Vernon Johan Jansen van Rensburg
Vanderbijlpark
Summary
Dynamic leader with 25 years of experience in global chemicals marketing, sales and market development at Sasol. Proven expertise in establishing strategic partnerships and negotiating commercial contracts, resulting in substantial growth of differentiated product portfolios. Skilled in innovative problem solving and building customer-focused relationships, driving profitability and market expansion. Collaborative team player leveraging team strengths to achieve aligned outcomes.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Head Global Sales and Market Development: Differentiated Portfolio
Sasol Chemicals SA
01.2024 - Current
- Established differentiated sales portfolio for Chemicals, S.A. for phenolics, carbon wax, and catalyst markets.
- Prioritized Market Development for wax products, driving growth beyond legacy commodity wax sectors.
- Created first Sasol-Henkel partnership for reduced carbon footprint wax, achieving 35% PCF reduction with roadmap for 55% lower PCF.
- Formulated business and placement strategy for Phenolics business remodel after US asset closure, ensuring product placement continuity.
- Improved Phenolics profitability and keeping Secunda production unconstrained.
- Exceeded budget expectations in Carbon business despite adverse production conditions; destocked excess green coke volumes, surpassing volume targets by over 30%.
- Achieved budgeted targets in Catalyst business by implementing pre-supply strategies to Oryx and UZGTL.
- Supported and revitalized focus on improving FT co-product performance.
Head Global Market Development and Product Innovation: Performance Solutions
Sasol Performance Solutions
01.2020 - 01.2024
- Establishment of a differentiation platform for performance solutions.
- Establishment of an innovation pipeline for wax alcohols and surfactants into the markets of IPCA, polymer additives, MWL, asphalt additives, and agro additives.
- Ownership and project management for global differentiation projects.
- Work with Global Market Development Managers and Marketing Managers in forming a long-term strategy, target, and milestones for main application markets linked to the product portfolio.
- Management of fixed-cost budgets for the platforms, including overall performance solution professional fees, and R&T budget spend on platforms.
- Strong collaboration across multiple functions (Marketing, Sales, R&T, IP, and Supply Chain).
- Establishment of innovation metrics, target setting, and achieving targets for new business growth and margin upliftment of the portfolio.
- Leading business analyst on profitability evaluation and new product price-setting strategy for global business.
- Global competitor profiling and market supply-demand balance evaluation, with the support of a global business analyst, amending strategy where required.
- Support the global Key Account Manager (KAMES Henkel) with annual and long-term supply contract negotiation.
- Negotiation of a long-term supply contract with numerous MNCs to support the growth strategy.
- Relationship building with key industry role players, customers, and complementary suppliers.
- A company representative at key industry associations.
- Contact: Adriaan Janse van Rensburg - +18327076448
Head of Global Hard Wax and Differentiation: Wax
Sasol Performance Chemicals: Wax
01.2018 - 01.2020
- Strategy development and ownership for the global FT hard wax and differentiation program for wax.
- Work with the Global Market Development Manager and the Sales and Marketing organization to deliver the Global Hard Wax marketing plan for wax.
- Development and implementation of strategy for product differentiation and market development in markets of HMAs, IPC, asphalt, polymer additives, and specialties.
- Includes Capex plans and interfacing with various functions in the organization to ensure the delivery of the global Hard Wax plan for 2022.
- Work with Group Technology on the long-term plan beyond 2022 for Hard Wax, in order to ensure that market growth in the prioritized applications is supported via capacity planning and growth.
- Profitability evaluation and price strategy for global Hard Wax is supported by a Hard Wax business analyst.
- Global competitor profiling and market supply-demand balance evaluation, with the support of a global business analyst, amending strategy where required.
- Support the global Key Account Manager (KAMES Henkel) with annual and long-term supply contract negotiation.
- Negotiation of a long-term supply contract with numerous MNCs to support the growth strategy.
- Relationship building with key industry role players and complementary suppliers.
- A company representative at key industry associations.
- Contact: Dirk Uys - +27 71 480 1008
Head Global Adhesives, Polymer Additives Asphalt Additives and Hard wax Sasol Performance Chemicals: Wax
Sasol Performance Chemicals: Wax
01.2014 - 01.2018
- Development and implementation of a global strategy for adhesives, polymers, and asphalt additives business applications.
- Lead the development of devising an updated strategy with McKinsey and the Sasol M&S Center of Support for Global FT Hard Wax.
- Devised marketing plans that supported the readiness of the FT Wax expansion project.
- Lead regional sales teams in NA, EU, and SSA.
- Supported the APAC, LatAm, and global industrial wax business to develop and implement their FT Hard Wax strategy.
- Negotiated and supported global agreements with MNCs and regional companies, which supported the sell-out of FT Wax expansion.
- Lead global product managers for adhesives, polymers, and asphalt to support the regions with the execution of their product and marketing strategies.
- Worked and supported organizational functions (P&O, Finance), and operations to support the implementation of the strategy.
- Contact: Thomas Luedemann - +49 172 915 9540
Regional Sales Manager Latin America and Sub Saharan Africa Sasol Wax International
Sasol Wax South Africa
01.2011 - 01.2014
- Development and implementation of strategy and market plan for Sasol Wax in the Latin American and African markets for all Global Business Units in the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America until 2020.
- Development of the world’s first (patented) synthetic petroleum jelly product.
- Development of a concept to export concentrates into LatAm for workup into emulsions closer to market, without sacrificing IP, while maintaining inherent product value.
- Contact: Tony Cook, +49 40 78115700.
Marketing Manager SSA, Global Liquid Paraffins and Market development Latin America
Sasol Wax South Africa
01.2009 - 01.2011
- Responsibility for the market development of new and current business in Latin America.
- Responsible for the global Liquid Paraffins business and the sales and marketing of Sasol Wax products in Africa.
- Contact: Stefan Strydom, +27 82 452 4660.
Marketing Manager Sasol Wax South Africa Global Liquid Paraffins and SSA: Candle Waxes, Personal Care Hard Waxes
Sasol Wax South Africa
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Global responsibility for the Liquid Paraffins Business Unit.
- Implementation of a business plan for higher-value applications for liquid paraffin products.
- Further management of the Candle Waxes, Personal Care, and Hard Waxes in SSA.
- Development of the Medium Wax strategy to secure the FTWEP business case for Medium Wax cuts.
- Contact: Louis Fourie - +27 16 960 8001
Marketing Manager, Supply Chain Manager SSA- Candle waxes, Personal Care, Hard Waxes
Sasol Wax South Africa
01.2005 - 01.2007
- Responsible for the establishment of new business for petroleum jelly in Africa, out of South Africa.
- Developed a marketing strategy for petroleum jelly and personal care products in Africa.
- Maintained a leading market position in hard wax applications in Africa, along with candle waxes in Africa.
- Contact: Petrus van Dyk, +27 16 960 3224.
Marketing Manager Candle wax Africa
Schumann Sasol
01.2001 - 01.2005
- Responsible for the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) market.
- Developed a strategy for candle waxes in Africa.
- Marketing plans and growth of a significant export business to nullify the effects of electrification in South Africa (less than 10% Africa market share to 60% within 6 years).
- Contact: Leon Henrico; +27 16 960 3339.
Education
Bachelor of Commerce - Marketing
University of The Free State
Skills
- Global chemicals sales and marketing
- Market development and analysis
- Commercial contract negotiation
- Strategic partnership establishment
- Innovative problem solving
- Agile mindset and collaboration
- Customer-focused relationship building
- Supply chain and budget management
- Volume and margin optimization
Languages
- English
- Afrikaans
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 03/08/71
- Nationality: South African
Languages
English
First Language
Afrikaans
Proficient (C2)
C2
Timeline
Head Global Sales and Market Development: Differentiated Portfolio
Sasol Chemicals SA
01.2024 - Current
Head Global Market Development and Product Innovation: Performance Solutions
Sasol Performance Solutions
01.2020 - 01.2024
Head of Global Hard Wax and Differentiation: Wax
Sasol Performance Chemicals: Wax
01.2018 - 01.2020
Head Global Adhesives, Polymer Additives Asphalt Additives and Hard wax Sasol Performance Chemicals: Wax
Sasol Performance Chemicals: Wax
01.2014 - 01.2018
Regional Sales Manager Latin America and Sub Saharan Africa Sasol Wax International
Sasol Wax South Africa
01.2011 - 01.2014
Marketing Manager SSA, Global Liquid Paraffins and Market development Latin America
Sasol Wax South Africa
01.2009 - 01.2011
Marketing Manager Sasol Wax South Africa Global Liquid Paraffins and SSA: Candle Waxes, Personal Care Hard Waxes
Sasol Wax South Africa
01.2007 - 01.2009
Marketing Manager, Supply Chain Manager SSA- Candle waxes, Personal Care, Hard Waxes
Sasol Wax South Africa
01.2005 - 01.2007
Marketing Manager Candle wax Africa
Schumann Sasol
01.2001 - 01.2005
Bachelor of Commerce - Marketing
University of The Free State
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