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biography cyberlog speaker gallery 7 summits

Tony van Marken (42) is a successful businessman and avid adventurer and has established a reputation as an outstanding motivational speaker. He reached the summit of Everest via the South Col route on June 2nd, 2005, to complete his quest to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each of the world’s seven continents. In 2002, at the age of 37, Tony climbed Kilimanjaro, which ignited a passion to climb some of the world’s great mountains. In less than three years, on his first attempt,

he climbed each of the world’s seven continental summits, namely; Everest (8,850m) in Asia, Vinson Massif (4,897m) in Antarctica, Mount McKinley (6,194m) in North America, Kilimanjaro (5,895m) in Africa, Mount Elbrus (5,642m) in Europe, Kosciusko (2,228m) in Australia and Aconcagua (6,962m) in South America. He has also climbed sixteen 4,000m peaks in Europe including the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. He completed the first, South African ascent of Mount Shinn, the 3rd highest peak in Antarctica, and completed back-to-back ascents of Mount Cook and Mount Aspiring in New Zealand, a feat rarely achieved. He has also climbed the world’s sixth highest peak, Cho Oyu in Tibet at 8,201m.

Tony is a member of the American Alpine Club, Mountain Club of South Africa, Himalayan Club and a member of the Royal Geographical Society.

Tony has had a successful career as a venture capitalist, high-tech entrepreneur and management consultant, having worked in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada and France. Recognized as a leader in his field, Tony was honoured in 1998 as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and was awarded the 1996 Canadian Venture Capital Association’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Tony is based in Cape Town, South Africa and is married with two sons. In addition to his role as a motivational speaker, Tony acts as a strategic advisor to high technology companies and private equity firms in Europe and South Africa.

BUSINESS BACKGROUND Tony van Marken (42) has had a successful career as a venture capitalist, high-tech entrepreneur and management consultant, having worked in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada and France. He is currently Executive Chairman of DataPro Group Limited (JSE:DTP),

a leading independent telecommunications service provider in South Africa. He is a former General Partner with XDL Intervest Corporation, a leading Canadian venture capital fund, where he led investments in the software and telecommunications industry. Prior to XDL, he was President and CEO of Architel Systems Corporation (NASDAQ:ASYCF, TSE:ASY), a global leader in telecommunications software. As president and CEO, he led Architel through its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1996 and NASDAQ listing in 1998. Architel had annualised revenues of over $50 million and more than 450 employees worldwide with a market capitalization of $400 million. Under Tony’s leadership, Architel grew to become the 13th largest independent software company in Canada and was a regular member of the Deloittte and Touche Fast 55. Prior to Architel, Tony worked as a management consultant for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in London and South Africa. Tony has acted as a director and advisor to numerous public and private venture backed, high technology companies in Canada, the United States and Europe. Recognized as a leader in his field, Tony was honoured in 1998 as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and was awarded the 1996 Canadian Venture Capital Association’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Tony is based in Cape Town, South Africa and is married with two sons. Tony graduated with a B.Sc. (Computer Science) from the University of Cape Town and with a B.Comm. (Economics/Business Economics) from the University of South Africa.