Developer of People

Hattingh
Davel

Coach. Conductor. Musician. Digital builder. Experience architect. A person who has spent his life helping others discover, develop and grow into who they were made to be.

Hattingh Davel is one of those rare people who genuinely belongs in multiple worlds at once - and who has spent his life learning how to bring those worlds together in service of others.

He holds an MBA Cum Laude from Stellenbosch Business School, where his research focused on the contribution of reflective practices to authenticity and responsible leadership. He received the Top Achiever Award for the MBA Blended General Cohort of 2022, and the Golden Key International Honour Society Award in 2024. His Magister Musicae Cum Laude was completed at North-West University and Kungliga Musikhogskolan in Stockholm, Sweden - where he explored Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Jazz Piano and Ensemble Pedagogy.

He is a Professional Business Coach through GIBS Business School, a Shadowmatch Certified Consultant, and a graduate of MIT's uLab programme on Leading from the Emerging Future. He currently serves as Head of Marketing and Communication at CCI Professional in Pretoria, while running Mildevo as a parallel calling - coaching, building, creating and performing alongside his day work.

Mildevo

"Above all of the credentials: he is someone who shows up with full presence, genuine curiosity and a deep belief that every person has more in them than they have yet discovered."

Key Highlights

A life spent building
things that matter

🎭
Nedbank Grey College Music Festival
As Head of Culture at Grey College, Hattingh owned the full production and direction of the annual Nedbank Grey College Music Festival - one of the most significant school music events in South Africa - coordinating national and international artists, faculty and logistics across multiple stages.
🎵
Paarl Boys' High Music Festival
Currently consulting on and helping shape the music festival at Paarl Boys' High - bringing his deep experience in large-scale school music production, programming and artistic direction to a new context.
🏭
Director of Music, St Alban's College
Led the Music Department at one of South Africa's leading independent schools from 2022 to 2025 - overseeing faculty development, budget, performances and the full cultural programme of the college.
🌟
Top Achiever, MBA - Stellenbosch
Received the Top Achiever Award for the MBA Blended General Cohort of 2022 and graduated Cum Laude in 2024, with a thesis on reflective practices, authenticity and responsible leadership. Member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
The Passion Play - Lead Actor
For nine years, Hattingh portrayed Jesus in the Lady Grey Passion Play - a landmark community production. An experience that shaped his understanding of presence, vulnerability and the power of story to move an audience.
📈
Head of Culture & Marketing
As a member of the Senior Management Team at High School Garsfontein, he led the school's culture and marketing strategy through the COVID-19 pandemic - pioneering the digitisation of their marketing approach and securing a ZAR 4 million cultural centre investment.
👨‍🏫
Lecturer & Academic Contributor
Lectured in Music Theory, Music Education and Dalcroze Eurhythmics at North-West University and the University of the Free State. Presented research at international conferences in Vienna, Potchefstroom and Cape Town, and published in peer-reviewed journals.
🏠
Shadowmatch Certified Consultant
An accredited Shadowmatch coach and consultant, helping individuals unlock self-knowledge through habit-based assessment - working across career guidance, personal development, study methods, relationships and team optimisation.
🎶
Session Musician & Conductor
An accomplished pianist, guitarist and bassist, and a practised conductor and choir director. Has directed marimba ensembles, jazz big bands, acapella groups and full choirs across schools, universities and community productions.
Qualifications

Academic foundation

2024
Master of Business Administration
University of Stellenbosch Business School
Cum Laude - Top Achiever Award - Golden Key International Honour Society
2024
Professional Business Coaching Programme
Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
2024
Leading from the Emerging Future (uLab)
MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2014
Magister Musicae
North-West University & Kungliga Musikhogskolan, Stockholm, Sweden
Cum Laude - Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Jazz Piano & Ensemble Pedagogy - Golden Key International Honour Society
Conference Presentations

Sharing ideas on the world stage

March 2026
The Resonant Conductor: Shaping Sound, Shaping Lives
Mzansi Conductors Convention - Cape Town City Hall, Cape Town, South Africa
July 2015
"Improvisation through Dalcroze-inspired activities in beginner student jazz ensembles: A hermeneutic phenomenology"
2nd International Conference for Dalcroze Studies - Universitat fur Musik und darstellende Kunst, Vienna, Austria
March 2015
"Acting the role of Jesus in the Lady Grey Passion Play: a phenomenological study"
International Conference on Spirituality and Music Education - North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
February 2015
"Using Atlas for the Discussion"
First National Workshop on Digital Humanities - North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa