Now developing diamond startups, former De Beers Group executive Jonathan Kendall describes himself as an “intrapreneur.” In an interview with the February edition of Rapaport Magazine, Kendall was asked: If a book were written about your life, what would it be called, and why?
He said it might be called “The Art of the ‘Intrepreneur.'”
Jonathan Kendall, who spent two decades in senior roles, including leading businesses within De Beers Group, is now dedicated to developing crypto startup Diamonds4Crypto and blockchain service provider Diamond Ancestry.
Jonathan Kendall
“Throughout my life, I have set up and developed businesses and brands without taking on the financial risk of being an entrepreneur,” Kendall said.
“I call this being an ‘intrepreneur’: somewhat of a wild card within corporate life and succeeding through intuition to some extent, with a strong understanding of future trends and an ability to see opportunities, persuade the board you have a great idea, build the business plan, and deliver what you promised.”
Kendall said: “It’s not a role many standard corporate executives find appealing, as they prefer the systematic, bureaucratic life focused on meetings, committees, policies, procedures and the like.
“As an intrepreneur, you have to break the rules, take the risks, look outside, build strong external networks, and be trusted both internally and externally.
“Of all aspects of my life, surrounding myself with the best possible people has made a tremendous difference, as even in the toughest of times, we have remained positive and kept a sense of humour.”
