Irene Van Zyl
Experienced, Mastered in Sales leadership & creating high performance sales teams
Pretoria
Summary
I am a dynamic professional with over 30 years of experience in telecommunications and IT technology, including 15 years in Executive sales and transformation leadership.
Expertise in customer lifecycle management and solution consulting, using customer spesific solution thinking frameworks. I honed through roles at leading companies such as Telkom SOC, Hewlett Packard, Swiftnet/FastNet, and BCX, both locally and internationally.
Proven track record in developing marketing and sales strategies for new business development at Luminet, complemented by a strong foundation in IT as Global Account Sales Director at Hewlett Packard. Committed to fostering partnerships with international and local customers, OEMs, and vendors to drive new business while ensuring sustainable revenue growth through effective understanding of customer expectations and internal relationships. Successful Executive with over 30 years of demonstrated ability in delivering mission-critical results. Offering outstanding communication and cross-cultural team management skills. Entrepreneurial attitude for optimal profitability. Ambitious team leader adept at creating strategic alliances with organizational leaders and effectively aligning with and supporting key business initiatives. Results-oriented professional with extensive leadership experience in high-stakes environments. Skilled in strategic planning, operational optimization, and organizational growth. Known for fostering team collaboration and delivering results under changing conditions. Key strengths include strategic vision and stakeholder management. Results-oriented achiever with proven ability to exceed targets and drive success in fast-paced environments. Combines strategic thinking with hands-on experience to deliver impactful solutions and enhance organizational performance. Qualified Sales leader with proven track record in leading teams and driving sales efficiency. Demonstrated ability to implement strategic initiatives that enhance productivity and foster growth. Known for utilizing strong leadership and communication skills to facilitate team collaboration and achieve organizational goals.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive – Senior Manager Retail and CPG
BCX
01.2019 - 08.2025
- All related sales outputs with key focus on driving long term sustainable revenue.
- Driving Budget Rev of R600mil per year across product lines, ITS, ITSS, applications and managed service.
- Established long-term client relationships through consistent delivery of high-quality products and services.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by streamlining communication channels and improving response times.
- Developed innovative solutions to complex problems, resulting in improved organizational performance.
- Mentored junior staff members for accelerated career growth, developing future leaders within the organization.
- Interviewed, recruited and trained new onboarding candidates.
- Achieved company growth by implementing strategic marketing plans and business development initiatives.
- Identified trends and assessed opportunities to improve processes and execution.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to develop actionable strategies that aligned with corporate goals and objectives.
- Managed cross-functional teams for successful project completion within budgetary constraints and deadlines.
- Implemented cost-saving measures through reevaluation of supply chain management practices.
- Expanded market presence by identifying new business opportunities and forging strategic partnerships.
- Boosted team morale and productivity through implementation of comprehensive employee development program.
- Drove significant growth in annual revenue by identifying and penetrating new market segments.
- Developed strategic partnerships with industry leaders, enhancing company reputation and access to new customers.
- Negotiated price and service with customers and vendors to decrease expenses and increase profit.
- Assisted in recruiting, hiring and training of team members.
- Managed purchasing, sales, marketing and customer account operations efficiently.
- Observed each employee's individual strengths and initiated mentoring program to improve areas of weakness.
- Implemented business strategies, increasing revenue, and effectively targeting new markets.
- Established strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, ensuring long-term partnerships and repeat business.
- Drove adoption of new technology solutions, modernizing operations and improving operational efficiency.
- Evaluated employee performance and conveyed constructive feedback to improve skills.
- Defined clear targets and objectives and communicated to other team members.
Managing Executive : Telkom as the Largest Account
BCX
09.2018 - 12.2019
- Retaining Rev of R1,7B Per year, with focus on ITS, ITSS, Application, Managed services.
- To ensure end to end modernization and automation.
- Prepared annual data to determine metrics for operational performance.
- Located bottlenecks to streamline existing processes.
- Assessed and analyzed departmental budgets to find ways to minimize expenses and optimize profits.
- Enhanced operational efficiency by streamlining workflow processes across multiple departments.
- Intercompany stakeholder management
- Contract management
- Governance and Risk management
- Cultivated high-performance organizational culture, aligning employee goals with corporate objectives and rewarding excellence.
- Interacted well with customers to build connections and nurture relationships.
- Boosted team morale and productivity through implementation of comprehensive employee development program.
Executive Head of Strategic Sales, Transformation
Telkom Group Fastnet/Swiftnet
Centurion Pretoria
02.2014 - 09.2018
- Transform the company into an IOT, Wireless data managed service
- To create a direct sales team and influence the Channel growth of the
- Grow the market from R1B to a R2B base
- Optimized operational efficiency by redesigning processes, systems, and workspaces for increased productivity.
- Assisted in employee appraisals, promotions and terminations based on performance reviews.
- Reviewed employee concerns and new opportunities to drive business strategies.
- Implemented cutting-edge technology solutions to improve data analytics, enabling more informed decision-making.
- Conducted comprehensive market research to guide development of highly successful new service offering.
- Negotiated high-value contracts with key suppliers, reducing material costs and improving profit margins.
- Led cross-functional team to develop new product line, which was launched ahead of schedule and under budget.
- Elevated customer service standards by introducing new training programs for front-line staff.
- Improved stakeholder satisfaction with regular communication and updates on project progress and outcomes.
- Reduced budgetary expenditures by effectively negotiating contracts for more advantageous terms.
- Identified and qualified customer needs and negotiated and closed profitable projects with high success rate.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by streamlining communication channels and improving response times.
- Developed innovative solutions to complex problems, resulting in improved organizational performance.
- Mentored junior staff members for accelerated career growth, developing future leaders within the organization.
- Interviewed, recruited and trained new onboarding candidates.
- Achieved company growth by implementing strategic marketing plans and business development initiatives.
- Established long-term client relationships through consistent delivery of high-quality products and services.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to develop actionable strategies that aligned with corporate goals and objectives.
- Reduced financial inconsistencies while assessing and verifying billing invoices and expense reports.
- Implemented company-wide sustainability program, reducing environmental impact and achieving industry recognition.
- Boosted team morale and productivity through implementation of comprehensive employee development program.
- Create Sales plans to drive new business areas
Global Account Sales Director
Hewlett-Packard
Rivonia Sandton
10.2010 - 01.2014
- Line Management all related outputs to HP.
- Improve Rev across 8 Global accounts from 100m$
- Drive Direct engagement to influence OEM brand and execute through partner model
- Enterprise Sales Director for top RSA accounts.
- Global accounts Executive: Managing a local team of fifteen people on the Vodafone (Vodacom Group) account.
- Create Account Business plans for the account and review on a quarterly basis.
- Good understanding and collaboration with TAM (Total addressable market), SOW (Share of wallet) to ensure the right data for your accounts and to make sure we are measuring our results with the right SOW numbers.
- TCE (Total Customer Experience) Customer satisfaction.
- Ensure smooth and according to planning implementation of RAP surveys with the right customer contacts with the customers where RAP has been planned this FY.
- Gain altitude on C levels in all HP global accounts.
- Continuously maintain a 'Customer First' attitude in everything you do.
- Look after each individual in the team and make sure a development plan is in place for each individual.
- Total portfolio and implementation of HP Vodafone strategy into Vodacom Group.
- Forecasting: Maintain an attitude to maintain the Sales Funnel during the whole fiscal year so that an accurate forecast is possible.
- Ensure that the team builds up good contacts within the ecosystem (key SI’s, ISV’s, SPO partners) of their account to maximise the business results.
- Opex and Capex management.
- Act according to customer needs.
- Create a leadership team that would manage without authority to ensure the virtual teams work together and align themselves with the HP strategy.
- Apply business acumen through leadership and innovation.
- Promote the development of robust, comprehensive account plans that articulate the strategies/requirements per account.
- Team Leadership and personal effectiveness: Take personal ownership to develop the total HP business further and grow the revenue and margin.
- Understand and implement the HP strategy across all products and services in HP.
- Understand the Telco market and align with the overall Cloud strategy and future growth plans.
- Business development around ITO /BPO/OSS/App.
- Managed and motivated sales team to increase revenue 20% margin
Senior Manager (Senior Strategic Account Manager)
Telkom SA
Rivonia Sandton
10.2000 - 10.2010
- Financial services industry FNB/ABSA/Discovery/OUTsurance/RMB
- Line Management all relevant outputs. Senior Account Manager All relevant duties.
- Full virtual team. And Account Managers outputs.
- Achievement of sales commission contract by identifying and pursuing revenue opportunities.
- To formulate and implement the customer relationship management program.
- To position the company for competition by developing appropriate sales strategies and implementing.
- Deliver service excellence through the alignment of the virtual team supporting customer portfolio.
- Outputs: Achieved sales commission targets.
- Implemented sales strategies.
- Enhanced customer relationships.
- Developed internal relationships.
- Contract and Commercial management resides under my leadership.
- Case studies for all successes in full sales.
- Ensuring shareholder value.
- Line functions.
- Recruitment of all Salespeople.
- Managing Opex and Capex.
- Reporting.
- Established strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, ensuring long-term partnerships and repeat business.
Education
Business leadership - Business Leadership During Change
Harvard Business School
Boston USA 04.2001 -
Masters in Sales Leadership - Sales Frameworks for Sales Leaders, Sales operation, Sales Management
Growth Matters
Sandton, South Africa01.2018
ISMP program - Implementing Strategy and Managing Performance
University of The North & Potchefstroom Institute of Technology
Potchefstroom, South Africa01.2006
Senior Executive Development Program - Macro Economics, Operations Management, Operational Transformation, Finance Management, Leadership, Entrepreneurs, Marketing Management, Personal Mastery
Gordon Institute of Management (Gibs)
Oxford Street Rosebank JHN01.2004
Executive Management Program - Executive Management Development
University of Pretoria (Business School For Management)
TUKS Business School Pretoria01.1998
Management Development Program - Accounting, Financial Management, Organizational Behavior, General Management, Management Accounting, Human resources (HR) Management, Labor Relations, Operations Management, Marketing, Marketing Management, Information Management, Business Law
University Of Pretoria (Business School For Management)
Pretoria Hatfield01.1997
Sales and Marketing diploma - Sales And Marketing 1 Year Diploma
Pretoria Technikon (University of Pretoria)
Pretoria Hatfield01.1990
Some College (No Degree) - Global Account Business Managment
HP University in Dalles Texas USA Silicone Valley
USA Texas Dalles04-2011
Skills
Relationship management
Collaborative team member
Collaborative team management
Clerical support expertise
Problem resolution
Executive support
Team building
Customer retention
Risk management
Interpersonal skills
Operations management
Staff training
Project management
Strategy development
Growth planning
Supply chain management
Business development
Strategic planning
Financial management
Marketing
Change implementation
Vendor negotiations
Revenue generation
Business planning
Accomplishments
- Achieved Sales objectives year on year both Telkom and HP
- Developed processes that have been implemented across all customer facing segments in Telkom (Customer solutions process)
- In the talent pool of top four hundred leaders in Telkom for 5 years
- Won top achievers incentive awards seven times
- IDP Candidate the Top leader’s program in Telkom
- Achieved all targets in HP and regarded as an Exceptional performer
- Received a letter from Meg Witmen, CEO of HP for top contributor
- Coach and Mentor for the HP Graduate training program
Interests
Life Coaching - ages 18 to 25
Graduate programs- mentor to graduates past 20 years
Member of the South African Businesswomen’s association
Member of confident Women in Business
Paying it forward
Personal Information
- ID Number: 6802220134087
- ID Number: 6802220134087
- Gender: Female
- Nationality: South African
- Driving License: Code 08
- Marital Status: Married
Position Held
- Executive Retail and CPG markets, Gauteng
- Executive Head of strategy and Marketing, Fastnet (Swiftnet) Telkom group
- Global account Head RSA, Hewlett Packard
- Global account Director IT Solutions
- Executive: Financial services, Telkom Group top five
- Senior Manager Regional sales
- Account Executive, Gauteng
- Manager customer service
- Commercial management
- Accounts management
- Marketing Management
Key Focus Areas
- Business Planning
- Strategy and specifically implementing strategy and managing performance
- Sales Operations
- Sales Management
- Executive Team Leader
- Implementation of Customer experience planning
- Enablement of the company key growth areas
- Team player
- New Markets
- New logo
- Upselling and retain existing markets
- Broadening the channel
- Alliance management
- New Business development
- Transforming current Services
- Influencing Integration to the future technology
- Transformation and Change management
- Process enablement
Present Position
Executive – Senior Manager Retail and CPG, BCX, 2019-01-01, 2025-08-31
Race And Gender
White Female
References
- Jesse Naidoo, CEO Green Ethics and Cloths to Cash NGO
- Ravi Govender, MD Bidvest Procurement
- Rafique Juamin, Supplier Relationship Head at Vodacom
- Frik van der Merwe, Ex CIO of Absa Bank and Liberty Group
- Marina Van Zyhl, CFO at AVBOB
- Melanie Kockett, EX- CIO for Telkom SA now VP MTN
- Thabu Ndlela, EX - CIO of ABSA/Tiger Brands
- Mark Huxtable, EX CIO SPAR Group
Timeline
Executive – Senior Manager Retail and CPG
BCX
01.2019 - 08.2025
Managing Executive : Telkom as the Largest Account
BCX
09.2018 - 12.2019
Executive Head of Strategic Sales, Transformation
Telkom Group Fastnet/Swiftnet
02.2014 - 09.2018
Global Account Sales Director
Hewlett-Packard
10.2010 - 01.2014
Business leadership - Business Leadership During Change
Harvard Business School
04.2001 -
Senior Manager (Senior Strategic Account Manager)
Telkom SA
10.2000 - 10.2010
Masters in Sales Leadership - Sales Frameworks for Sales Leaders, Sales operation, Sales Management
Growth Matters
ISMP program - Implementing Strategy and Managing Performance
University of The North & Potchefstroom Institute of Technology
Senior Executive Development Program - Macro Economics, Operations Management, Operational Transformation, Finance Management, Leadership, Entrepreneurs, Marketing Management, Personal Mastery
Gordon Institute of Management (Gibs)
Executive Management Program - Executive Management Development
University of Pretoria (Business School For Management)
Management Development Program - Accounting, Financial Management, Organizational Behavior, General Management, Management Accounting, Human resources (HR) Management, Labor Relations, Operations Management, Marketing, Marketing Management, Information Management, Business Law
University Of Pretoria (Business School For Management)
Sales and Marketing diploma - Sales And Marketing 1 Year Diploma
Pretoria Technikon (University of Pretoria)
Some College (No Degree) - Global Account Business Managment
HP University in Dalles Texas USA Silicone Valley
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