Practical leadership development since 1991
CAMDEV began with doctoral research into how South African managers actually learn — and has spent three decades turning that research into programmes that work.
Founded on research, proven in practice
The Center for Advanced Management Development was founded by Dr Neill Stevenson to implement the findings of his doctoral research into management education, training and development in South Africa.
In 1991, CAMDEV was chosen to offer the prestigious Edinburgh Business School MBA from Heriot-Watt University, Scotland — a pioneering move welcomed by business for the flexibility of distance learning and the credibility of Heriot-Watt’s Royal Charter. Students were typically sponsored by their organisations, including most major corporations, and more than six thousand master’s-level courses were delivered.
In 1992, CAMDEV designed and developed a unique Management Development Programme in a joint venture with the University of Natal — run with university faculty, consultants and business practitioners, and customised for organisations such as Telkom and Spoornet.
After its 1997 acquisition by the JSE-listed Educor group, CAMDEV’s programmes continued to run and grow within the group. In 2005 Dr Stevenson re-launched CAMDEV independently, with a renewed focus on consulting, executive mentoring, management coaching and team development.
Today CAMDEV is AI-enabled: personalised programmes built on 360-degree assessment, delivered through daily microlearning, supported by professional coaching and an AI Leadership Coach available around the clock.
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1991
Founded; launches the Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh Business School) MBA in Southern Africa.
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1992
Designs, develops and runs the University of Natal Management Development Programme; customised versions for Telkom and Spoornet.
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1997
Acquired by the JSE-listed Educor group; programmes continue to run and grow.
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2005
Re-launched by its founder with a focus on organisational, team and individual change, growth and development.
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Today
AI-enabled ADP and MDP programmes: assessment-led, coached, delivered daily, supported 24/7.
Evidence-based, experience-tested
CAMDEV’s methods draw on established learning and development practice — applied, not academic.
Experiential learning
Programmes follow the discipline of experiential learning: act, reflect, conceptualise, apply. Managers learn in the flow of their real work, not in a simulation of it.
Coaching practice
More than 10,000 documented hours of coaching and mentoring inform how CAMDEV coaches — including approaches drawn from Gallwey’s Inner Game and integral development models.
AI where it helps
AI personalises each programme, delivers lessons daily and answers questions in the moment. Human judgement stays where it belongs: in coaching, assessment and design.
Dr Neill Stevenson
Dr Neill Stevenson is an organisational and leadership development consultant with extensive experience as an executive, consultant, educator and executive coach. He holds a PhD in Education and Development, and his special interest is strategic planning, change management and optimising the output of high-functioning individuals.
As founder and Managing Director of CAMDEV he co-ordinated a faculty of more than fifty lecturers and support staff, negotiated the Heriot-Watt University partnership, and headed the Human Resource Development joint venture with the University of Natal.
“Our story is one of continuous evolution and an unwavering commitment to developing leaders who transform their organisations.”