Mentorship
Gilbert Saggia
Executive Management
Nairobi,30
Summary
Self-motivated professional successful in seizing viable opportunities for expansion and innovation in business with a background in increasing profits, reducing costs and transforming customer service standards.
Entrepreneurial and creative Founder passionate about turning innovative ideas into tangible results. Experienced in formulating and executing strategic plans, creating new products and services, and developing business opportunities. A track record of multiple successful business ventures and leading teams of professionals to maximize profits and deliver success.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
1
1
year of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Executive Managing Partner
Titans D’Afrique
Nairobi
11.2018 - Current
- TDA; strategic management-investment firm composed of senior industry captains
- As Managing Partner, leading execution towards of building African businesses through local innovations using global practices, for broad societal transformation e.g. signed and implemented several agreements between African countries and China.
- Drove strategic improvements to enhance operational and organizational efficiencies and drove investments by over 50%.
- Worked closely with organizational leadership and board of directors to guide operational strategy.
- Exercised appropriate cost control to meet budget restrictions and maximize profitability.
- Represented organization to local public by giving presentations and speeches and participating in community events.
- Built relationships with government officials and other organizations to secure funding and support for firm's objectives.
- Created promotional materials and provided insightful information to social media, websites and print media to educate public.
- Conducted top-tier media interviews, highlighting key messages of major developments and enhancing company reputation.
- Devised and presented business plans and forecasts to board of directors.
- Fostered work culture of collaboration and inclusion to increase morale and reduce turnover.
Chairman and Founder
Merchant Connect Corporation
Delaware
10.2021 - Current
- Founder and investor to societal transformation micro-SME digital platform built to connect micro-retailers to regional supply chains offering better inventory pricing and financing
- Spearheaded signing of agreement with major telco provider across Africa for 11 countries to reach over 80M customers
- Conducted target market research to scope out industry competition and identify advantageous trends.
- Formed senior leadership team through rigorous interviews and extensive candidate research.
- Secured sufficient funds to cover business obligations by tracking expenses and budgeting accurately.
- Developed strong partnerships with other businesses to allow for collaboration and more significant opportunities for growth.
- Led recruitment and development of strategic alliances to maximize utilization of existing talent and capabilities.
- Analyzed industry trends and tracked competitor activities to inform decision making.
- Collaborated with legal, accounting and other professional teams to review and maintain compliance with regulations.
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Economic Grid
Nairobi
09.2019 - Current
- Founding and leading this global publication that is focused on geo-economic grid between Africa and Asia, (204B$ corridor with China alone)
- Managed partnerships and strategic business relationships by negotiating contract terms and handling conflicts.
- Negotiated with suppliers and delivery workers and ordered materials according to forecasted customer demand.
- Directed market expansions to propel business forward, meet changing customer needs.
- Created succession plans to provide continuity of operations during leadership transitions.
- Represented organization at industry conferences and events.
- Established and maintained strong relationships with customers, vendors and strategic partners.
Chairman and Co-Founder
Edge Cards
Nairobi
12.2018 - Current
- Built partnership business with KCB, East Africa's largest bank, on back of of own brand of prepaid cards (Edge).
- As co-founder and investor, lead vision towards building this revolutionary digital fintech platform that combines payment and multi-merchant offers with loyalty programs to provide double-sided value.
- Chaired shareholder meetings, disseminating information, and fielded questions.
- Led organization in setting goals and strategies.
- Grew user base partnerships to over 200K.
- Developed innovative approaches to problem-solving, leveraging resources and driving results.
- Provided recommendations on board of directors on group's effectiveness, actions, and future plans.
- Shaped solutions and approaches by leveraging trends in customer marketplaces and industries.
- Represented organization at industry conferences and events.
- Maintained P&L and shouldered corporate fiscal responsibility.
- Cultivated company-wide culture of innovation and collaboration.
Board Director
Damu Sasa
Nairobi
12.2018 - Current
- Damu-Sasa; digital blood management company with singular objective of solving blood shortage challenges in emerging markets
- Developed it to be first digital blood exchange platform in Africa, ensuring both private and public hospitals work as one network of blood units as national strategic asset.
- Provided recommendations on board of directors on group's effectiveness, actions, and future plans.
- Contributed to values, goals and strategic vision of organisation and tripled customer base growth to 120 new signup hospitals in first year of main operation.
- Negotiated and resolved conflicts between stakeholders.
- Established and maintained strong relationships with customers, vendors and strategic partners.
- Communicated business performance, forecasts and strategies to investors and shareholders.
Managing Director
SAP
Nairobi
12.2016 - 11.2018
- East Africa organization responsibility
- This includes full P&L, Sales (Direct and Indirect), and Operations in East Africa covering Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Burundi
- Business responsibility covering license and services sales, full cost management and people management with strong management team
- Strategy development and execution involved vision alignment and ensuring performance shaping that ensures value to customers and focus on business outcomes (customer), developing strong ecosystems that grow all business sectors, both private and public
- Ensuring alignment with each country’s growth GDP growth trajectory and overall country vision and role of Digital Economy
- CXO relationship management at top customers, government and business leaders, and driving joint digital innovative growth initiatives.
- Spearheaded successful business development initiatives aligned with company's strategy and core competencies.
- Negotiated new annual contracts and service agreements with vendors to achieve prime pricing.
- Oversaw operations and provided corrective feedback to achieve daily and long-term goals.
- Led change and transformation across business areas to deliver benefits and align company resources.
- Documented processes and drafted SOPs to comply with regulations and company policies.
- Worked closely with organizational leadership and board of directors to guide operational strategy.
- Performed statistical analyses to gather data for operational and forecast team needs.
- Introduced new methods, practices, and systems to reduce turnaround time, such as SAP Pipeline Week that increased sales pipeline by over 300% and got adopted across other SAP territories
- Implemented process improvement to shape organizational culture, optimize procedures for higher efficiency and help company evolve and grow.
- Tracked trends and suggested enhancements to both challenge and refine company's product offerings, such as SAP Connect for small scale farmers, with my region being first launch territory globally.
- Negotiated price and service with customers and vendors to decrease expenses and increase profit.
- Handled problematic customers and clients to assist lower-level employees and maintain excellent customer service.
- Launched staff engagement, gender diversity and cultural programs in addition to robust reporting tool that increased operational quality, with major improvements in women leadership.
Country Managing Director
ORACLE CORPORATION
Nairobi
02.2013 - 12.2016
- Responsible for Oracle Management and Operations in Kenya, accountable for supporting achievement of all business and functional objectives within country, and regional hub office
- This role involved shaping and leading Oracle’s Vision, Strategy and Execution in Kenya, ensuring enhancement of value to Oracle customers and partners, creating ecosystems that drive growth in both private and public sector, and to facilitate with urgency role information management plays in GDP growth.
- As Head of Sales it included people and sales team management to deliver on revenues targets and strategic business objectives, driving doubling of revenue within two years to over $100M.
- Maintain CXO relationships at top customers, government and business leaders, and drive joint business initiatives.
- Spearheaded successful business development initiatives aligned with company's strategy and core competencies.
- Led change and transformation across business areas to deliver benefits and align company resources.
- Devised and implemented innovative and marketing campaigns to promote products and services, such as Oracle CEO Breakfast series
- Implemented process improvement to shape company culture, optimize procedures for higher efficiency and help company evolve and grow, such as monthly townhall to create dependable feedback loops.
- Mitigated business risks by working closely with staff members and assessing performance.
- Trained and guided team members to maintain high productivity and performance metrics.
- Cultivated and strengthened lasting client relationships using strong issue resolution and dynamic communication skills.
- Observed each employee's individual strengths and initiated mentoring program to improve areas of weakness, creating initiatives such as "Walk in my Shoes" programs.
- Recruited, hired, and trained initial personnel, working to establish key internal functions and outline scope of positions for new organization, especially senior management.
- Launched staff engagement, gender diversity and cultural programs in addition to robust reporting tool that increased operational quality, and ensured for first time 50:50 management diversity.
Regional (General) Manager
CISCO SYSTEMS
Nairobi
07.2010 - 02.2013
- Regional Head and Business Operations Management responsibility for Cisco's sales and operation in Eastern Africa (9 countries)
- People and sales team management to deliver on revenues targets and strategic business objectives
- Maintain CXO relationships at top customers, government and business leaders, and drive joint business initiatives
- Identified and qualified customer needs and negotiated and closed profitable projects with high success rate.
- Trained and guided team members to maintain high productivity and performance metrics.
- Reduced operational risks while organizing data to forecast performance trends.
- Reported issues to higher management with great detail, and never missing forecasts quarter on quarter.
- Implemented innovative programs to increase employee loyalty and reduce turnover.
Sales Manager & Client Director
Cisco
Nairobi
01.2007 - 12.2010
- Sales Management responsibility for Service Provider (SP) business in Emerging - Eastern Africa.
- Grew sales and boosted profits, applying proactive management strategies and enhancing sales training of both Cisco staff and partners.
- Maintained ethical and positive working environment to reduce turnover and promote high retention rates.
- Maintained relationships with customers and found new ones by identifying needs and offering appropriate services.
- Closed lucrative sales deals using strong negotiation and persuasion skills, to over $50M for service provider business alone, from $6M, within two years.
- Coached and counseled sales personnel, assisting with individual selling efforts and helping sales representatives reach targets.
- Managed revenue models, process flows, operations support and customer engagement strategies, especially using managed services with financing to increase sales introducing managed services business for first time.
- Delivered recommendations to long-term accounts to promote brand awareness to key audience, case of Safaricom branding of it's Enterprise Business Unit.
- Coached and promoted high-achieving sales and account management employees to fill leadership positions with qualified staff and boost company growth.
- Identified, hired and trained highly-qualified staff by teaching best practices, procedures, and sales strategies
- Exceeded sales quotas and increased profitability through effective sales strategy and business planning, with overachievement on every single year.
Sales Solutions Manager
SIEMENS N.V
Herentals
01.1998 - 12.2006
- COM Export , Fixed and Enterprise Networks, Assignment, Expatriate experience)
- Drive Emerging Markets (MEA) innovation solutions in mobility and career business, and achieved doubled new customer market growth, thus increasing sales by 70%.
- Drafted integration plans to ease assimilation of products into customers' business infrastructure.
- Evangelized for updated mobile and carrier network products following introduction of new features or updated specifications.
- Performed proof of concept demonstrations, instructing potential customers on benefits of mobile networks.
- Developed post-sale technical processes for installation and technical support.
- Proved successful working within tight deadlines and fast-paced environment
- Coordinated support responses to customer issues, verifying closure of concerns and correction of deficiencies.
- Developed and maintained long-term relationships with clients, fostering strong service bonds and encouraging return patronage.
- Performed detailed research of customer business structures to accurately tailor Siemens mobile and carrier network products to unique needs of each.
- Executed on-time, under-budget project management on complex issues for senior leadership, especially for Africa.
Business Development Manager, Business Leader
SIEMENS LIMITED, Siemens Business Services
Nairobi
01.2003 - 12.2005
- IT & COM Solutions &, Eastern Africa (IT Business Unit of Siemens) Business responsibility including planning, target setting, team goaling, new business acquisition and customer satisfaction for SBS business units Infrastructure Selling, Outsourcing and Solutions Services.
- Generated new business with marketing initiatives and strategic plans, and grew ICT business from zero to $10M in year 1.
- Identified and pursued valuable business opportunities to generate new company revenue and improve bottom line profit, like starting new FSI unit that built country-wide ATM network for Cooperative Bank in Kenya.
- Negotiated and closed long-term agreements with new clients in assigned territory.
- Developed new proposals, contracts and procedures to draw in more clients and streamline work operations.
- Facilitated training for associates through daily coaching and regular performance appraisals.
- Initiated timely response to emails, voicemails, and written correspondence.
- Modeled exceptional customer service and mentored associates on direct link between revenue growth and customer loyalty.
- Represented company and promoted products at conferences and industry events.
- Established relationships with key decision-makers within customer's organization to promote growth and retention
- Monitored market trends and competitor activities to identify areas of potential opportunity
ICT Telecom Solutions Consultant
SIEMENS ATEA N.V. BELGIUM
Nairobi
08.1995 - 12.2003
- Network & Software Design and Support work transfer experience; supporting company infrastructure with more than 3,000 users.
- Performed proof of concept demonstrations, instructing potential customers on benefits of telecom products and services.
- Developed post-sale technical processes for installation and technical support.
- Collected customer satisfaction data via surveys and other measures.
- Coordinated support responses to customer issues, verifying closure of concerns and correction of deficiencies.
- Designed post-sale training curricula to educate customers on use and maintenance of PABX products.
- Resolved customer issues quickly and efficiently to enhance overall customer satisfaction ratings.
- Optimized operational productivity and collaborated with staff to share and implement process improvements.
- Implemented digitization program to increase operational efficiency, by self-building organizations first software customer support platform.
- Installed operating systems, set up emails and updated programs.
Education
Executive Leadership Master Certificate - Organizational Leadership
Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
Michigan, USA 05.2014 - 03.2015
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Certificate -
Tulane University, A.B. Freeman School of Business
New Orleans, USA 01.2004 - 1 2005
Financial Controlling in Service Business Certificate.Legal Consolidation And Management Reporting Certification. - Accounting And Finance
Siemens Campus
Munich, Germany 06.2004 - 10.2004
Bachelor of Science - Medicine & Surgery
University of Nairobi
Nairobi 1 1994 - 1 2000
Skills
Revenue Generation
undefinedAccomplishments
- Executive Leadership Program;
- Executive Insight in Strategy Acceleration
- Executive Leadership in Change Management
- Innovative Business Growth, Industry 4.0
- Public Impact 2008-2019
- Kenya e-Health Policy, Ministry of Health, Republic of Kenya
- As a key advisory member of the e-health private sector team setup by the Ministry, I provided key contributions to the various pillars that eventually saw Kenya launch its first e-Health Policy document
- Digital Transformation, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Republic of Kenya
- Friend to the Board of KEBS in their digitization agenda offering advisory support to the board and top leadership of KEBS on the best path towards complete digital transformation, that focuses on country first whilst building home-grown solutions that are world class
- IT & Telecom Solutions Consultancy
- Executive Management & Strategic Planning
- Leading Innovation and Change Management
- Business Transformation in Emerging Markets
- Board Memberships various
- Publications ICT in Healthcare for Developing Nations; PowerUp for ICT 2004 book 2008+
- Various online and magazine articles in Technology for various Transformation topics (Searchable)
Affiliations
- Mentor in Endeavor Global (Kenya chapter)
Board Directorships of:
- SwahiliPort Hub
A centre that aims to help the community grow and become more mature, advanced, or elaborate in their skills, character or with their ideas, at coastal Kenya.
- Veras Systems Africa
A tech start-up that seeks to offer cutting edge digital solutions in the Kenya Real Estate Management sector.
- Treegear Nigeria (Kenya board).
A tech start-up revolutionizing the global stock market experience in Africa, with digital micro-stock trading from the world’s leading exchanges, starting with NYSE and NASDAQ in the USA.
- USOMI
An agri-tech start-up with a digital aggregation platform for small-scale farmers, providing technical knowledge farm side and consolidating markets on the upstream.
Interests
Golf
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Quote
A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.
Grace Hopper
Timeline
Chairman and Founder
Merchant Connect Corporation
10.2021 - Current
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Economic Grid
09.2019 - Current
Chairman and Co-Founder
Edge Cards
12.2018 - Current
Board Director
Damu Sasa
12.2018 - Current
Executive Managing Partner
Titans D’Afrique
11.2018 - Current
Managing Director
SAP
12.2016 - 11.2018
Executive Leadership Master Certificate - Organizational Leadership
Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
05.2014 - 03.2015
Country Managing Director
ORACLE CORPORATION
02.2013 - 12.2016
Regional (General) Manager
CISCO SYSTEMS
07.2010 - 02.2013
Sales Manager & Client Director
Cisco
01.2007 - 12.2010
Financial Controlling in Service Business Certificate.Legal Consolidation And Management Reporting Certification. - Accounting And Finance
Siemens Campus
06.2004 - 10.2004
Master of Business Administration (MBA) Certificate -
Tulane University, A.B. Freeman School of Business
01.2004 - 1 2005
Business Development Manager, Business Leader
SIEMENS LIMITED, Siemens Business Services
01.2003 - 12.2005
Sales Solutions Manager
SIEMENS N.V
01.1998 - 12.2006
ICT Telecom Solutions Consultant
SIEMENS ATEA N.V. BELGIUM
08.1995 - 12.2003
Bachelor of Science - Medicine & Surgery
University of Nairobi
1 1994 - 1 2000
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