Open To Work
Carlo Ricci
Cape Town
Summary
Commercial executive with excellent employee & customer development, new business and analytics skills coupled with more than 25 years of experience. Successfully navigated diverse cultures across multiple countries for investment banks, asset managers, and FinTech firms. Comfortable giving engaging presentations to clients to drive new business, expand accounts and establish brand profile. Excellent team builder and leader of initiatives. Commitment to excellence ensures a consistently high standard of performance, serving as a valuable brand ambassador for any organization.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional President – Southern Africa & PALOPS
Network International
04.2023 - 04.2026
- Responsible for ~$350million of revenue generation (TCV), onboarding of ~15 new clients and opening of 5 new countries
- Directed growth and expansion of Network International's leading payments technology platforms, products, and services in Southern Africa and Portuguese-speaking African regions.
- Management responsibility for roughly 100 staff across locations in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Malawi, Zambia, Angola
- Leading, coordinating, and facilitating commercial and sales teams in client acquisition and deal closure to secure monthly revenue and sales objectives for region
- Management of effective operations technology delivery, customer service, and commercial functions
- Formulating and executing a comprehensive strategy to expand network’s client base and footprint
- Compiling and delivering monthly findings to Group EXCO
- Complex deal structuring, contract negotiation & team overview & support
- Collaborating with executive leadership and senior officials at financial institutions, MNOs, fintech organizations & governmental entities
- Coordinating with in-country team members to enhance operations, relationships & cross-sell opportunities
- Spearheaded regional strategy development to enhance market penetration and drive revenue growth.
- Led cross-functional teams to implement operational efficiencies across multiple locations.
Regional Director – Southern Africa & PALOPS
Network International
04.2018 - 03.2023
- Overseeing regional sales team to ensure achievement of monthly revenue and sales targets for region
- Spearheaded business development and growth of new financial services clients in region
- Constructing and analyzing internal business cases, financial models, and commercial proposals
- Expanding strategic partnership opportunities to drive uptake of NI's digital payment solutions & managed service offering
- Managing client accounts and driving growth of digital payments business & customer portfolios
- Guiding clients through strategic planning and analyzing industry dynamics
- Directing delivery of new project implementations and maintaining client expectations & service level agreements.
- Coordinate and devise strategies with international card schemes to accelerate implementation of digital payment solutions across the region
- Consulting with government entities, reserve banks, national payment institutions, and industry organizations to promote payment digitization and enhance financial inclusion in various countries
- Aiding financial institutions to fulfill industry and government payment regulatory requirements and compliance obligations and international scheme mandates
- Supplying product development teams and executive committee with strategic insights and input regarding new product initiatives, alternative payment methods, and client needs
- Led regional strategic initiatives to enhance market penetration and drive revenue growth.
- Representing Network International at industry and regulatory gatherings, conferences, and workshops
Head of Global Strategic Partnerships
JUMO
10.2015 - 03.2018
- Building value accretive partnerships with MNOs & FSPs in Jumo’s core & expansion markets
- Driving strategic and commercial opportunities to ensure profitable scaling of the platform
- Understanding regulatory, technical & operational requirements for MNO & FSP partners
- Macro environment research & intelligence mapping of the global mobile money and Fintech ecosystems
- Providing real-time, robust & insightful business information to assist EXCO with strategic planning
- Engaging with internal teams responsible for Legal, Regulatory, Credit Risk, Portfolio Management, Product, Marketing, Customer Insights, Data Science, Finance and Operations
- Working effectively with in-country team members to manage relationships & drive product optimisation
- Representing JUMO at key global industry and regulatory events, conferences & workshops
- Marketing & promoting JUMO as a global industry leader in financial inclusion, financial technology & predictive analytics
- Closed deals with two large global Telco operators and opened the mobile money market for JUMO in Asia
- Managed JUMO's largest MNO clients across the continent
Investment Specialist
Discovery Holdings
07.2013 - 09.2015
- Growing & managing distribution teams to achieve their annual Discovery Invest AUM targets
- Assisting distribution teams with consultative sales, client acquisition & relationship management
- Training retail distribution teams and setting annual performance targets
- Providing investment solutions and positioning of Discovery products and fund range to clients
- Presentations of Discovery solutions to HNW individuals, Family Offices and Corporate clients
- Asset allocation, portfolio construction & fund selection for clients & advisors
- Providing marketing tools, financial models and training to assist brokers with financial planning & advice
- Assisting financial advisors in their financial planning processes, investment strategies and client meetings
- Conducting training workshops and presentations to IFAs and Discovery Distribution teams
- Keeping up with industry trends and identifying and understanding competitor product and fund offerings
- Knowledge of the investment industry, local economy and global macroeconomic environment
- In depth knowledge of all Discovery Invest products and lisp platform fund range - local and international
- Analyzed investment portfolios to identify growth opportunities and mitigate risks.
- Developed tailored investment strategies aligning with client financial goals.
Consultant
Independent Consultant
07.2012 - 06.2013
- Consulting the corporate retail market on their CSR, environmental & carbon reduction initiatives
- Negotiating commercial terms & lease agreements for private clients in the renewable energy sector
- Providing FX physical settlement, hedging and risk management services to corporate and retail clients
- Distribution of organic feed additive products for the husbandry industry and corporate retail suppliers
- Marketing and Sales of organic feed additive & organic fertiliser products to commercial farmers
- Conducting R&D programs with tertiary academic institutions and the Western Cape Government
- Analyzed client needs to develop tailored strategic solutions.
- Facilitated workshops to enhance stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
Head of Asset Allocation
EquityBridge Asset Management (Guernsey) Ltd (EBAM)
04.2011 - 07.2012
- Asset allocation and portfolio management of EBAM's multi-manager fund range
- Global macro-economic analysis, multi-manager fund research and due diligence
- Development of distribution networks and maintaining institutional & retail client relationships
- Financial product and fund origination for retail and institutional market
- Managing daily operations and longer-term strategic approach of the business globally
- Scenario analysis, financial modelling and portfolio risk management
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
Director
Virgen Asset Advisors (Guernsey) Ltd (VAA)
10.2010 - 07.2012
- Ensuring the effective management and operating of VAA and its forestry activities
- Driving the strategic and commercial expansion of the Channel Islands listed fund
- Negotiation of forestry management, supply & purchasing contracts
- Financial modelling and management for the establishment of forestry plantations and multi-specie inter planted alternatives – ensuring optimal growth and harvest cycles of multi-specie plantations to maximise profitability
- Managing cash flow, scenario analysis & operational risk management
- Oversight of the forestry management arrangements and adherence to environmental standards
- Led strategic investment initiatives to optimize portfolio performance and client satisfaction.
- Developed and implemented risk management frameworks to enhance asset protection strategies.
Director
EquityBridge Capital (Pty) Ltd
01.2009 - 04.2011
- Managing daily operations and longer-term strategic approach of the business
- Business development and relationship management with institutional & retail clients
- Financial product origination/engineering of structured notes, property & alternate asset funds
- Structuring mezzanine & bridging finance solutions for commercial & large-scale retail property developers
- Development of a white-label discretionary, market counterparty, CFD trading platform and a private client execution only stock broking platform
- Growing a broker intermediary retail distribution & sales agent network
- Developed and implemented risk management frameworks to enhance asset protection strategies.
- Led strategic investment initiatives to optimize portfolio performance and client satisfaction.
Assistant Vice President
Deutsche Bank AG, London
04.2004 - 07.2007
- Managing an Emerging Market and structured credit valuations team
- Responsible for providing timely, accurate valuations of illiquid structured credit products
- Maintaining & building client relationships with post-trade & sales support
- Working with trading desks to inherit FO valuations & challenging FO valuations
- Providing indicative mid prices for unwinding of trades and notes buy-backs
- Building models for the valuation of SPV, CLN, CDS, OTC, FX and Equity linked notes
- Testing and integrating DB’s internally developed analytical libraries and pricing models
- Led cross-functional teams to implement risk management strategies, enhancing operational resilience.
- Developed and refined financial models to support investment decision-making processes.
Contractor (Finance Department; Money Laundering/KYC & Global Tax Reconciliation Project)
RBC Financial Group – Finance, Risk & Compliance Department
04.2002 - 03.2004
- Monitoring and reporting of client transactional activity
- Reviewing client files and client category& ensuring documentation met FSA regulations
- Preparing client transactional monitoring programs and reports for risk review
- Analysing tax reclaim requirements as required by the Revenue Authorities
- Reconciliation of client details and tax information across the banks various operating systems
- User acceptance testing around automated reconciliation system developed by the Project & Tech. team
- Ascertaining clients’ tax classification for entry into foreign markets and relevant tax treatment
- Research of tax processes required for events in countries where the bank has an established presence
- Cash flow analysis, bank reconciliations and purchase ledger functions.
- Reconciliation of invoices & expenses for various projects & operational areas
- Assisting in preparation of management accounts
- Supervision of client account write-offs, including forex & billing adjustments
- Assisted in financial reporting processes, ensuring accuracy and compliance with regulations.
- Conducted data analysis to support risk assessment initiatives within finance department.
Education
Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement -
CFA Institute
01-2025
Chartered Financial Analyst -
CFA Institute
01-2024
Advanced Valuations & Strategy - M&A, P.E. and Venture Capital
Erasmus University
01-2020
Italian Language Courses - undefined
Universita per Stranieri, Perugia, Italy
Perugia, Italy01-2007
Registered Persons Course -
London Securities Institute / SAIFM
01-2000
BCom Investment Management - undefined
University of Stellenbosch
01-2000
undefined
SACS
Cape Town, South Africa01-1995
Skills
- Experienced in strategic leadership
- Process management
- Commercial strategy development
- Team collaboration enhancement
- Stakeholder engagement
Timeline
Regional President – Southern Africa & PALOPS
Network International
04.2023 - 04.2026
Regional Director – Southern Africa & PALOPS
Network International
04.2018 - 03.2023
Head of Global Strategic Partnerships
JUMO
10.2015 - 03.2018
Investment Specialist
Discovery Holdings
07.2013 - 09.2015
Consultant
Independent Consultant
07.2012 - 06.2013
Head of Asset Allocation
EquityBridge Asset Management (Guernsey) Ltd (EBAM)
04.2011 - 07.2012
Director
Virgen Asset Advisors (Guernsey) Ltd (VAA)
10.2010 - 07.2012
Director
EquityBridge Capital (Pty) Ltd
01.2009 - 04.2011
Assistant Vice President
Deutsche Bank AG, London
04.2004 - 07.2007
Contractor (Finance Department; Money Laundering/KYC & Global Tax Reconciliation Project)
RBC Financial Group – Finance, Risk & Compliance Department
04.2002 - 03.2004
Advanced Valuations & Strategy - M&A, P.E. and Venture Capital
Erasmus University
Italian Language Courses - undefined
Universita per Stranieri, Perugia, Italy
BCom Investment Management - undefined
University of Stellenbosch
undefined
SACS
Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement -
CFA Institute
Chartered Financial Analyst -
CFA Institute
Registered Persons Course -
London Securities Institute / SAIFM