Sam Magero

. SAM MAGERO Nairobi Kenya-/ - CAREER PROFILE SUMMARY I am an accomplished Director with expertise in strategy and business development across diverse sectors. Throughout my career, I have held leadership positions in leading organizations, driving innovation and excellence. I have spearheaded endto-end strategies for digital transformation, go-to-market, and sales operations. My track record includes successfully developing and executing long-term client engagement and business development strategies. Additionally, I excel in aligning technology initiatives with overall business objectives for growth and efficiency. I have indepth knowledge of the FinTech and digital payments landscape, and I am skilled in market research and analysis to identify opportunities and guide strategy. I have a proven ability to drive organizational transformation, facilitate growth, and establish strategic partnerships. Effective stakeholder management and visionary team leadership are also among my strengths. KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES  General Management: Highly experienced at overseeing and coordinating various aspects of an organization or business unit to achieve its goals and objectives; including strategic planning, decision-making, resource allocation, team leadership, and performance management.  Business Development: Highly experienced at identifying new business opportunities, forging strategic partnerships, and expanding the company's presence in the market.  Market Analysis: Well-versed in conducting market research and analysis to understand market trends, customer needs, and the competitive landscape in the MEA region.  Sales Management: Skilled in leading and managing sales teams, setting sales targets, implementing sales strategies, and monitoring performance to achieve revenue goals.  Business Strategy & Technology Alignment: I can align business objectives with technology initiatives, ensuring technology investments support and drive business growth.  FinTech & Digital Payments: I have expertise in the FinTech industry, including digital payments, and understand the latest trends, technologies, and regulatory landscape in this domain.  Restructuring & Resource Optimization: I have experience driving organizational transformation through restructuring initiatives, optimizing resources, and implementing efficient operating models to enhance productivity and cost-effectiveness.  Strategic Partnerships: I excel in identifying and cultivating strategic partnerships to drive business success, leveraging collaborative relationships to expand market reach, access new capabilities, and drive innovation.  E-commerce & Innovation: I have a strong understanding of e-commerce trends and strategies and can drive innovation and capitalize on digital opportunities to stay competitive in the market.  Stakeholder Management: I am skilled in effectively managing relationships with key stakeholders, both internal and external, to foster collaboration, alignment, and support for business objectives.  Team Leadership & Direction: I have proven leadership abilities, with the capacity to provide visionary leadership, motivate teams, and drive high-performance outcomes.  International Business Expertise: Excellent understanding of the complexities of conducting business in the MEA region, including cultural nuances, regulatory frameworks, and market dynamics.  Risk Management: Effective at assessing and mitigating risks associated with market expansion, regulatory compliance, and business operations in the MEA region. . WORK EXPERIENCE Lead Sales and Business Expansion (MEA) / Neeyamo Pty - Nairobi, Kenya         01/2022 - Current Providing leadership to high-performance Country Sales Managers across the region while spearheading key accounts to deliver long-term success, achieve revenue targets, and increase Neeyamo's wallet share in MEA across all lines of business. Heading several operational activities, including account management and leadership, complex sales orchestration, and commercial leadership across multiple industries to accomplish shared objectives. Developing and implementing strategic sales plans to expand Neeyamo's business in the MEA region. This involves identifying target markets, understanding customer needs, and creating strategies to achieve sales growth. Identifying and pursuing new business opportunities in the MEA region. This includes prospecting potential clients, conducting market research, and building relationships with key stakeholders to expand Neeyamo's customer base. Managing and nurturing relationships with existing clients to ensure customer satisfaction and retention. This involves understanding client requirements, solving business challenges, and upselling Neeyamo's products and services. Providing leadership and guidance to a sales team, including Sales Managers and Account Executives. This includes setting sales targets, providing training and mentoring, and monitoring team performance to ensure the achievement of sales objectives. Conducting market analysis to identify trends, competitive landscape, and growth opportunities. This involves monitoring industry developments, analyzing customer behaviour, and adjusting sales strategies accordingly. Driving revenue generation by achieving sales targets and increasing Neeyamo's market share in the MEA region. This includes negotiating contracts, closing deals, and ensuring timely service delivery to customers. Key Achievements    Closing deals of $400K with Qatar Airways, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and JSE in a record 9 months through consultative sales and renewals. Steering all aspects related to the addressable market of $1M for Global Payroll Outsourcing and HRIT in the MEA region. Utilizing commercial leadership talents to direct a multicultural team revolving around sales, presales, key account management, and strategy across the market. Business Development Consultant:        EMEA Region / dLocal - Nairobi, Kenya 01/2021 - 01/2022 Led business development across EMEA and set up in-country, focusing on cross-border payments to connect global merchants to emerging markets for pay-ins, pay-outs, and local issuing. Strategized effective business development and sales plans and sold cross-border payment solutions to e-commerce merchants and PSPs to generate new business. Structured, implemented, and managed growth-related operational strategies and processes. Managed the entire sales life cycle, from planning to tactical revenue generation activities. Closed new business deals by coordinating requirements, developing and negotiating contracts, maintaining solid internal project management with strategic partners and regulators, and close collaboration with cross-functional teams. Proactively identified potential clients, markets, and partnership opportunities within the EMEA region. Conducted market research, analyzed industry trends, and stayed updated on the competitive landscape. Established strong relationships with existing clients and key stakeholders in the EMEA region. Understood their business needs, provided excellent customer service, and served as a trusted advisor to help them achieve their goals. Led negotiations with potential clients and partners, including contract discussions, pricing agreements, and terms of service. Independent Consultant 01/2020 - 01/2021 Several consultancies focusing on FSI, Telco, Manufacturing, Retail, Media, and Utilities on critical areas of Mobile Payment Strategy, E-Commerce, Pay TV and Telco outlook with an aim of revenue optimization, go-to-market strategy and new product launch ways.  Conducted consultancies for various industries: Engaged with clients in the Financial Services, Telecommunications, Manufacturing, Retail, Media, and Utilities sectors to provide strategic insights and recommendations. I focused on key areas such as Mobile Payment Strategy, E-Commerce, Pay TV, and Telco outlook.  Developed revenue optimization strategies: Collaborated with clients to identify revenue growth and optimization opportunities within their respective industries. I analyzed market trends, customer preferences, and competition to develop strategies that enhanced profitability and drove business success.  Developed go-to-market strategies: Assisted clients in developing effective go-to-market strategies for new products and services. This involved conducting market research, identifying target customer segments, and defining positioning and messaging strategies to maximize product adoption and market penetration.  Launched new products: Supported clients in launching new products and services by guiding product development, pricing strategies, distribution channels, and marketing campaigns. I developed comprehensive launch plans and oversaw their implementation to ensure successful market entry. .  Provided industry outlook and trends: Conducted in-depth research and analysis on the Telco, Manufacturing, Retail, Media, and Utilities sectors to provide clients with valuable insights into industry trends, emerging technologies, and market dynamics. This information helped clients make informed decisions and stay ahead of the competition. OTHER PAST EXPERIENCES Head of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development- East Africa / MultiChoice East Africa Key Achievements     Grew corporate market share by 8% YoY in absolute customers, devised and implemented new retention strategies, Slashed new customer on boarding cost up to 18% by negotiating pricing and fees, while ensuring customer satisfaction and delight. Launched new products, i.e. ShowMax ( SVOD) in Kenya, and set up new ventures in Rwanda and Ethiopia, the ground up by leading transformational and strategic partnerships; Received recognition and award for customer & operational excellence champion for improving CSAT, CDI and NPS. Head of Strategy and Business Operations- Central, East and West Africa / Nokia Networks    01/2014 - 01/2020 01/2011 - 12/2013 Regained 5% market share in Nigeria through strategic partnerships, adding 1M Euro in sales and provided industry insights for decision-making in Central East and West Africa. Led innovation, influenced corporate culture for growth, and developed pricing strategies for key clients, securing major project renewals. Achieved 7% growth in operating profit by optimizing delivery costs in Africa. Senior Consultant- Advisory Technology and Performance Improvement / PwC - Nairobi, Kenya 01/2009 - 12/2010  Identified growth areas in their performance to help achieve better goals, developed and implemented change management approaches, and executed strategy on behalf of C management.  Providing quality assurance on project implementation in the Financial and Telecoms sectors  Developed firm governance structures for improvement through internal controls compliance assessments and a value addition process in a leading bank in five East African countries. Graduate Management Engineer- New products and Services / Safaricom - Nairobi, Kenya 01/2008 - 01/2009  All hands-on training and coaching with senior execs to gain an understanding of MNO activities  Assisted all aspects related to product pipeline across country-wide verticals, supported commercial and technical managers in proof-of-concept design, and expressed interest/demonstrations in developing and implementing robust product strategies. EDUCATION AND TRAINING Master of Business Administration (MBA): International Business Management University of Nairobi - Nairobi B.Sc. Computer Science JKUAT-Nairobi - Nairobi PROFESSIONAL COURSES  Certified Public Accountant of Kenya, Strathmore University, Kenya  Certified Information Systems Auditor, ISACA, US,- REFEREES Available on Request.