigating the physiological and psychological impact of the Metaverse". Dedicating her career to investigating the intersection of culture, mental health and technology, Nina is an advocate for technology as a tool for innovation, creativity, education and mental health. In 2020 and 2022, Nina was commissioned by the Canada Council for new research investigating human interaction in the Metaverse.
As an award-winning entrepreneur, and psychotherapist, Nina is invited to stages around the world to share her signature talks offering soul-stirring call-to-action to contribute to shaping the future of the Metaverse.
Nina is a wife and mother to four children and one fur baby, Duncan. Being both Canadian and British, she is lucky to call both countries home.
Ron Davis | VP of SPACE Ron Davis boasts three decades of expertise, combining his vast property knowledge and commercial acumen from esteemed roles in the property services sector, including stints at Halifax, Haarts, Woolwich Property Services, and various independent agencies. His career also encompasses the successful revitalization of struggling independent estate agents and two decades of running his ventures, Madisons and Abode London, in South East and Southwest London. Ron's proficiency extends to proficiently managing the complexities arising from diverse external and internal sources, emphasizing the importance of effective relationship management.
Additionally, Ron has adeptly undertaken the role of project manager for numerous developments, both for himself and external clients, guiding them from project inception to completion. He takes pride in providing unwavering support to clients throughout the entire process.
Ron's prominence in the property domain is further highlighted by his appearances on over 40 episodes of BBC1's "Homes under the Hammer" as a local agent for Southeast and Southwest London. He even ventured into auditioning for a presenter's role on the show. Beyond television, Ron has shared his insights through talks with the Progressive Property Network, where he demystifies the intricacies of property development and investment.
Notably, Ron holds level 2 and 3 City and Guild certifications in Electrical Installation and Design.
Mark Spelman | Corporate Board Chair
Mark has over 20 years experience at Board level; his roles cover business, sport and the charity sectors. He is passionate about strategy, people and the role of technology to improve working lives. He is a Non Executive Director of the global engineering consultancy Buro Happold, where he chairs the Investment committee; he sits on the Advisory Board of Newdea, an open source trade and investment platform focussed on Africa; he is a member of Chatham House's finance committee; and is Chair of Leap, an award winning UK charity specialising in helping young people understand the causes and consequences of conflict.
In his former executive career, Mark was Global Head of Strategy at Accenture, and ran Accenture’s global macro-economic think-tank, the Accenture Institute for High Performance.
He has worked closely with the Executive Chair of the World Economic Forum (WEF) over the past fifteen years; most recently on their Digital Economy global challenge, examining issues of responsible digital transformation, digital identity, and new digital business models.
Mark is a keen sportsman; his previous board roles have been as a Non Executive Director at Sport England and Harlequins Rugby. He has an MA in Economics from Cambridge; an MBA from INSEAD and is married to Caroline, a former UK Conservative MP and Environment Minister.
Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE | Education Investment Committee Chair
“Children can only aspire to what they know exist.”
Ger Graus is a renowned figure in the field of education. He was KidZania’s first Global Education Director and founding CEO of the Children’s University.
In the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List Ger Graus was made an Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to children. In his book ‘Natural Born Learners’, Alex Beard says: “In learning terms, Ger Graus is Jean-Jacques Rousseau meets Willy Wonka.”
In 2019, Ger became a Visiting Professor at the National Research University, Moscow, Russia. He advises a range of start-ups, NGOs and school groups globally. Ger is also a Board Director and chairs a number of advisory boards. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1983 where he began his teaching career, later becoming a Senior Inspector, and Education Director.
Ger is a member of Bett’s Global Education Council; DIDAC India’s Advisory Board; Junior Achievement’s Worldwide Global Council; advises the Fondazione Reggio Children, Italy; and has been invited to help shape the future of education in Dubai as a member of the Dubai Future Councils.
Last updated
