SALEISHA GOVENDER AGA(SA)

• Lead the global commercial function across all CPS Group entities—supporting both hardware-based and software-based businesses—ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and operational efficiency.
• Lead and manage the full tender lifecycle, including bid preparation, cross-functional coordination, pricing strategy, document vetting, submission, post-submission clarification, and post-award/loss actions such as contract drafting and operational handover.
• Negotiate and draft major customer, service provider, distributor, agent, and consultant contracts, ensuring terms fall within acceptable risk thresholds. Where deviations occur, implement appropriate risk mitigations, secure executive approvals, and ensure alignment with business objectives.
• Conduct legal and technical contract reviews to ensure viability, commercial soundness, and alignment with operational needs.
• Manage the full lifecycle of third-party partnerships, including onboarding, vetting, negotiation, and strategic motivation for CEO approval. Ensure all agreements support ethical collaboration and enhance business growth.
• Oversee and review annual contract increases, including validation of calculations performed by the commercial team and preparation of formal customer notifications.
• Manage contract terminations, penalty reviews, commercial bid processes, and disputes, ensuring all outcomes align with profitability targets while minimizing financial exposure.
• Develop and implement tailored pricing strategies across multiple currencies (ZAR, Pula, USD, EUR, GBP, etc.), including varied service tiers and CAPEX models. Lead proposal development and secure executive approvals to support competitive positioning.
• Support business development initiatives involving POCs and customer trials, identifying commercial opportunities, structuring potential income during the trial period, and securing customer commitment post-trial where feasible.
• Collaborate with Regional Managing Directors in supplier negotiations, joint venture tenders, and strategic partnerships to expand product lines, enhance offerings, and navigate contract losses or operational gaps.
• Secure Board and Chairman approvals to ensure governance and strategic alignment.
• Attend the annual Global Executive Strategy Session, hosted in international destinations such as Monte Carlo and Turkey, to align business strategy across all leadership.

Key Projects and Achievements:

• Built and led a high-performing commercial team based in Africa, enhancing regional capabilities and delivery.
• Developed and implemented a global SharePoint database for all contracts and proposals, with region-specific access controls to ensure security and relevance.
• Introduced a robust onboarding and vetting process, including integration of a third-party service for sanctions screening and company background checks.
• Designed and updated standard templates for customer agreements, distributor contracts, service provider agreements, NDAs, and quotations to drive operational efficiency and consistency.
• Lead a major project in India to overhaul customer and distributor contracts, and streamline the quotation process by introducing structured commercial and sales procedures where business gaps exist.
• Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

• Reported to the Regional Director with a dotted line into the UK-based Head of Commercial, providing full regional commercial support for Africa and the Middle East. In December 2022, the entire UK-based commercial team was retrenched due to the liquidation of the UK office. I was asked to step into an acting Head of Commercial role, tasked with building a new commercial function based in South Africa and stabilizing global operations.
• Supported the Regional Managing Director in structuring and negotiating contracts across customer and supplier engagements.
• Drafted and negotiated all customer, distributor, and service provider contracts for Africa and the Middle East.
• Assessed legal and financial risk exposure, ensuring agreements were commercially sound and compliant with internal and external frameworks.
• Played a key role in tender and bid development across regions, helping secure profitable and strategically aligned contracts.
• Initially served as the sole commercial resource supporting the Africa region, later expanding responsibility to include the Middle East and Europe.
• Managed all contract price increases and related customer communications for Africa and the Middle East.

Key Projects and Achievements:

• Acted as Head of Commercial from December 2022, following the liquidation of the UK office, and led the establishment of a new commercial function based in South Africa.
• Partnered with the CEO to assess and salvage key customer and supplier relationships, successfully novating or renegotiating agreements under a newly formed UK entity.
• Played a critical role in securing high-value tenders across Africa and the Middle East by leading contract structuring and commercial review.
• Built foundational commercial processes for contract increases, quotations, and contract drafting that continue to support the Africa and Middle East regions.

• Industry: Mining
• Negotiated contracts and product prices by collaborating with vendors and developers.
• Built relationships with clients to establish new contracts.
• Streamlined internal processes by identifying areas for improvement and implementing changes to increase efficiency.
• Used key metrics and prepared reports for senior management to monitor performance of commercial activities.
• Developed strong partnerships with key stakeholders, fostering collaboration to achieve shared goals.
• Negotiated contracts with suppliers, securing favorable terms that resulted in significant cost savings.
• .Led successful contract negotiations resulting in long-term agreements that benefited both parties involved strategically.

• Industry: Mining & Petrochemical
• Maintained up-to-date knowledge of industry trends and best practices, ensuring compliant and competitive contracting approaches.
• Provided expert guidance to colleagues on contract interpretation and application, fostering a culture of compliance within the organization.
• Negotiated favorable contract terms for clients, resulting in cost savings and risk reduction.
• Managed contract closeout procedures, ensuring all deliverables were met and any outstanding issues resolved in a timely manner.
• Streamlined contract processes by implementing standardized templates and procedures.
• Oversaw subcontractor management activities, ensuring timely delivery of goods or services according to agreed-upon terms.
• Contributed to the development of proposal responses for new business opportunities, incorporating innovative contracting solutions that provided a competitive edge.
• Led cross-functional teams in the development of procurement strategies, aligning business objectives with contractual obligations.
• Developed strong relationships with internal stakeholders to understand their needs and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Managed a portfolio of complex contracts, ensuring compliance with company policies and legal requirements.
• Established strong relationships with external partners, fostering trust and collaboration on future contractual engagements.
• Assessed contract performance against established KPIs, identifying areas for improvement and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Tracked contracts for management and issued regular tracking reports covering current status and upcoming milestones.
• Implemented robust monitoring systems to track ongoing contractual commitments and identify potential issues before they escalated.
• Interpreted contact terms and coordinated solutions to resolve disputes between clients and service providers.
• Mitigated business risks by analyzing contracts' potential impacts and avoiding unfavorable terms.
• Maintained documentation for all purchases.
• Searched for hard-to-find items and found high-quality, reliable vendors.

• Industry: Mining / Petrochemical
• Improved cash flow management with timely invoicing and efficient collections practices.
• Managed relationships with external auditors effectively ensuring positive outcomes during annual audits.
• Input financial data and produced reports using Embrace Software.
• Tracked business revenue and expenditures and reconciled accounts to maintain high accuracy.
• Diminished outstanding debts by analyzing accounts for issues.
• Reviewed accounts, resolved coding areas, and tracked recurring expenses for accrual entry.
• Maintained integrity of general ledger and chart of accounts.
• Trained new employees on accounting principles and company procedures.
• Compiled general ledger entries on short schedule with 100% accuracy.
• Collected and reported monthly expense variances and explanations.
• Tracked funds, prepared deposits and reconciled accounts.
• Prepared working papers, reports and supporting documentation for audit findings.
• Cooperated with senior leaders to create operating budgets and initiate financial planning.
• Provided journal entries and performed accounting on accrual basis.
• Leveraged advanced Excel skills to automate routine tasks, freeing up time for more value-added activities such as variance analysis and strategic planning support.
• Organized budget documentation and tracked expenses to maintain tight business controls.
• Analyzed financial data to identify trends and provided actionable insights for management, leading to improved business performance.
• Implemented a comprehensive fixed asset tracking system that improved overall accuracy and depreciation calculations.
• Analyzed and prepared annual budgets to contain costs, minimize losses and assure compliance with internal controls.
• Assisted in annual audit preparations, ensuring a smooth process with no major discrepancies found.

• Industry: Accounting & Auditing
• Enhanced internal controls through thorough risk assessments and recommendations for improvements.
• Managed multiple concurrent audits, ensuring timely completion within budget constraints.
• Conducted comprehensive financial statement reviews, identifying inaccuracies and areas for improvement.
• Mentored junior auditors, providing guidance and feedback for professional growth and development.
• Developed strong relationships with clients to facilitate open communication during audits.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify potential risks and develop effective mitigation strategies.
• Reviewed workpapers prepared by junior auditors for accuracy and completeness before incorporating them into the final audit report.
• Trained new audit personnel to perform duties according to regulations and established procedures.
• Analyzed complex client problems and generated targeted solutions that resolved outstanding issues while enhancing client business positions.