Donald Southgate
Marketing
Johannesburg,GP
Summary
Innovative and passionate business person that understands product development and execution to attract and retain customers. Position appropriate value propositions to customers using research, analytics and latest techniques to drive business revenue. Passionate about leading and managing people to achieve their best potential.
Overview
17
17
years of post-secondary education
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Marketing - Lending Pillar
First National Bank
Johannesburg, Gauteng
01.2021 - Current
- Oversaw development of traditional and social media marketing campaigns to drive sales and customer engagement.
- Managed branding campaigns and event marketing initiatives in print, video, web and social media.
- Developed strategies to incorporate PR and media to further enhance brand and build market share.
- Analyzed ratings and features of competitors to evaluate effectiveness of marketing strategies.
- Designed innovative branding and product strategies.
- Mitigated risks by staying current on changes in federal and state laws and communicating those changes to team members.
- Increased market awareness and penetration through development of creative collateral.
- Developed and strengthened business partnerships at all levels.
- Oversaw account budgets, internal billings and monthly P&L to achieve financial goals.
- Coordinated teams of design and implementation professionals to manage all project objectives.
- Planned and implemented studies to assess market conditions and evaluated results to enhance marketing campaigns.
- Capitalized on industry and marketplace trends to strategize marketing solutions and enhance business operations.
- Built and strengthened strategic relationships with vendors, advertising agencies and leading industry partners.
- Oversaw preparation of marketing copy, images, videos, emails and other collateral.
- Achieved profitability goals by developing and implementing all commercial activities.
- Considered business demands and customer preferences when developing pricing structures and marketing plans.
- Developed creative sales tools, including presentations, trend reports, kitted assets, and product data sheets.
- Conducted trials and tests of marketing channels such as paid acquisition, social media and fresh content creation.
- Supervised all marketing and planning activities to exceed retail segment sales and margin goals.
- Reduced marketing costs by streamlining marketing roles, leveraging communications materials, monitoring budgets, and developing protocol.
- Developed insights on marketing campaigns to assess performance against goals.
- Mentored local personnel on best practices and protocols to maximize productivity.
- Built and strengthened strategic relationships with vendors, advertising agencies and leading financial partners.
- Supervised all marketing and planning activities to exceed credit segment sales and margin goals.
- Continually maintained and improved company's reputation and positive image in markets served.
- Established, initiated and optimized business development strategies based on company targets, product specifications, market data and budget factors.
Head of Marketing Department
First National Bank
Johannesburg, Gauteng
10.2017 - Current
- Managed branding campaigns and event marketing initiatives in print, video, web and social media.
- Coordinated teams of design and implementation professionals to manage all project objectives.
- Analyzed ratings and features of competitors to evaluate effectiveness of marketing strategies.
- Developed strategies to incorporate PR and media to further enhance brand and build market share.
- Increased market awareness and penetration through development of creative collateral.
- Oversaw account budgets, internal billings and monthly P&L to achieve financial goals.
- Designed innovative branding and product strategies.
- Developed and strengthened business partnerships at all levels.
- Planned and implemented studies to assess market conditions and evaluated results to enhance marketing campaigns.
- Considered business demands and customer preferences when developing pricing structures and marketing plans.
- Continually maintained and improved company's reputation and positive image in markets served.
- Oversaw preparation of marketing copy, images, videos, emails and other collateral.
- Evaluated consumer preferences and behaviors, combined with market trends and historical data, to adjust and enhance campaigns.
- Captured new customers by optimizing business strategies and launching products to diversify offerings.
- Enhanced profitability to achieve marketing objectives and drive productivity and growth from concept to implementation.
- Directed marketing projects at all stages, including conceptual planning, schedule management and final implementation.
- Developed insights on marketing campaigns to assess performance against goals.
- Established, initiated and optimized business development strategies based on company targets, product specifications, market data and budget factors.
- Leveraged industry trends and competitive analysis to improve customer relationship building.
- Provided research and development on credit products to showcase benefits and retain customers.
- Reduced marketing costs by streamlining marketing roles, leveraging communications materials, monitoring budgets, and developing protocol.
Senior Marketing Manager
First National Bank
Johannesburg , Gauteng
03.2015 - 09.2017
- Leveraged data insights from surveys, previous campaigns and market research to develop targeted marketing initiatives.
- Utilized knowledge of online strategies such as search engine marketing, product listings and affiliate marketing to maximize campaign results.
- Increased brand awareness by developing technical and non-technical marketing collateral and presentations, public relations campaigns, articles and newsletters.
- Built brand awareness and generated leads while managing internal and external marketing campaigns and programs.
- Identified potential markets to capitalize on underserved areas.
- Helped incorporate product changes into marketing message to drive customer engagement and firm profits.
- Designed, implemented and enhanced national marketing initiatives to maximize outreach and sales of investment products.
- Successfully project managed numerous multi-lingual direct mail and email campaigns simultaneously.
- Implemented marketing strategies for stand-alone, fully integrated FNB company providing solutions to meet demands of financial industry.
- Implemented new SEO and SEM strategies, and Google analytics to increase conversion rates by 40%.
- Briefed senior executives on monthly projections, product launches and other marketing plans.
- Developed creative programs to meet business goals, including partnership building, event sponsorship, activation platforms and consumer experience design.
- Reduced marketing costs by streamlining marketing roles, leveraging communications materials, monitoring budgets, and developing protocol.
- Assessed marketing copy, art comps and final designs and compared with established specifications.
- Developed network of related professionals to open up business opportunities.
- Developed company brand messaging, collateral materials, customer events, promotional strategies, and product commercialization.
- Devised and deployed online marketing plans with effective SEO, social media and viral video campaign strategies.
Marketing Manager
First National Bank
Johannesburg, Gauteng
03.2014 - 02.2015
- Built brand awareness and generated leads while managing internal and external marketing campaigns and programs.
- Developed company brand messaging, collateral materials, customer events, promotional strategies, and product commercialization.
- Successfully project managed numerous multi-lingual direct mail and email campaigns simultaneously.
- Devised and deployed online marketing plans with effective SEO, social media and viral video campaign strategies.
- Developed creative sales tools, including presentations, trend reports, kitted assets, and product data sheets.
- Assessed marketing copy, art comps and final designs and compared with established specifications.
- Helped incorporate product changes into marketing message to drive customer engagement and firm profits.
- Reduced marketing costs by streamlining marketing roles, leveraging communications materials, monitoring budgets, and developing protocol.
- Developed innovative and targeted collateral to support overall branding objectives.
- Capitalized on industry and marketplace trends to strategize marketing solutions and enhance business operations.
- Developed network of related professionals to open up business opportunities.
- Briefed senior executives on monthly projections, product launches and other marketing plans.
- Designed, implemented and enhanced national marketing initiatives to maximize outreach and sales of transactional products.
- Developed creative programs to meet business goals, including partnership building, event sponsorship, activation platforms and consumer experience design.
Marketing and Product Manager
Abbvie
Johannesburg, Gauteng
08.2011 - 02.2014
- Built brand awareness and generated leads while managing internal and external marketing campaigns and programs.
- Reduced marketing costs by streamlining marketing roles, leveraging communications materials, monitoring budgets, and developing protocol.
- Developed innovative and targeted collateral to support overall branding objectives.
- Developed network of related professionals to open up business opportunities.
- Briefed senior executives on monthly projections, product launches and other marketing plans.
- Assessed marketing copy, art comps and final designs and compared with established specifications.
- Helped incorporate product changes into marketing message to drive customer engagement and firm profits.
- Designed, implemented and enhanced national marketing initiatives to maximize outreach and sales of neonatology products.
- Developed creative programs to meet business goals, including partnership building, event sponsorship, activation platforms and consumer experience design.
- Developed creative sales tools, including presentations, trend reports, kitted assets, and product data sheets.
- Developed company brand messaging, collateral materials, customer events, promotional strategies, and product commercialization.
- Capitalized on industry and marketplace trends to strategize marketing solutions and enhance business operations.
Marketing and Sales Manager
Pfizer
Johannesburg, Gauteng
08.2009 - 07.2011
- Reduced marketing costs by streamlining marketing roles, leveraging communications materials, monitoring budgets, and developing protocol.
- Achieved profitability goals by developing and implementing all commercial activities.
- Developed creative sales tools, including presentations, trend reports, kitted assets, and product data sheets.
- Leveraged industry trends and competitive analysis to improve customer relationship building.
- Capitalized on industry and marketplace trends to strategize marketing solutions and enhance business operations.
- Planned and implemented studies to assess market conditions and evaluated results to enhance marketing campaigns.
- Secured long-term accounts by recommending strategies to promote brand effectiveness and highlight product benefits.
- Oversaw preparation of marketing copy, images, videos, emails and other collateral.
- Considered business demands and customer preferences when developing pricing structures and marketing plans.
- Developed insights on marketing campaigns to assess performance against goals.
- Captured new customers by optimizing business strategies and launching products to diversify offerings.
- Enhanced profitability to achieve marketing objectives and drive productivity and growth from concept to implementation.
- Mentored local personnel on best practices and protocols to maximize productivity.
- Established, initiated and optimized business development strategies based on company targets, product specifications, market data and budget factors.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Exercise Physiology
Rand Afrikaans University
Johannesburg 02.1995 - 11.1999
Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management - Marketing
UNISA
Gauteng 02.2005 - 11.2006
Advanced Programme in Marketing Management - Marketing
UNISA
Gauteng 02.2007 - 11.2007
MPhil Future Studies - Future Studies
Stellenbosch Business School
Stellenbosch 02.2011 - 11.2013
Master of Management And Technology Innovation - Management And Technology Innovation
Da Vinci Institute
Gauteng 10.2016 - Current
MBA - General Studies
Management College of Southern Africa
Gauteng 02.2019 - Current
Skills
Marketing communications expertise
Budgeting and Allocation
Public and Media Relations
Staff Management
Product development
P&L Management
Budgeting
Brand development
Client communication
Market Analysis
Strategic Planning
Marketing and advertising
Campaign management
Relationship-Building
Responsible
Timeline
Head of Marketing - Lending Pillar
First National Bank
01.2021 - Current
MBA - General Studies
Management College of Southern Africa
02.2019 - Current
Head of Marketing Department
First National Bank
10.2017 - Current
Master of Management And Technology Innovation - Management And Technology Innovation
Da Vinci Institute
10.2016 - Current
Senior Marketing Manager
First National Bank
03.2015 - 09.2017
Marketing Manager
First National Bank
03.2014 - 02.2015
Marketing and Product Manager
Abbvie
08.2011 - 02.2014
MPhil Future Studies - Future Studies
Stellenbosch Business School
02.2011 - 11.2013
Marketing and Sales Manager
Pfizer
08.2009 - 07.2011
Advanced Programme in Marketing Management - Marketing
UNISA
02.2007 - 11.2007
Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management - Marketing
UNISA
02.2005 - 11.2006
Bachelor of Arts - Exercise Physiology
Rand Afrikaans University
02.1995 - 11.1999