Charles K. Chirongoma
Tech Strategist | Systems Thinker | Practical Futurist
I work at the crossroads of technology, strategy, and human systems—where process meets purpose. With a background in management consulting, financial rigor learned through CFA candidacy, and an obsession with workflow design, I help organizations cut through complexity and build solutions that stick.
About Me
I'm not here to sell shiny dashboards or pitch buzzwords. I'm here to align incentives, automate the right bottlenecks, and turn messy data into momentum. My approach blends financial logic, systems thinking, and tool-agnostic pragmatism to drive results across public, private, and hybrid teams.
What I'm focused on right now:
- Leading a digital overhaul for Cape Town's CCID Research department—replacing legacy systems with no-code systems (Airtable, Zapier, Bespoke BI Tools) to streamline city wide data collection and research initiatives.
- Developing AI-powered decision tools to help non-technical users make better calls, faster.
- Building a boutique tech consultancy to bring scalable automation and smart data systems to African SMEs and development partners.
Why Work With Me
Because I don't just build systems—I fix broken ones.
I work with teams stuck in the trenches of spreadsheets, silos, and legacy thinking. Then I untangle the mess, align the incentives, and architect solutions that actually stick. Whether it's automating workflows with no-code tools or designing KPIs that actually reflect impact, I bring the strategic clarity needed to move fast without breaking things.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
- I translate complexity into action—bridging the gap between ops, devs, and decision-makers.
- I design feedback loops, not just dashboards—making data useful, not just visible.
- I embed strategy into systems—so progress isn't just a plan, it's the default.
In short: if your team is trying to scale, modernize, or stop drowning in disconnected tools and data, I'm the guy you want on the whiteboard and in the weeds.
Work Experience
Analytics Department Lead
CCID (Cape Town Central City Improvement District)
Oct 2024 – Present
- Transitioned the research center hub to Airtable, streamlining city-wide data collection and validation processes.
- Managed a team responsible for accurate data collection, feeding into Power BI dashboards used in publications and stakeholder presentations.
- Automated repetitive workflows, improving efficiency and enabling stakeholders to access real-time insights.
- Integrated financial metrics into reports by leveraging my CFA knowledge to enhance data insights and strategic decision-making.
Tech Strategy Consultant
Heineken/Greenway Africa
Mar 2023 – Present
Heineken:
- Designed and implemented standardized operational metrics to measure and analyze performance effectively, providing actionable insights across teams.
- Built and managed robust databases for tracking operational performance, ensuring data integrity and consistency in reporting.
- Automated workflows for data collection, validation, and reporting, significantly improving efficiency and decision-making processes.
Management Consultant
BMA
Jan 2022 – Dec 2023
- Designed and executed benchmarking reports for the automotive, CTFL, chemicals, and furniture sectors in South Africa.
- Developed and automated data collection and analysis systems using Power BI, ensuring high-quality, actionable insights for stakeholders.
- Led operational performance reviews through process analysis frameworks, identifying deviations and aligning outcomes with organizational goals.
Skills & Expertise
Core Strengths:
- Value Chain Mapping & Incentive Alignment
- Process Optimization & Systems Thinking
- Financial Modeling
- Stakeholder Adoption Strategies
- AI Tool Design (Non-Coder Approach)
Technical Tools:
- Power BI | SQL | Salesforce | Airtable/Zapier
- Advanced Excel | Process Automation | Lucid Chart
Education & Certifications
- CFA Level 2 Candidate | CFA Institute (2024)
- BCom in Economics | University of Pretoria (2020)
- BCom Honors in Economics | University of South Africa (2025)
- Certifications: McKinsey Forward Program, Udemy Business Analysis, IECDL Digital Literacy
Academic Contribution: Lectured Academic Information Management at the University of Pretoria (2021–2022).
Portfolio
Technology Implementation | Non-Profit
AI-Powered Business Research Automation – CCID
0-6 months | Cape Town, WC
- Problem: Manual business research delayed urban development decisions.
- Action: Built an AI tool to automate spreadsheet-based research, generating structured insights in minutes.
- Result: Reduced research time from days to minutes, enabling rapid analysis for investment strategies.
Big Data & Analytics | Non-Profit
Cape Town CBD Property & Business Activity Assessment
0-6 months | Cape Town, WC
- Problem: Lack of real-time property data misaligned city planning efforts.
- Action: Led field research to compile granular insights on vacancies and business trends.
- Result: Provided first-of-its-kind data to guide redevelopment and annual Business Confidence Surveys.
Market Research | Energy & Utilities
Korean Desalination Manufacturer Market Entry Analysis
0-6 months | Cape Town, WC
- Problem: High-risk partnership evaluation for desalination tech in South Africa.
- Action: Conducted technical, regulatory, and market due diligence.
- Result: Avoided a risky investment, redirecting resources to viable opportunities.
Big Data & Analytics | Public Sector
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030: State of Fashion Report Database
0-6 months | Remote
- Problem: Fragmented data hindered Saudi Arabia's fashion industry visibility.
- Action: Designed a centralized database mapping sourcing, manufacturing, and retail channels.
- Result: Enabled decision makers to align initiatives with regional supply chain strategies.
Benchmarking | Manufacturing
ROI Analysis on Supplier Development Program
0-6 months | Cape Town, WC
- Problem: No framework to quantify supplier development ROI.
- Action: Built a Dynamic ROI Model to simulate scenarios and optimize $5M+ investments.
- Result: Streamlined supplier selection and resource allocation for cost savings.
Digital Transformation | Manufacturing
Benchmarking Tool for South African Manufacturing Industry
0-6 months | Cape Town, WC
- Problem: Manufacturers lacked tools for growth strategy and reporting.
- Action: Developed Growth Finder, a platform automating insights from collection to final report delivery.
- Result: Cut reporting time by 90%, empowering SMEs with data-driven scalability.
Tech in Action
Delivered by Us at Chase Continental
City research public dashboard
Maize milling business intelligence platform
AI-powered interview application
…and many more.