Zimbini Mpangele
Product & Category Manager
Johannesburg
Summary
Product & Marketing Head with 10+ years’ experience driving growth across multi-category consumer products, specializing in brand strategy, innovation pipelines, and full P&L management. Expert in localizing global strategies for South African consumers, building high-performing teams, and delivering sustainable profitability. Regular contributor to Exco/Opco forums, influencing strategic direction through data-driven insights, innovation pipelines, and category financials. Proven track record of launching market-winning products, shaping consumer trends, and revitalizing portfolios. Recipient of the 2023 CEO Rose Award for business impact and recognized for best-in-class P&L performance in EMEA.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Product & Marketing Manager
Avroy Shlain
08.2022 - Current
- Strategic & Financial Leadership
- Defined a 3-year strategic roadmap for Personal Care, Skincare, Haircare, and Fragrance categories, delivering double-digit growth and profitability.
- Full P&L accountability and marketing budget oversight, driving efficient spend and improved margins.
- Active Opco/Exco participant influencing and shaping key strategic decisions on portfolio investments, pricing, and innovation
- Innovation & Launch Excellence
- Led end-to-end innovation pipeline, closing market gaps and grew share of innovation from 9% to 23% in 18 months.
- Developed local relevance strategies influenced by global trends, increasing brand resonance with South African consumers.
- Developed a brand repositioning plan (future implementation) to entrench local relevance.
- Leadership & Team capability Building
- Rebuilt and expanded the marketing team post-restructure; implemented succession planning & mentorship programs.
- Championed cross-functional alignment with supply chain, sales, and finance, ensuring executional excellence.
- Drive marketing initiatives to increase product visibility and market performance.
Marketing Manager
Elizabeth Arden
10.2020 - 07.2022
- Developed local 3-year strategic brand plans, aligning global innovation grids with local consumer priorities.
- P&L and A&P ownership, optimizing spend to drive growth across 3 Axis portfolio.
- Regular Exco business review contributor, presenting performance insights and strategic recommendations.
- Spearheaded digital innovation, developing a Skin Diagnostic Tool adopted by Elizabeth Arden EMEA.
- Retailer & Agency partnerships
- Managed e-commerce growth, increasing online consumer conversion and brand reach and tailored plans & Execution.
Senior Brand Manager
Elizabeth Arden
12.2018 - 08.2020
- Drove national marketing strategies, ATL/BTL campaigns, and full budget control.
- Led portfolio productivity reviews and S&OP alignment to ensure efficient inventory & launches.
- Developed and executed local marketing plans for Uriage Skincare & Black Up Cosmetics.
- Launched Black Up’s first e-commerce platform, expanding digital reach and consumer engagement.
- Managed budgets, forecasting, and pricing, ensuring financial accountability.
- Collaborated with global brand teams to align local strategies with international positioning.
Brand Manager
African Sales Company (ASCO)
06.2018 - 11.2018
- Developed and monitored local marketing plans for Uriage Skincare & Black Up Cosmetics.
- Launched Black-Up e-commerce platform (1st in the organization), driving brand growth and consumer engagement.
- Managed budgets, forecasting, and pricing, ensuring financial accountability.
- Annual promotional plans and activations – localized approach
Assistant Brand Manager
Yardley Colour at Indigo Brands
08.2013 - 04.2015
- Supporting the brand manager in implementing marketing plans and achieve sales and profitability objectives and provide effective assistance in the following areas:
- Industry knowledge / market trends
- Manage price increases and profitability of SKUs in line with P&L and Competitor set.
- Drive Bi-annual retailer strategy meetings and alignment in support of KAMs
Education
Certificate - Digital Marketing
Red & Yellow Creative School of Business
04.2001 - 01.2025
BTech: Marketing Management -
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Cape Town, South Africa 04.2001 -
ND: Marketing - Marketing Management And Research
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Cape Town, South Africa 04.2001 -
Skills
- Brand & Portfolio Strategy 3-Year Marketing Planning Full P&L Ownership
- Consumer Insights Market Trend Analysis Innovation & NPD Leadership
- Launch Excellence IMC & 360 Campaigns Retail & E-commerce Strategy
- Go-to-market plans & Social media marketing
- Sales enablement & Conversion
EXCO / BOARD ENGAGEMENT
- Monthly Contributor to Exco/Opco: Present category performance, P&L updates, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership, influencing budget allocations, pricing strategies, and innovation roadmaps.
- Active participant in business health reviews – shaping discussions on portfolio prioritization, commercial viability, and long-term brand positioning.
- Represent marketing in cross-functional strategic projects, ensuring category insights inform overall corporate decisions.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Best-in-class execution in EMEA, surpassing P&L targets.
- Launched innovative digital tools influencing consumer education & purchase decisions.
- Award-winning leadership: 2023 CEO Rose Award for performance excellence.
- Successfully rebuilt marketing teams post-restructure, embedding succession planning.
Timeline
Product & Marketing Manager
Avroy Shlain
08.2022 - Current
Marketing Manager
Elizabeth Arden
10.2020 - 07.2022
Senior Brand Manager
Elizabeth Arden
12.2018 - 08.2020
Brand Manager
African Sales Company (ASCO)
06.2018 - 11.2018
Assistant Brand Manager
Yardley Colour at Indigo Brands
08.2013 - 04.2015
Certificate - Digital Marketing
Red & Yellow Creative School of Business
04.2001 - 01.2025
BTech: Marketing Management -
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
04.2001 -
ND: Marketing - Marketing Management And Research
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
04.2001 -
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