Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Certification
Otherinvolvement
Languages
Personal Information
Hobbies and Interests
Work Preference
Accomplishments
Work Availability
Timeline
PENNY MUBAIWA

PENNY MUBAIWA

Johannesburg
In the world of customer experience, legendary business leader Sam Walton once said, “There is only one boss—the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.”
Sam Walton

Summary

Successful versatile strong driven Executive with over 20 years of demonstrated ability in delivering exceptional results. Offer outstanding communication and management of diverse cross -cultural team skills. Entrepreneurial attitude and a forward thinker and team leader adept at creating strategic alliances with organizational key stakeholders to support key strategic business initiatives.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Customer Experience Success Executive

Cisco Systems Inc.
05.2019 - 12.2024
  • Steered a portfolio of South Africa’s 3 largest banks with overall responsibility for a customer portfolio exceeding USD 20M annually
  • Led a diverse, cross-functional team and was the single point of contact for all customer experience (CX) activities and escalations, ensuring alignment between CX strategies and business goals
  • Tasked with building strategic partnerships and engaging C-suite leaders to enhance customer satisfaction and accelerate value realization
  • Directed customer experience for 3 strategic enterprise accounts, fostering long-term partnerships and client trust
  • Cultivated key stakeholder relationships at both business and technical levels to understand and align with customer priorities, growing the portfolio from USD 10M to nearly USD 20M in annual recurring revenue through trust-building and solution value realization
  • Facilitated customer value workshops and roadmap discussions to enhance customer understanding and alignment with Cisco solutions
  • Addressed solution underutilization, increased subscription adoption, and expanded support services
  • Successfully renewed a 3-year security enterprise agreement valued at over USD 7M, encompassing 10 security solutions
  • Secured a one-year support renewal for a strategic client by replacing competitor offerings, showcasing Cisco solution value, and growing the contract despite COVID-related budget constraints
  • Oversaw technical planning, leveraging cross-functional teams in various time zones to deliver skilled support and align solution use cases with customer priorities
  • Identified customer insights and collaborated closely with sales, business-critical services, customer success specialists, and engineering teams to drive solution adoption and align offerings with customer needs

Delivery Manager

Cisco Systems Inc.
08.2017 - 05.2019
  • Led the seamless delivery of customer projects, overseeing service levels, project scope, budget management, and risk mitigation for two of Cisco’s largest enterprise accounts
  • Managed cross-functional teams and high-priority escalations to support sales efforts and ensure efficient, on-budget delivery
  • Strategically managed 2 of Cisco’s largest enterprise accounts, building strong relationships with senior executives
  • Handled escalations, resolving and effectively communicating with internal and external stakeholders
  • Delivered consistent, high-quality services across operational levels, reinforcing Cisco’s reputation
  • Managed advanced services deliverables and maintained margins
  • Oversaw one of the most challenging migrations from legacy systems to application-centric infrastructure, ensuring minimal disruption and successful implementation
  • Served as the primary escalation point for customer issues, driving quick resolutions and minimizing impact on business operations
  • Led proactive monitoring and managed services by coordinating global resource teams to deliver high-quality support from multiple time zones

Owner – Retail Business

Amaranth Exclusive/Tulipblooms
01.2007 - 07.2017
  • Founded a high-end retail shoe brand, targeting the LSM 7-10 market, growing the business from conception to multiple retail locations
  • Oversaw all aspects of retail operations, including product development, marketing, supply chain, and financial management
  • Handled P&L, budget analysis, and revenue generation strategies, maintaining profitability across multiple locations
  • Coordinated international product sourcing and logistics within the South African legal framework
  • Grew a loyal customer base to over 700 through targeted marketing and retention strategies

Education

MBA -

De Montfort University

Management Advancement Programme - Management Advanced Programme

Wits Business School

Masters Diploma in Human Resource Management - Human Resource Management - Masters

University of Johannesburg

Skills

  • Customer Relationship Management
  • Accelerating Value Realization of Investments
  • Delivery & Service Level Management
  • Stakeholder Communication & Escalation Management
  • Business De-risking & Problem-Solving
  • Diverse Cross-Functional Team Leadership
  • Project & Program Management
  • Digital Transformation & Innovation Initiatives
  • Executive support
  • Customer retention
  • Interpersonal skill

Certification

  • Project Management – Wits Business School
  • ITIL v.4 Foundation
  • Customer Success Certification
  • Consulting Mastery for Professionals (CDP2)
  • Employment Equity Training – Iron Will
  • Influencing Without Authority – Duke Corporate Education
  • Managing Critical Relationships – Duke Corporate Education
  • Jump Leadership Development Programme
  • GAI Green & White Belt Certifications – Cisco Generative AI Badge Program

Otherinvolvement

  • Chairperson, Employment Equity – Cisco Systems
  • Communications Lead, Cisco Connected Black Professionals Committee
  • Mentor, Cisco Development Programme
  • Body Corporate Director

Languages

English
Advanced (C1)
Zulu
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Afrikaans
Intermediate (B1)

Personal Information

Title: Customer Experience Executive

Hobbies and Interests

  • Holistical self development
  • Walking Elcamino 2025
  • Reading - African literature/lifestyle

Work Preference

Work Type

Gig WorkContract WorkFull TimePart Time

Work Location

HybridRemoteOn-Site

Important To Me

Career advancementWork-life balanceCompany CultureTeam Building / Company RetreatsPaid sick leavePersonal development programsPaid time offHealthcare benefitsWork from home option

Accomplishments

  • Oversaw the largest Customer Experience (CX) Enterprise portfolio (Financial Services) in the Middle East and Africa, valued at USD 22 million+
  • Contract Negotiation - Decreased customer churn and expanded the security enterprise agreement for key clients.
  • Program Management: - Led program management efforts, achieving high adoption rates and surpassing both program and stretch targets.
  • Business Development: - Identified and created growth opportunities for key security solutions, resulting in increase in revenue.
  • Led efforts to revive and successfully secure the renewal of a critical observability stack solution.
  • Earned multiple connected recognitions for outstanding achievements and contributions.

Work Availability

monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline

Customer Experience Success Executive - Cisco Systems Inc.
05.2019 - 12.2024
Delivery Manager - Cisco Systems Inc.
08.2017 - 05.2019
Owner – Retail Business - Amaranth Exclusive/Tulipblooms
01.2007 - 07.2017
De Montfort University - MBA,
Wits Business School - Management Advancement Programme, Management Advanced Programme
University of Johannesburg - Masters Diploma in Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management - Masters

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PENNY MUBAIWA