Founder

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Is there a more round-about way to start a business?

After completing his computer science degree at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, our founder took the first step to start COGITA in 1983 while working full time. He bought a CP/M microcomputer to write software.

But sales were terrible. Progress was slow. 

So with his wife Margaret Brown's backing our founder went back to Otago University in 1984 and started a masters degree in business administration. Using what he was learning in his MBA classes our founder started COGITA in full. With MBA completed in 1986 our founder moved to Auckland to work for New Zealand Steel & get more sales experience. 

The call of his own business was too strong. And our founder returned to COGITA full-time in 1987. His wife joined the business full-time in 1989. Margaret & the incredible team of COGITA leaders built the business internationally, specialising in FMCG manufacturing & distribution systems, until its sale to Silicon Valley company Epicor in 2012.

Today COGITA is a holdings & investment company.

On 17 May 2025 the University of Otago conferred the Honorary Doctor of Commerce degree upon our founder.