Elke Wimbert
Business Woman, Enabler, Story Teller, Africa Channel Specialist
Sunninghill
Summary
Talented leader with +25 years of industry experience. Highly skilled at handling all types of issues successfully. Known for effective problem-solving and goal-oriented planning.
Accomplished and results-driven Channel Leader, New Business Developer, Program Manager and Project Manager with broad-based experience gained in Europe and Africa. Extensive experience in managing large scale business projects and global deals. Achieving targets and improving procedural planning. Driving enablement across product offerings in South Africa and into Africa. Contributes towards successful organizational performance through alignment of strategic, financial, business administration and development skills.
Ambitious leader handles multiple cases and maintains compliance with regulatory bodies. Offers strengths in partnership development and mentoring staff.
Detail-oriented team player with strong organizational skills. Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy. Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
2
2
Languages
2
2
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Consultant Manager
Channel Service
Sandton
04.2024 - Current
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Identified issues, analyzed information and provided solutions to problems.
- Implement enablement strategy for sales teams
- Virtual and face to face enablement on
- how to position solutions
- partner program
- sales soft skills (how to close a deal) - Identifying gaps within sales teams
- Review marketing activities
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
Partner Ecosystems VAD Leader
IBM
Sandton
01.2023 - 03.2024
- Lead and implement the channel strategy for Value Added Distributors
- Cultivated a positive work environment within the firm by promoting collaboration among colleagues.
- Fostered an atmosphere of continuous learning by leading seminars or workshops on relevant topics.
- Integrity and Compliance enablement
- Lead co marketing to assist with expected growth.
- Streamlined internal processes, fostering improved efficiency and productivity within the firm.
- Contributed to the firm''s growth by attracting new business opportunities via targeted marketing efforts.
- Chaired partner meetings to drive discussion of matters important to firm operations, keeping discourse on-topic and moving at efficient pace.
Partner Ecosystems Leader for Central Africa
IBM
04.2017 - 01.2023
- Lead and implement the channel strategy for the region
- Identify products/solutions for the region
- Acquire solution driven new business partners
- Define enablement for team and business partners
- Execute business plan.
- Coordinated cross-functional teams
- Fostered an atmosphere of continuous learning by leading seminars or workshops on relevant topics.
Software Business Partner Manager for Central and East Africa
IBM
01.2015 - 03.2017
- Lead and implement the channel strategy for partners
- Identify gaps in business partner landscape
- Acquire solution driven new business partners
- Define enablement for business partners
- Develop and agree on business plan and execute
- Agree with partners on forecast and roadmap
- Lead co marketing to assist with expected growth.
- Delivered insightful data-driven recommendations that informed key decision-making processes within the organization.
- Played a crucial role in company growth by identifying new market opportunities and developing comprehensive strategies.
Global Business Partner lead for Central Africa
IBM
07.2013 - 12.2014
- Lead and implement the channel strategy for partners
- Identify gaps in business partner landscape
- Acquire new business partners
- Define enablement for business partners in country
- Develop and agree on business plan and execute
- Agree with partners on forecast and roadmap
- Lead co marketing to assist with expected growth.
- Expanded the firm''s clientele through strategic networking and relationship building initiatives.
- Leveraged technological tools for efficient case management, organization, and enhanced client communication.
Volume Partner Manager for Central Africa
IBM
07.2012 - 06.2013
- Lead and implement the channel strategy for partners
- Identify gaps in business partner landscape
- Acquire new business partners
- Define enablement for business partners in country
- Agree with distributors on forecast and roadmap
- Lead co marketing to assist with expected growth
- Define programs and campaigns for stock holding.
Partner Program Manager and Partner Account Manager for South Africa
Fujitsu Pty LTD
10.2010 - 06.2012
- Lead and implement the channel strategy for partners
- Manage and deploy programs
- Train and support new and existing partners
- Acquire new partners
- Increase Depth of Channel.
Partner Business Manager for Southern and East Africa
Hewlett Packard South Africa
01.2005 - 09.2010
- Lead and execute the channel strategy for partners throughout the African continent
- Design, manage and deploy sales programs
- Manage business results and achieve a forecast accuracy of 85% and reach the agreed quotas
- Run local events for both partners and customers, who benefit from using our company’s partners
- Train and support new and existing partners.
Consulting & Integration Finance and Operation Team
Hewlett-Packard Global and Africa
08.2002 - 12.2004
- Involved in pre-sale deals in excess of $5 million to $23.3 million
- Solely responsible to analyze, consolidate and finalize the Profit and Loss (P&L), Forecast, Cost to Completion (CTC) strategies
- Member of steering committee to close deals of several multimillion-dollar projects
- Review and finalize contracts with the legal department
- Control and verify quality of projects
- Mentoring project managers on large deals
- Single point of contact within company for projects in West Africa
- Maintain relationships with subcontractors and partners
- Member of the negotiation team for the Government of Uganda IFMIS project in East Africa
- Align staff resources with workflow requirements and provide them with operational information
- Oversee gathering of information and review and analyze information to optimize operational projects
- Conduct training of administration staff.
Consulting team supervisor for RSA/Business Project Analyst for Africa
Hewlett-Packard South Africa and Africa
04.2000 - 07.2002
- Research and establish new business targets together with Country Manager (RSA and Africa)
- Analyze, consolidate and finalize the Profit and Loss (P&L), Forecast and Cost to Completion (CTC) strategies
- Analyze monthly results and implement action plans to improve the P&L
- Perform project inventory for project
- Escalation point for project related issues
- Member of steering committee to close deals for multimillion dollar projects
- Review and finalize contracts together with the legal department
- Contact/Escalation point for cross organization solution deals
- Advise pre-sales team tactics for big deals
- Implement ‘opportunity review meetings’ to control pre-sales costs
- As Project Resource Manager for West Africa, I was responsible for designing the financial plan
- Verify quality review of projects with project managers and mentor project managers on large deals
- Align staff resources with workflow requirements and provide them with operational information
- Oversee gathering and review of information and analysis of information to optimize operational projects
- Conduct training of administration staff and carry out performance reviews and appraisals of staff.
Project Administrator
Hewlett-Packard Germany
05.1994 - 02.1999
- Link organizations to solution projects
- Provide correct financials to accounting and projects
- Develop reporting software for project management and set-up reporting for Europe
- Define roles and responsibilities for project office.
Education
MBA - Business Management
Verwaltingsacademy Stuttart
1998.08 - 2000.09
Negotiator - Negotiation
GIBS
Pretoria 04.2001 -
Seller - Sales, Prospecting, Negotiation
IBM Sales School
South Africa/Kenya 04.2001 -
Skills
Superior communication and collaboration skills
Establishing Effective Relationships
Multitasking Abilities
Problem-Solving abilities
Proven leadership and negotiation skills
Ability to work under pressure
Focus on accuracy in processing of information
Developing business and managing subordinate teams
Ability to work either independently or as part of a team
Strategic Planning
Operations Management
Company processes and procedures
Areas Of Expertise
- Africa – English Speaking, Portuguese Speaking, Indian Ocean Islands East Europe, Mediterranean Middle East Europe, 20+ years
- Angola, Botswana, Cape Verde, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, 20+ years
- Lead channel team, 15+ years with different vendors and across business units (systems, software and services) including managing virtual teams
- Define strategy to grow Business Partner Footprint via Distributors, Diverse with onboarding new BPs and transform existing BPs. Identify gaps and align solution/products Penetrate and develop market with marketing activities tailored for country/industry and new vs existing clients
- Close skills gaps within team and business partners, Developed learning roadmap for internal and external
- Develop channel partners, Implemented account planning with BPs for their end users and their solution. Developed roadmap how to succeed with frequent checkpoints
- Increase skills within business partners, Leverage from ‘off the shelf’ enablement and BP specific requirements including soft skills
- Grow market share, Double digit growth yty for 13 African countries, excluding South Africa
- Process redesign and change management, Adopted Global processes as per local legislation
- Project and operations management, Onsite and Offsite management for World Bank funded projects in Africa as well US funded project
- Cost analysis and reporting, Ensuring costs are not exceeded and highlighting risks and advised on corrective activities
- Policy and procedure development, Adopted to executable incl. following local legislation
- Risk management and quality control, Highlighted risks and monitored closely the execution
- Development and retention of business relations, Internal, external, virtual, across region developed C-level relationships
- Customer relations, Level of relationships – C- suite / corporates / mediator
Citizenship
German (currently based in South Africa with permanent residency)
References
On request