Bernard Kamau

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Gross Margin and Revenue Growth: Grew and defended the company’s gross margin at the group level by managing strategic supplier relationships and supporting in-country management teams to achieve gross margin and volume targets.
  Actively sought and established new supply partnerships, including contract manufacturing arrangements, resulting in significant margin improvements—e.g., increasing mineral salts gross margin from 13% to 45%.
  
• Strategic Supplier and Partnership Management: Identified, established, and maintained strategic and commercial partnerships to optimize product availability and strengthen market competitiveness.
  Secured lucrative partnerships to expand market reach, negotiating favorable terms to boost profitability and ensure alignment with the company’s objectives.
  
• Product and Market Expansion: Spearheaded successful product launches that enhanced brand visibility and drove customer acquisition.
  Expanded into new markets by conducting in-depth market analysis, identifying key opportunities, and establishing local partnerships to ensure smooth entry and growth.
  
• Operational Optimization: Oversaw buy-side operations for key supplier accounts, ensuring gross margin and volume targets were consistently met.
  Set up and managed a data analysis team to research product mix optimization, leading to increased trade volumes and enhanced gross margins.
  Optimized inventory management to minimize costs, reduce stockouts, and ensure product availability across all operational markets.
  
• Internal Controls and Compliance: Strengthened internal controls by reviewing and enhancing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and mitigate risks.
  Facilitated cross-functional collaboration to improve decision-making processes and enhance operational efficiency.
  
• Team Development and Performance: Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and tailored professional development opportunities.
  Boosted staff performance through comprehensive training programs aligned with individual needs and organizational goals.
  Enhanced team collaboration with clear communication, goal-setting initiatives, and regular performance evaluations.
  
• Budget Management and Resource Optimization: Managed budgets of USD 10M+ effectively, ensuring the optimal allocation of resources while maintaining financial stability.
  
• Performance Metrics and Client Satisfaction: Achieved group-level gross margin and revenue growth (E-distribution) by implementing strategic initiatives and monitoring key performance indicators.
  Enhanced client satisfaction through exceptional relationship management, prompt issue resolution, and tailored service delivery.
  Employee and Organizational Performance :Evaluated employee performance using established metrics, promoting a meritocracy-based system for fair compensation adjustments.
  
• Gross Margin Growth: Group-level improvements in gross margins of up to 45% across distribution operations.
• Revenue Growth: Significant increases in group-level revenue from ARR of USD 75,000 to ARR of USD 1.3M+ driven by strategic supplier management and market expansion.
• Commercial Performance: Successful entry into new markets within Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania with measurable improvements in gross margins and revenue contributions.

• Strategic Marketing and Sales Leadership: Directed the development of local policies, procedures, and strategic objectives for marketing and selling the company’s services, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
  Spearheaded initiatives to identify new market opportunities, develop services, set pricing strategies, and establish sales objectives to drive revenue growth.
  
• Budget and Financial Coordination: Collaborated closely with finance teams to design budgets that aligned with strategic goals and revenue targets, ensuring optimal resource allocation and financial performance.
  
• Team Management and Development: Managed and mentored sales and marketing staff, fostering a results-driven culture while steering the team toward achieving organizational objectives.
  Provided marketing expertise and strategic input to the executive management team to inform high-level decision-making.
  
• Customer Relationship Management: Attracted and retained customers by developing and maintaining strong, professional relationships with key decision-makers within customer organizations.
  Championed customer-centric strategies to enhance satisfaction and loyalty, ensuring long-term partnerships and business growth.
  
• Standards and Guidelines Development: Oversaw the creation of standards and guidelines for sales and marketing activities, including pricing, promotions, service delivery, and advertising, to ensure consistency and excellence.
  
• Market Research and Customer Insights: Investigated customer feedback and analyzed market data to identify trends, refine strategies, and develop targeted programs to boost market penetration and saturation.
  Collaborated with product development teams to enhance offerings based on customer feedback and evolving market demands.
  
• Competitor and Market Analysis: Synthesized performance data of both the company and competitors to uncover untapped markets and new growth opportunities for Vital Animal Health and Bidco Feeds.
  Leveraged insights from data analysis to drive strategic adjustments and maintain a competitive edge in the industry.
  
• Organizational Strategy Execution: Established and delivered marketing and sales objectives in alignment with the company’s organizational strategy and business plans, ensuring all subordinate teams were aligned with these goals.
  
• Program Development and Market Saturation: Designed and implemented innovative programs and campaigns to increase market presence, leveraging customer insights to maximize reach and impact.
  

• Strategic Sales Planning: Developed and implemented comprehensive area sales plans aligned with overall company objectives to drive regional growth and profitability.
  
• Team Leadership and Performance: Managed a high-performing sales team, consistently achieving and surpassing monthly sales targets through motivation, guidance, and effective leadership.
  Identified hiring needs, recruited top talent, and provided thorough onboarding and training to ensure team readiness and success.
  
• Market Expansion and Business Development: Expanded market share by leveraging advanced prospecting, lead generation, and negotiation strategies to capture untapped opportunities.
  Conducted in-depth analyses of regional market trends to uncover new growth opportunities and refine sales strategies.
  
• Customer Relationship Management: Cultivated and maintained strong relationships with key clients and agrodealers, resulting in enhanced customer loyalty, increased retention, and long-term satisfaction.
  
• Operational Efficiency: Streamlined sales operations by helping the team focus on high-value tasks, improving overall efficiency and productivity.
  Ensured regional warehouses were consistently stocked with the right products to meet customer demands and sales objectives.
  
• Budgeting and Resource Allocation: Prepared, reviewed, and managed the annual budget for the assigned regions, ensuring resource optimization and alignment with financial goals.
  Supported marketing initiatives in the regions by coordinating company assets and promotional activities effectively.
  
• Problem Solving and Supervision: Monitored and maintained relationships with agrodealers in the regions, addressing challenges and resolving bottlenecks in collaboration with supervisors.
  Provided timely support to the team to overcome obstacles, ensuring smooth operations and consistent progress toward sales goals.
  
• Performance Metrics and Accountability: Regularly tracked and reviewed sales performance, ensuring that set targets were met or exceeded across all regions.
  Conducted periodic reviews to evaluate team performance, market penetration, and customer feedback to drive continuous improvement.
  

• Establishment of Farmer Groups: Facilitated the creation of structured farmer groups based on geographic proximity, shared farming goals, or product types to enhance collaboration and efficiency.
  
• Election and Appointment of Group Agents: Guided farmer groups in conducting transparent elections or nominations to select qualified, trusted agents to represent their interests effectively.
  
• Collaboration with Cooperative Officials: Partnered with cooperative officials to implement the Agent Network Model (ANM), ensuring alignment with existing structures and maximizing its impact.
  Training on the Agent Network Model (ANM):Equip farmers with a comprehensive understanding of the ANM, including its benefits, operational structure, and roles of agents to ensure smooth adoption and functionality.
  
• Training on Herd Management Plans: Provided targeted training on developing and implementing herd management plans, focusing on health monitoring, feeding strategies, and productivity optimization.
  
• Facilitating Input Acquisition: Supported farmer groups in acquiring affordable, high-quality agricultural inputs by leveraging bulk purchasing power, linking them to suppliers, and providing financing solutions where necessary.
• Stakeholder Training Sessions: Organized collaborative training sessions with stakeholders such as veterinary professionals, extension officers, and input suppliers to ensure farmers have access to the latest agricultural knowledge and tools.
  
• Farmer Exchange Visits: Coordinated exchange visits between farmer groups to foster peer learning, share best practices, and inspire innovation by showcasing successful farming models and techniques.
  Ongoing Support: Provided continued mentorship and follow-ups to ensure sustainability and scalability of the implemented models.
• Data-Driven Insights: Incorporated feedback loops and data collection to refine training programs and improve farmer outcomes.