James Munthali
Cape Town
Summary
Results-orientated Corporate Governance professional with a diverse background and 12 years of experience across different corporate roles. Proven track record in project management, communication, and team collaboration. Adept at navigating challenges and driving initiatives to successful completion. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, coupled with a commitment to continuous improvement. Excellent interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to thrive in dynamic work environments.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Company Secretary
Mukuru Shared Services (Pty) Limited
08.2021 - Current
- Promoted to the position of Assistant Company Secretary, with a primary emphasis on corporate governance and company secretarial responsibilities as part of the Group Risk, Legal, and Compliance team
- Facilitated the preparation, finalisation, and distribution of agendas and meeting packs for all Board and Audit Committee meetings
- Took accurate minutes during Board and Audit Committee meetings to capture key discussions, decisions, and action items
- Tracked and ensured the completion of actions arising from Board and Audit Committee meetings
- Advised directors and senior leadership team members on corporate governance matters
- Cultivated strong and effective relationships with all senior executives
- Played a key role in registering new companies across various operational countries, handling the filing of statutory returns and forms with relevant juristic bodies in each jurisdiction
- Ensured ongoing compliance of each Group company with its incorporation documents and alignment with current legislation in its country of registration
- Maintained comprehensive statutory books, including a register of present and past directors and secretaries
- Conducted due diligence processes for new and existing business partners and juristic customers to ensure compliance and mitigate risks
- Drafted various legal documents such as contracts, policies, notices, and resolutions
- Prepared, circulated, and facilitated the passing of round-robin resolutions by the Board of Directors, including routine requests such as banking resolutions
- Monitored changes in the legislative and regulatory environment to ensure business compliance.
Legal Administrator
Mukuru Shared Services (Pty) Limited
10.2018 - 07.2021
- Promoted to the position of Legal Administrator and was responsible for providing administrative support to the Head of Legal as well as the Corporate Legal team
- Provided comprehensive administrative support to the commercial legal team, including follow-ups on outstanding requirements and timely completion of necessary documentation
- Managed existing trademark applications and oversaw all lease agreements for countries of operation, including Botswana, DRC, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
- Mitigated costs by implementing plans, liaising with internal and external stakeholders, and conducting corrective actions
- Arranged couriers and deliveries to ensure the timely receipt of time-sensitive materials, responding to requests from legal team members as needed
- Conducted research on topics as requested by other legal team members and played a key role in reviewing, proofreading, and assisting with various legal documents, reports, memos, briefings, presentations, and forms
- Prepared, drafted, reviewed, and finalized legal agreements and documents, ensuring exceptional standards, compliance with relevant legislation, and a balance between business needs and legal risks
- Maintained accurate and up-to-date records of all contracts and legal documentation in both soft and hard copies
- Organized and stored documents in the online filing system and paper filing system
- Provided advice and guidance on legal matters to internal customers
- Oversaw a portfolio of 100+ lease agreements spanning key operational areas for licensing and operations
- Built positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders and assisted with providing information to auditors during annual audits.
Payments Support Consultant
Mukuru Africa (Pty) Limited
07.2017 - 09.2018
- Promoted to the position of Payments Support Consultant within the Finance department and assisted in tracking payments and ensuring accurate fund allocation
- Performed the mapping and processing of uncleared payments, ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of financial transactions
- Handled customer inquiries regarding pay-ins and pay-outs, delivering prompt and effective resolutions to enhance satisfaction
- Worked collaboratively with external pay-in partners in South Africa, such as Shoprite Checkers, Spar, and Pick n Pay, to efficiently address and resolve payment inquiries
- Coordinated with pay-out partners across various countries, including banks and mobile network operators, to facilitate the prompt and secure delivery of funds to clients
- Supported the call centre by addressing customer inquiries related to payments, contributing to a seamless customer service experience.
Customer Service and Online Support Consultant
Mukuru Africa (Pty) Limited
08.2013 - 06.2017
- Promoted to the position of Customer Service and Online Support Consultant with a primary focus on providing online customer support and managing the business's social media accounts
- Oversaw the management of the brand's social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, by coordinating content creation and implementing engagement strategies
- Used Zendesk to streamline and assign customer support queries, ensuring efficient communication and resolution by escalating them to the appropriate departments
- Generated comprehensive monthly reports that outlined client interactions, engagement metrics, and customer survey data, providing valuable insights to guide strategic decision-making
- Played a key role in consulting on product and process development projects initiated by the Marketing and Business Development departments, contributing to the enhancement of company offerings
- Demonstrated proactive engagement in telephonic and online sales activities to meet and exceed sales targets
- Delivered real-time customer support through live chat, addressing inquiries and concerns to facilitate positive customer experiences
- Conducted monthly assessments of call centre sales team performance to ensure and improve service delivery standards.
Corporate Governance Officer
Aurum Argento Mining
07.2012 - 07.2013
- Facilitated the preparation, finalisation, and distribution of agendas and meeting packs for all Board and Audit Committee meetings.
- Took accurate minutes during Board and Audit Committee meetings to capture key discussions, decisions, and action items.
- Tracked and ensured the completion of actions arising from Board and Audit Committee meetings.
- Advised directors and senior leadership team members on corporate governance matters.
- Cultivated strong and effective relationships with all senior executives.
- Played a key role in registering new companies across various operational countries, and handled the filing of statutory returns and forms with relevant juristic bodies in each jurisdiction.
- Ensured ongoing compliance of each Group company with its incorporation documents and alignment with current legislation in its country of registration.
- Maintained comprehensive statutory books, including registers of present and past directors and secretaries.
Education
Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) -
University of South Africa
Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme -
CGI UK & Ireland
London, United KingdomSkills
- Board support
- Statutory compliance
- Risk management
- Stakeholder management
- Minute Taking
- Calendar Management
- Meeting facilitation
- Corporate governance
- IT proficiency
- Legal Compliance
- Stakeholder Communication
- Corporate Strategy
- Contract Review
- Regulatory filings
- Document and File Management
- Board Meetings
- Financial services experience
- Contract drafting
- Due diligence
- Data privacy
Accomplishments
Implemented a centralized document management system, resulting in a 30% reduction in document retrieval time and improved accessibility for stakeholders.
Streamlined board meeting processes, resulting in a 20% increase in efficiency and improved decision-making outcomes.
Developed and delivered training programs on corporate governance and compliance best practices for employees and board members, enhancing awareness and understanding across the organization.
Identified inefficiencies in administrative processes related to governance and compliance activities and implemented solutions to streamline processes, resulting in increased efficiency and cost savings.
Played a key role in the development and implementation of corporate policies and procedures to enhance governance, risk management, and compliance practices, ensuring alignment with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Languages
English
Personal Information
Nationality: Zimbabwean
Timeline
Assistant Company Secretary
Mukuru Shared Services (Pty) Limited
08.2021 - Current
Legal Administrator
Mukuru Shared Services (Pty) Limited
10.2018 - 07.2021
Payments Support Consultant
Mukuru Africa (Pty) Limited
07.2017 - 09.2018
Customer Service and Online Support Consultant
Mukuru Africa (Pty) Limited
08.2013 - 06.2017
Corporate Governance Officer
Aurum Argento Mining
07.2012 - 07.2013
Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) -
University of South Africa
Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme -
CGI UK & Ireland
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