Cornelis Bakker
Director Business Development
Johannesburg
Summary
Performance-driven and growth-focused executive with a successful track record in implementing robust business development strategies across companywide production and marketing functions, emphasizing revenue optimization. Skilled in leading business development initiatives aligned with the company's overall strategy for new business growth. Proficient in evaluating existing and emerging markets to identify innovative product ideas for the organizational portfolio. Experienced in collaborating with Sales and Operations teams to develop new product initiatives and technologies. Instrumental in cultivating strong relationships with key customer contacts beyond the sales process. Well-versed in developing and executing the company's go-to-market strategy, including positioning, messaging, promotion, pricing, and partnerships. Demonstrated ability to plan and direct sales staff activities and objectives to maximize sales volume while setting employee performance goals and measurements for operational efficiency.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
2010
2010
years of post-secondary education
16
16
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
Group CEO, FinEdTech, EdforAll & StudyAll
Regenesys Education
06.2023 - Current
- Company Overview: Biggest private owned higher learning institute in Africa, Johannesburg, SA
- As Group CEO I’m responsible for the transformation, digitalisation and exaptation of the following companies:
- FinEdTech (Financial and Education technology – Founder) - Led the development of bespoke financial and educational technology solutions
- Key projects: Global Payments Hub, Communication, CRM (Vine), Recruitment Platform
- EdForAll (NPO/NGO) - Successfully expanded operations to Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda
- Secured key partnership deals with Telcos like MTN and Vodacom
- Achieved 18a certification from SARS, exempting EdforAll from income tax
- Reached over 10,000+ beneficiaries through educational programs
- Established partnerships with 15 schools and educational institutions
- StudyAll (study loan/legal entity) - Led the development of a debtors management system, consolidating a debt profile of R150 million
- Created a loan book system for Flexipay, student loans, and debt consolidation
- Developed a high-performance executive team for improved productivity and efficiency.
Advisory Board Member
Fintechamps
10.2024 - Current
- Consultation expert on Africa entry points for global Fintech entities and local entities looking to expand globally
- Mergers and accusation prospect's
- Regulatory compliance
- Assisted in the development of long-term business strategies, ensuring sustainable growth and profitability.
- Partnerships and network facilitation
- Project management, market trends and opertunities
Director, Business Development
PayU Payments Private
01.2016 - 05.2023
- Company Overview: a Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, SA
- Oversee and transform PayU Africa business into three top-line growth markets (SA, Kenya, and Nigeria) and drove profitability from a loss-making position
- Change focus from SMB local to high velocity and global play with keen focus on boosting growth via geo-expansion across three hubs to additional countries and constantly assessing M&A opportunities to accelerate growth, consolidate market position, and diversify product offering
- Govern major overhaul of business units to increase profitability and competitiveness by developing country blueprint structure focused on Subject Matter Experts, Business Development, and Sales
- Administer and integrate local Africa payments platform into single cloud-based platform (PayU Hub) to scale technology platforms / teams and generate significant efficiencies
- Ensure compliance of PayU entities, partners, merchants, and offerings across Africa by establishing relations with regulatory entities across Africa
- Succeeded in diversifying revenue streams and driving expansion into new business segments in cross-border payments, such as instant electronic bank transfers (OZOW, PesaLink, NIBZ), loyalty point solutions (Discovery Miles, EBucks), pay by links, multichannel (PayU bespoke), and credit solutions at point of sale
- Enhanced global competitiveness by attracting deals like Facebook, Uber, Bolt, Amazon, and other global entrants into Africa as merchant partners, providing automation of onboarding, settlement, and treasury for merchants, reducing expatiating costs, and making accelerated growth possible
- Assured PSP licenses in key operation entities (South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya – issued and renewed to date) and TSP expansion compliance into the rest of Africa whilst providing better controls by establishing local legal, compliance, risk, and data privacy entities for Africa; secured adherence at local level resulting in reduced fraud, merchant monitoring & profiling, better revenue assurance, and data compliance
- A Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, SA
General Manager – Solutions and Innovation
MultiChoice Africa
01.2010 - 01.2016
- Company Overview: a Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, SA
- Designed, developed, and managed end-to-end platform for product distribution, marketing, and developer engagement
- Spearheaded and administered launch and scaling of Digital Media division, reshaping traditional DStv's role as satellite TV in areas of mobile and online content
- Established and directed partnerships with installers, sellers, agents, and super dealers to drive business growth
- Initiated single-source data application within cloud in coordination with business intelligence team by consolidating reporting data sets for accurate forecasting, reconciliation, and trend analysis across data sets across multiple countries, currencies, taxes, and products in real-time
- Succeeded in launching single API platform for MultiChoice with keen focus on subscriber self-help and payments
- Scaled adoption from 0 to +400 online payment methods across 44 countries and +50K agent and installer adoptions
- Drove subscriber online and self-service engagement from under 10% to over 70% of the Africa subscriber base
- Originated and launched new emerging businesses into Africa, including GOtv, BoxOffice, PayU, WeChat, and ShowMax, from a single cloud-based source resulting in cost savings of over $200k per month
- Achieved reduced time for real-time reporting on subscriber trends, behavior, and innovation adoption
- Enhanced reliability for future solution and innovation investment whilst mitigating costs and investment into less effective innovation, reducing waste and cost
- Cultivated strong relationships with clients, vendors, and partners to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
Solutions Development Manager
Multichoice Africa
- Company Overview: a Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, SA
- A Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, SA
Operations Manager
SNTV
- Company Overview: London, UK
- London, UK
Shipping & Distribution Supervisor
Multichoice Africa
- Company Overview: a Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, SA
- A Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, SA
Education
MBA - Media Management Programme
University of Stellenbosch Business School
Stellenbosch, South Africa11-2010
Skills
Business Development
Revenue Optimization
Marketing Strategies
Forecasting & Budgeting
Project Management
Process Improvement
Stakeholder Management
Operational Excellence
Account Management
Executive Administration
Relationship Management
P&L Management
Contracts & Negotiations
Cross-functional Coordination
Team Building & Leadership
Certification
Certificate in Disaster Management and Recovery
Career Experience
- Regenesys Business School, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Group CEO, FinEdTech, EdforAll & StudyAll, 06/01/23, Present, Led the development of bespoke financial and educational technology solutions., Successfully expanded operations to Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda., Secured key partnership deals with Telcos like MTN and Vodacom., Achieved 18a certification from SARS, exempting EdforAll from income tax., Reached over 10,000+ beneficiaries through educational programs., Established partnerships with 15 schools and educational institutions., Led the development of a debtors management system, consolidating a debt profile of R150 million.
- PAYU – a Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Director, PayU, 06/01/16, 05/31/23, Oversee and transform PayU Africa business into three top-line growth markets., Govern major overhaul of business units to increase profitability and competitiveness., Ensure compliance of PayU entities, partners, merchants, and offerings across Africa., Succeeded in diversifying revenue streams and driving expansion into new business segments.
- MULTICHOICE AFRICA – a Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, Gauteng, General Manager – Solutions and Innovation, 01/01/10, 12/31/16, Designed, developed, and managed end-to-end platform for product distribution., Spearheaded and administered launch and scaling of Digital Media division., Established and directed partnerships with installers, sellers, agents, and super dealers.
- Solutions Development Manager, Multichoice Africa, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Solutions Development Manager
- SNTV, London, England, Operations Manager
- MULTICHOICE AFRICA – a Prosus & Naspers Company, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Shipping & Distribution Supervisor
Accomplishments
- Supervised team of [Number] staff members.
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Advisory Board Member
Fintechamps
10.2024 - Current
Group CEO, FinEdTech, EdforAll & StudyAll
Regenesys Education
06.2023 - Current
Director, Business Development
PayU Payments Private
01.2016 - 05.2023
General Manager – Solutions and Innovation
MultiChoice Africa
01.2010 - 01.2016
Solutions Development Manager
Multichoice Africa
Operations Manager
SNTV
Shipping & Distribution Supervisor
Multichoice Africa
MBA - Media Management Programme
University of Stellenbosch Business School