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Danie J.

General Manager

  • Hourly rate: R490 /hr
  • Experience: 26 Years

About Danie

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I’ve worked for major listed organizations like Vodacom Group Ltd and MARC Group Ltd and other industry leaders like The Creative Counsel (Pty) Ltd and FinGlobal (Pty) Ltd. I have more than 25 years’ experience in: General Management, Project Management, Finance & Procurement, IT & Facilities, Marketing & Sales in various industries, including: Telecommunications, Sport Sponsorships, Event Management, Retail, Construction, Financial Services, Below-the-line Marketing and Hospitality and Tourism. I hold a BComm Chartered Accountancy degree (CUM LAUDE) from the University of the North West. I’ve owned my own businesses for the past 4 years and I’m convinced that I can add a lot of value to any organization / company / project that I get involved with. I’m a very organized person with a real passion for project management. I have a solid track record in management of a diverse range of disciplines and pride myself in my ability to deliver on strategic objectives. My biggest assets are my own organizational skills, emotional intelligence and my ability to win with people. I was born and raised in rural South Africa. At high school I excelled in academics, sport, culture and leadership. Being the first member of my family to be granted the opportunity to study at university, I grabbed the challenge with both hands, studying B Comm Chartered Accountancy at the University of Potchefstroom graduating cum laude in 1993. After graduation, I commenced my career at the Office of the Auditor General in 1994 as Assistant Performance Auditor. Later that year, I moved to a start-up business called Vodacom, which is today the leading cellular company in South Africa with more than 50 million subscribers. I started off as an accountant at Vodacom and ended my career 8 years later as Executive Head of Operational Expenditure. My main responsibility over that period included the establishment of financial controls, system implementation, financial management and project management. I was awarded the Chief Executive Award in 2002 (out of 3 500 staff) for successfully project managing the fastest SAP HR implementation in the southern hemisphere. In 2002, SAIL Group approached me and offered me the position of Commercial Director. At this stage I was looking to make a move towards general management and jumped at the opportunity. SAIL is a Marketing and Rights Commercialization company that has been in existence for over 15 years and manages leading brands’ sponsorships and events. SAIL also creates events (promoter) and secures sponsorships on behalf of rights owners. I started off as Commercial Director at SAIL and progressed to Managing Director of one of their largest subsidiaries (initially called SAIL Sport and Entertainment (SSE)), with a turnover in excess of R100 million per annum and with more than 80 staff reporting to me. Together with my team, we managed in excess of 300 events and sponsorships a year, with a value of more than R400 million. In 2010 I was instrumental, as MD of SSE, in repositioning and rebranding the company to become a Brand Activation Agency, called Trinergy Brand Connectors. During my 11 years at SAIL, my experience included managing a Retail business, turning this Retail business around and increasing the selling price by R5 million in just over a year, establishing and managing the Group Shared Services Division – including IT, Marketing and HR, servicing in excess of 150 staff members and managing the events, sponsorship and merchandising divisions. In late 2012 The Creative Counsel (TCC) approached me to join them as their Managing Director. TCC is SA’s largest Below-The-Line Agency in South Africa. Turnover in excess of R500m, more than 600 permanent staff and more than 8000 casual promoters. My key responsibility was that of a change agent. I had to improve the culture, reduce high staff turnover rates & implement the necessary business frameworks & systems. In the 18 months I was there, we were able to reduce staff turnover by 5%, improved staff satisfaction by 11% and increase profits by 18%. After a 2-year corporate sabatical I bought an Eco Lodge outside Knysna in 2016 and I am currently immersing myself in the tourism industry & LOVING it! I’m a very organised person with a real passion for managing diverse teams. I have a solid track record in management of a diverse range of disciplines and pride myself in my ability to develop and deliver on strategic objectives. My biggest assets are definitely my strategic ability, own organisational skills, emotional intelligence and my ability to win with people.

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