Joanne C Mafunda

Company Overview: Trademarkia is the leading online trademark filing search engine in the United States for the law firm LegalForce RAPC

Key Responsibilities:

• Overseeing the restructuring of the writing department and leading in the formulation of a new marketing strategy that increased viewership and readership by 25%
• Supporting business development efforts by identifying and targeting potential clients using market research and business analysis tools in Southern Africa, the EU, the USA, the UK, Asia, and Australia
• Building and maintaining strategic partnerships with various clients, resulting in increased brand visibility, lead generation, and revenue growth for the firm
• Enhancing market presence by executing successful lead campaigns through cold emailing, generating monthly revenue for the firm
• Providing crucial legal advice on trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, patents, and brand building globally for clients
• Drafting licensing, assignments, and other contracts related to intellectual property rights and business development
• Spearheaded copywriter recruitment initiatives, utilizing LinkedIn and Workday
• Led a dynamic team of junior copywriters and graphic designers for 6 months, ensuring the delivery of high-quality work for the blog
• Minimizing risk exposure and brand dilution through careful advice on business operations and strategic plans.

Company Overview: INFUSEmedia is a demand generation agency that provides B2B companies with lead generation, content marketing, account-based marketing, intent-driven marketing, brand amplification, and competitive displacement services

Key Responsibilities:

• Elevated content marketing strategies for B2B companies in the tech industry by researching and creating promotional content that significantly increased engagement by matching key personas, account types, and regions, resulting in full pipelines
• Crafted compelling promotional content for email marketing, landing pages, surveys, and Google invites for multi-national companies like Amazon, Zendesk, Google, Workday, Microsoft, Salesforce, Adobe, and many more
• Boosted campaign performance by developing engaging and persuasive copy for print, digital, and social media platforms

Company Overview: Gombe Holdings is a diversified regional investment holding company. The Group comprises companies within the real estate, construction, building materials, mining, agriculture, financial services, and manufacturing industries

Key Responsibilities:

• Assisted the company secretary in transforming legal and compliance management frameworks, setting the foundation for a centralized department for the Group, streamlining legal processes, and reducing the Group's risk profile
• Assisted in debt restructuring- drafting and negotiating creditor agreements valued at US$12 million, which involved extensive strategic litigation
• Assisted in the introduction of data-driven sales and marketing strategies, including the restructuring of stricter corporate governance standards across the Group's diverse business interests
• Managed a range of legal actions and proceedings, and provided advisory services to senior management on a range of agreements related to the Group's various interests
• Drafted and assisted in the renegotiation of a range of lease agreements with tenants
• Conducted a comprehensive risk assessment of the Group's Intellectual Property Portfolio, resulting in practical legal steps to protect the brand
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards
• Leveraged strong analytical skills to identify weaknesses in opposing counsel's arguments or evidence during contentious litigations
• Streamlined contract review processes for improved efficiency and reduced turnaround time
• Supported the human resources department with employment law matters such as terminations, workplace policies, and employee relations concerns.
• Built lasting relationships with clients through effective communication, attentive listening, and proactive problem solving
• Assisted in the due diligence process during mergers, acquisitions, and other corporate transactions to protect clients' investments
• Evaluated intellectual property portfolios for licensing opportunities or potential infringement issues, offering strategic recommendations accordingly
• Represented clients in court hearings and negotiations with other parties

Company Overview: BMatanga IP Attorneys is a boutique law firm specializing in intellectual property and corporate services

Key Responsibilities:

• Single-handedly led the portfolio management of over 2000 trademarks and patents in Southern and West Africa, providing legal expertise that supported major international, regional, and local companies like KFC, Google, TOTAL (SA), SIEMENS, Procter & Gamble, Gilette, Pizza Hut, Whirlpool, SanDisk, and many more
• Spearheaded the project management of major merger deals by creating frameworks for efficiently allocating resources, due diligence reports, tracking project progress, negotiating contracts, introducing appropriate disaster recovery mechanisms, and managing potential regulatory compliance risks
• Tasked with training and leading professional development programs for employees
• Managed all aspects of the firm's IT, including the provision of IT support services, cybersecurity measures, IT policy implementation, website development and management, brand awareness, and social media marketing
• Worked as an executive assistant to the managing partner, managing her diary, travel arrangements, and events

Company Overview: Advanced Innovation specializes in information technology, systems development, and cybersecurity

Key Responsibilities:

• Negotiated and interpreted SaaS agreements valued at US$ 40,000 for intellectual property and licensing on behalf of the company
• Monitored legal and regulatory developments, offering strategic guidance
• Assisted in identifying and monitoring legal risks, compiling risk strategies, and managing credit and operational risk policies