West Point & Former U.S. Army Officer
Military service taught me to lead through uncertainty: set direction, preserve flexibility, run parallel paths, find solutions, and do what it takes to get the job done.
About Maurice Hickman
I find the pattern beneath the problem.
Maurice Hickman is a strategist, operator, West Point graduate, former U.S. Army officer, global network builder, founder of Pathfinder Maven, and co-founder of Cadence Intelligence—an AI consulting, implementation, and training firm.
The throughline
The industries and geographies changed. The work did not.
Across Army leadership, multinational projects, African market building, operational transformation, strategic advisory, and AI, the recurring task has been to understand unfamiliar systems quickly enough to help people make consequential decisions inside them.
Global exposure80+ countries; professional experience across more than 20
Regional depth15 African markets, East Asia, the Americas, and Africa–GCC corridors
EducationUnited States Military Academy at West Point; Duke MBA
Army serviceFormer U.S. Army officer; Korea and Afghanistan; Bronze Star
The operating journey
Experience across systems.
Global Project Systems
At Environmental Resources Management (ERM), led complex industrial decommissioning for multinational clients across the United States, East Asia, and Central America.
From Duke to Building in Africa
At Lori Systems and Alistair Group, led market expansion and multi-country operations—translating strategy into local teams, systems, greenfield technology adoption, and execution.
LORI SYSTEMS
Pathfinder Maven
Strategic navigation for tech-enabled, cross-border opportunities—framing decisions, localization, product-market fit, mobilizing networks, positioning capital, and translating strategy into execution.
Cadence Intelligence
AI is a layer on top of your business—not software you plug in. Those who invest in it will run circles around those who do not. Ready to turn AI into value? Then Choose Cadence.
How I think
A cognitive operating system built for ambiguity.
Like problems, solutions rarely live in one place. They emerge when people, processes, technology, structure, and cultural context come into alignment.
These principles change the information gathered, the options considered, and the quality of the resulting decision.
Systems-first, top-down framing
Start at the widest frame to see the landscape, relationships, and available paths before narrowing.
Branching courses of action
Stress-test options, failure modes, and second- and third-order effects before making the recommendation.
Action on partial information
Move on the two or three things that can be tested now, with checkpoints to correct as reality changes.
Parallel sequencing
Run market, relationship, operating, and organizational tracks together rather than waiting for artificial completeness.
Trust-first intelligence
Build relationships that produce the honest diagnosis instead of a polished performance.
Translation through story
Make context and decision logic visible so others can adapt without you in the room.
Human-led. AI-enabled.
AI changes what your business must become.
I use AI throughout my process, enabling me to hold more context, connect more signals, test more pathways, and deliver better strategies, investor maps, roadmaps, and execution plans.
AI amplified my work, so I co-founded Cadence Intelligence. I saw companies struggle to create value. The problem isn't the technology. It's understanding how AI works, so you can leverage it cross-functionally.
Real transformation is not more tools, aloof KPIs, licenses or lecture based training. It is redesigning the workflows, operating systems, and decisions that drive P&L and will determine how your organization creates value in a rapidly shifting landscape.
The network effect
The right people change what’s possible.
Built through friendship and trust—not transactions. When the fit is real, it creates insight, access, and paths to action.
Wide map
Find expertise, investors, customers, and partners across sectors and geographies.
Deep nodes
Reach trusted people who sharpen the frame, bridge gaps, and open pathways.
Cultural anchors
Gain ground truth from people who know how a market, institution, or ecosystem works.
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