Andre Sharp

As Executive Vice President for Innovation at Regus Group, Andre oversees Regus' product and strategic alliance development. He describes the role as the best job in the company. Andre Sharpe joined Regus in 2008, when the Group acquired Habitaz Global Workspaces, of which he was cofounder and CEO. At Regus he developed the Businessworld programme, a roaming workspace solution for mobile and home workers. Sharpe's interest in innovation and business emerged early on. He set up his first enterprise aged 14, developing business software, and providing technical support and training for corporate and banking customers. After leaving school and doing his compulsory military service in South Africa, he joined a small software company based in Johannesburg as Technical Director. There he designed and developed complex software systems for the health insurance industry. In 1998 Sharpe cofounded the IQ Business Group which, in three years, became the largest IT consulting firm in South Africa, with revenues of over $50 million and more than 1,000 consultants in South Africa, Australia, the US and the UK. IQ was sold in 2003, and Sharpe took time out to do an MBA, before cofounding Habitaz Global Workspaces. Habitaz set up a network of business centres and support for companies and mobile professionals, such as virtual offices, workspaces, technology services, meeting rooms and back-office support. When it was bought out by Regus in 2008, Sharpe joined Regus, to head up its Global Innovation Centre in Geneva, Switzerland.