Experienced CEO Navin Gurnaney Takes Lead at Children’s Coding Franchise
ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Code Ninjas, a renowned name in children’s coding education, has officially announced its new executive leadership team at the helm of the brand as it makes the move to Atlanta from Houston for its new headquarters. As the franchise solidifies its commitment to shaping the future of coding education for children globally, Navin Gurnaney will serve at the forefront of the energetic executive team as the Chief Executive Officer. Code Ninjas also welcomed Nancy Delgadillo as Vice President of Franchise Development, Edward Kim as Vice President of Education and Training, Tim Klein as Vice President of Operational Excellence, Adam Patterson as Chief Financial Officer, Matt Rogers as Chief Marketing Officer, and Archana Singh as Chief Technology Officer.
“Eagle Merchant Partners is thrilled with Code Ninjas’ new leadership under Navin and team, poised to lead in children’s coding education,” said Zack Taylor, Managing Partner of Eagle Merchant Partners, who acquired Code Ninjas in 2012. “Their expertise promises innovation and growth, signaling an exciting future for the sector. We’re confident in their ability to inspire the next tech generation.”
Navin comes to Code Ninjas following decades of experience building up teams and businesses at companies such as Starbucks, PepsiCo, Dominos International, Office Depot, and C2 Education. His roles have spanned across three continents: North America, Europe and Asia. Along with his extensive history in the business world, Navin carries a versatile leadership style with a passion for operational excellence, performance, and teamwork.
“I’m really excited about the future of Code Ninjas,” said Navin. “Our size, simplicity of concept, and the tailwinds around tech education and child enrichment gives us reason to be very optimistic. Between the new leadership team and engagement of our franchise owners, we are primed for success moving forward.”
Drawing on 15 years of industry experience, Nancy, a U.S. Army combat veteran, has effectively guided local and international entrepreneurs and investors across diverse sectors including retail, automotive, and hospitality. In her new role at Code Ninjas, Nancy is committed to amplifying the presence of such a unique and innovative concept dedicated to nurturing the next generation of coders. She focuses on local and international growth, simultaneously fostering the expansion of existing franchisees by facilitating access to a variety of funding sources.
With more than 14 years of experience in education, primarily focused in afterschool K-12 programs, Edward’s career has been largely dedicated to transforming learning experiences, driving growth through both effective content and student engagement, and strengthening employee skills. At Code Ninjas, he will be responsible for driving key strategic decisions regarding the curriculum and employee training underlying every Ninja’s experience. The overarching goal of his team is to create the best Ninja experience possible.
Most recently, Tim served as a regional director of Starbucks where he supported 150 stores. At Code Ninjas, he will partner with and support owners in building a world class business that has a passion for educating the next generation through coding. Tim will combine the brand’s mission to create a culture of fun through coding and learning with operational excellence to ensure Code Ninjas maximizes its positive influence on the community. He will ensure excellence is met in operations by optimizing the dojos, processes, systems and resources.
Adam’s 15 years of experience in progressive finance roles includes a background in supporting high-growth, small to mid-sized service businesses. In joining the Code Ninjas team, he will be responsible for aligning people, processes and systems to ensure financial stability and compliance to best support the brand’s growth. Adam will partner with franchisees to drive improvements and best practices across the network.
Matt has spent over a decade helping brands develop and execute their marketing strategies, most recently serving as the General Manager of North America and Head of Global Brand for Walnut Coding, a global EdTech company. He is responsible for developing and implementing a clear marketing strategy for Code Ninjas. Additionally, Matt oversees each active campaign in order to elevate the brand’s public profile to ultimately drive franchise success.
Archana is a seasoned leader with 20 years in technology and solution architecture and a rich background with EY and NCR POS solutions. Her expertise positions Code Ninjas to significantly advance its technological frontiers, foster innovation and enhance client services. The appointment of Archana reflects the brand’s ongoing dedication to staying current with industry trends and continually enhancing its technological capabilities. Archana’s experience will lead to positive contributions with her as the new Chief Technology Officer.
This new leadership team, while still early on, has already made a positive impact on the Code Ninjas brand behind Navin’s energetic and inclusive leadership style.
Code Ninjas allows children ages 5-15 to immerse themselves in a fun and inclusive environment that provides an opportunity to empower their young minds through interactive and playful technology. For more information on Code Ninjas and franchise opportunities, visit https://connect.codeninjas.com/franchising/franchise-about.
About Code Ninjas Founded in 2016, Code Ninjas® is the nation’s largest and fastest-growing kids coding franchise. In hundreds of Code Ninjas centers across the country, kids ages 5-15 have fun building video games while gaining life-changing skills in coding, robotics, and problem solving. Kids have fun, parents see results®. For more information, visit www.codeninjas.com.
Media Contact: Seth Goodman, Fishman Public Relations, (224) 723-9645 or [email protected]
SOURCE Code Ninjas
