Judy Ann Mokoena
Johannesburg,South Africa
Summary
Accomplished professional with 25+ years of experience driving multimillion‑rand turnover, retail operations, optimizing P&L, and leading teams of 70+ across South Africa and Namibia. Recognized for industry‑leading shrinkage control, award‑winning customer experience, and embedding company culture through values committees and initiatives. With a proven ability to manage remotely in hybrid environments, onboard, coach and manage teams, mentor talent pipelines and deliver sustained top‑region performance across CRM, NPS, Conversion, and Penetration metrics. Known to be a people‑first leader, adept at balancing governance with empathy with a solid understanding of social footprint and impact. Highly organized, detail‑oriented, deadline‑driven, and trusted for clear communication and planning in fast‑paced environments.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
2000
2000
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Regional Manager
Sunglass Hut, EssilorLuxottica
Johannesburg
2019.03 - 2025.08
- Directed operations for 30 stores and 80+ staff across South Africa and Namibia, delivering R100m+ annual turnover.
- Delivered operational excellence by maintaining shrinkage and recall rates below benchmarks, positioning region as best in class.
- Transitioned into hybrid leadership in 2020, driving remote onboarding, training, and performance across multiple markets.
- Led disciplinary hearings and represented company at CCMA, consistently achieving favourable outcomes while upholding governance standards.
- Managed strategic transitions, including full closure of Edgars locations, preserving management relationships and ensuring smooth handovers.
- Established Woolworths partnerships, completed host training, and launched premium stores aligned to elevated brand standards.
- Strengthened employee engagement through regional initiatives and EMEA-wide collaboration, contributing to sustained performance and recognition.
Area Manager
Sunglass Hut, EssilorLuxottica
Johannesburg
2016.03 - 2019.02
- Oversaw ±18 stores with 70 staff, achieving R80m turnover.
- Controlled shrinkage below 0.34%, maintaining compliance and audit standards.
- Led new store openings and closures, ensuring operational readiness and smooth transitions.
- Enhanced employee relations and implemented regional training to align performance with global expectations.
Market Manager
Sunglass Hut, EssilorLuxottica
Johannesburg
2014.09 - 2016.02
- Managed ±9 stores with 20 staff, achieving R48m turnover.
- Elevated clearance stores to best-in-class performance through targeted coaching and process improvements.
- Introduced customer service enhancements that improved conversion and loyalty metrics.
- Supported succession planning by identifying and developing future store leaders.
Centre Manager
Sunglass Hut, EssilorLuxottica
Johannesburg
2011.12 - 2014.08
- Managed 4 stores with 13 staff, delivering consistent turnover growth.
- Improved customer service standards, raising satisfaction scores across all stores in that centre.
- Coordinated cross-store promotions and marketing campaigns to boost foot traffic and sales.
- Built strong vendor and landlord relationships to secure favourable terms and operational support.
Store Manager
Nine West, Busby Group
Johannesburg
2007.09 - 2011.11
- Managed flagship store with 7 staff, achieving R11m turnover.
- Controlled shrinkage to –0.04%, exceeding audit expectations.
Sales & Marketing Consultant
The Introye Corporation
Johannesburg
2003.07 - 2007.05
- Led internal sales and marketing campaigns, managing up to 20 calls and emails daily.
- Designed and delivered corporate presentations to support business development.
Assistant Sales Manager / Consultant
Virgin Active
Johannesburg
2002.01 - 2003.01
- 2iC Sales Manager: managing of sales team and assisting in corporate deals.
- Handled member queries and consistently drove sales to meet targets.
Administration Assistant
The Friendly Grocer
Burgersfort, Mpumalanga
1997.04 - 2001.01
- Learnt and operated in FMCG operations, reconciliations and promotional activities.
- Operated as cashier and assisted with Debtors/Creditors accounts.
Education
Certificate of Higher Education - Grade 12
Lydenburg High School
MpumalangaSkills
- Retail Operations and P&L Management
- Shrinkage and Waste Control
- Development and Coaching
- Goal setting, Performance Monitoring and Appraisals
- Industrial Relations and CCMA Representation
- Hybrid and Remote Leadership
- ERP System exposure incl Inventory Management, Stock Taking, Supply Chain Management, Sales Management and Customer Relationship Management
- Customer Experience and Journey Optimization
- Process Improvement and Solution-Oriented thinking
- Cross-Functional and Departmental Collaboration
- Organizational Skills
- Time and Deadline Management
- Attention to Detail and Accuracy
- Clear Professional Correspondence
- Planning, Scheduling and Workforce Management
Key Achievements
- Scaled leadership across diverse geographies: managed up to 30 stores and 80+ staff across South Africa and Namibia, demonstrating adaptability to varied markets and operational challenges.
- Built a resilient, values‑driven culture: Achieved the best employee retention and lowest turnover by embedding culture initiatives, listening to employee voices, and implementing change through committees and engagement programs. During the Sunglass Hut tenure, mentored and promoted 20+ employees into leadership roles.
- Balanced governance with integrity: Chaired disciplinary hearings and represented the company as initiator and at CCMA, consistently securing favourable outcomes while maintaining fairness and trust.
- Pioneered remote leadership: Transitioned seamlessly into hybrid operations in 2020, driving onboarding, training, and performance remotely, including oversight of Namibia operations.
- Sustained excellence validated externally: Consistently recognized with national awards (CRM, NPS, Conversion, Shopper Penetration, Live the Brand) from 2020–2025, proving multi‑dimensional excellence in both operational KPIs and cultural leadership.
- Delivered seamless reporting, scheduling, and documentation across regional operations, ensuring deadlines and compliance requirements were consistently met.
Accomplishments
2020 - 2025
Live the Brand Award - Peer & Management-voted recognition (4 years running)
Most Improved Conversion – Region
CRM Award – Top Region
NPS Award – Top Region
Onesight Award – Top Region
Smart Shopper Highest Unit Penetration – Top Region
Top Conversion – Region
Culture & Involvement
- OneSight Champion — Established and led task force, driving sustained social impact.
- LuxCrew Member; Values Committee Ambassador; KCI Ambassador — embedded employee voice and change implementation.
- Monthly dress‑up initiatives and competitions across regional and EMEA markets to boost engagement.
Certification
- Customer Service, In-House Training
- Sales Training, In-House Training
- Industrial Relations, In-House Training
- Management, In-House Training
- MS programs — Data analysis, reporting & presenting
- Power BI (in progress, external training) — Data visualization & reporting
- Xero (in progress, external training) — Bookkeeping & VAT compliance
Languages
English
Fluent
Afrikaans
Fluent
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Regional Manager
Sunglass Hut, EssilorLuxottica
2019.03 - 2025.08
Area Manager
Sunglass Hut, EssilorLuxottica
2016.03 - 2019.02
Market Manager
Sunglass Hut, EssilorLuxottica
2014.09 - 2016.02
Centre Manager
Sunglass Hut, EssilorLuxottica
2011.12 - 2014.08
Store Manager
Nine West, Busby Group
2007.09 - 2011.11
Sales & Marketing Consultant
The Introye Corporation
2003.07 - 2007.05
Assistant Sales Manager / Consultant
Virgin Active
2002.01 - 2003.01
Administration Assistant
The Friendly Grocer
1997.04 - 2001.01
Certificate of Higher Education - Grade 12
Lydenburg High School