Leading Edge is a consultancy providing specialised services to help bring physical products to life. I bring design thinking into business processes, product applications and their production, bridging the gap between customer needs, production readiness and relevant, impactful design. My core focus is on designing products and applications within integrated systems that make processes more efficient.I have a continued investment in the composite paper product market. These services centre on the process implementation required for the sale, design and manufacture of composite paper products. More recently, in attempt to overcome persistent delivery obstacles for a few personal web-based passion projects, I expanded my skills and have extended my offering to include Wordpress development and E-commerce management. Focus areas1. Design - Design briefing; design generation criteria, parameters and methodology2. Production & process implementation - Graphic generation criteria, parameters and methodology, prepress considerations, prototyping considerations; design production handover; production considerations, including outsourced components; supply chain initiation; costing systems; post-prototype FMEA; post-production FMEA; digital systems development3. Sales & marketing – Development of sales & marketing tools 4. Web development – Shopify & Wordpress design and implementation5. E-commerce management – development, implementation and management of E-commerce for online retailRoles and responsibilities• Direct consulting • Account management• Project management • Product development & coding• Implementation• Production management• Sales• Financial managementTop clients - Space Fit; The Cross Trainer; Aviz Laboratories; Vorserve; Kids PT (Australia); Nuts About You; PenMark Hospitality; Super Union (DSTV); Dr Graham McCollum; Love Camping; Waterval Eco Farmstay; Pashasha; Mai Visti Restaurant; The Butcher’s Shop; Sihlanganisa Consulting

Current RoleI lead Technical Projects at Xanita, specializing in International Design and Technical Support. Since first joining in 2005, I've played a pivotal role in both the technical development and international expansion of the company.ResponsibilitiesI manage design queries and processing optimizations for our international customers, spearhead artificial intelligence integration to boost productivity, and participate in strategic global expansion projects as part of the EXCO team.AchievementsMy leadership in critical projects has consistently delivered customized solutions to major global clients, enhancing Xanita's market leadership.Professional GrowthI am actively expanding my expertise in financial management and engineering to align with Xanita's growth and to elevate my project management skills for large-scale international projects.SkillsIndustrial DesignProject ManagementAI in BusinessStrategic Global Expansion

Kimmo is a premium packaging manufacturer known for their innovation in eco-friendly honeycomb packaging and corrugated pallet. Kimmo recruited me to explore new avenues of revenue for their business. With in-house production of composite honeycomb fibre boards, my role was centred around exploring which applications best suited their business strategy and implementing those into the existing business. My roles & responsibilities included:1. Design lead - design generation criteria, parameters and methodology2. Product development - research and exploration into new variations of honeycomb to better suit high margin applications.3. Production development & management - converting methods research; graphic generation criteria, parameters and methodology; prototyping considerations; Design-to-Production handover systems; production considerations including outsourced components; supply chain initiation; costing systems; cost Prototype FMEA, post-production FMEA 4. Sales & marketing - development of sales & marketing tools5. Brand & Business Strategy6. Induction and Staff training

Xanita strategically refocused their business from manufacturing board with potential applications to converting board into finished product and product sales. I was tasked with determining and driving the strategic business direction, new product and revenue stream development, design direction, shopper marketing implementation and management, online marketing, general marketing, sales support. My key roles & responsibilities included:1. Creative director and design development - Responsible for the overall design direction of products being conceptualised and produced for the FMCG market and ensuring the successful integration of this shift into the design team. 2. New product and revenue development - focused on new technologies (custom electronics in particular); technical sales support to drive new products for the marketing of FMCG products; researching, understanding and incorporating shopper marketing thinking and tactics within both the internal sales team and design department; conceptualisation and implementation of the Xanita Online Design Store – store.xanita.com3. Xanita management team (2012-2014) – responsible for strategically directing the business in accordance with market trends and adjusting the sales focus accordingly; initiated and responsible for a Johannesburg regional office, with a distinct focus on developing regional presence and capabilities.

Focus areas - Design, production management, on-site implementationZukarra was the result of identifying a commercial need for the specialised design skills required for Xanita’s product range, specifically with regard to finished goods. I started the company to incorporate other design disciplines through a contracted freelancer model, which allowed the business to capitalise on revenue opportunities outside of the direct skill set of industrial designers and therefore create a more diversified client base. This was coupled with an expansion of services from pure design into production management and on-site implementation.Roles and responsibilities - Product design; product development; production and manufacturing development; project management; account management; financial managementClients - Afrisam (Cement, South Africa); Geneva-Ad (Metal Manufacturing, South Africa); 4th Right (Promotions Agency, South Africa) Really Great Brands Company (FMCG beverages, South Africa); Hirt & Carter (Print, South Africa); Boo Media (Media & Promotions, South Africa); Brand Unlimited (Advertising, South Africa); Delta Display (Manufacturing, South Africa); Graphic Laminates (Print, South Africa); Kyta Industries (Manufacturing, South Africa); Live Wire (Advertising, South Africa); Match Hospitality (Events, Germany); Nando’s (Fast Food, South Africa); New24 (Media, South Africa); Oasys (Events, South Africa); Old Mutual (Finance, South Africa); Omni Express (Print, South Africa); Pro Nature (Garden products, South Africa); Woolworths (Retail, South Africa); Xanita Oceana (Distribution, Australia); The Design Company (Interior Design, South Africa)

In June 2008 the opportunity arose to produce eco-friendly furniture for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. A collaboration between Zukarra and Lightworks Imaging won the contract in December of the same year. It was agreed with FIFA for contractual ease that a new business be formed under the name Lightworks Innovations. My roles & responsibilities included:1. Production and team management - engineering and production of furniture items; mass production of these items for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup; training of the various implementation teams around the country.In preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup we also secured the contract for all stadia directional signage and specialised décor elements.2. Design & engineering, production, logistics, team management - full design and engineering direction, internal & outsourced production management; overseeing all logistics and implementation functions for the 10 stadia; motivate, direct and manage implementation teams. Over 150 items making up a total 16000 units, totalling more than $10.5M in sales, were distributed to 10 stadia across the country for implementation over a 4-6 week period. 3. Production management, project management, logistics management, design management, training and implementation, supplier analysis and negotiation, business unit budget management, team-building, people management. Clients - Adidas (Clothing, Germany); Budweiser (FMCG beverages, USA); Castrol (Motor Oil, South Africa); Coca Cola (FMCG beverages, USA); Continental (Tyres, South Africa); FIFA (Football, Switzerland); Match Hospitality (Event Hospitality, Germany); MTN (Mobile Telecommunications, South Africa); VISA (Financial Services, USA)

Xanita was established as a company primarily manufacturing a durable, eco-friendly paper-based board. I was hired at the onset to assist with business and product development, for which my roles and responsibilities included: 1. Business & product development – Involved in the setup of the business from business strategy, core value implementation through to product development.2. Head of design - product development and market application; investigate the full potential, limitations and utility of Xanita’s core board product, including converting methods and tools, fasteners, fittings and fixtures to be used in conjunction with the board. Where adequate existing solutions could not be found, I was required to conceptualise these; identify market opportunities and develop practical applications of Xanita’s product for identified industries, including the conceptualisation and design of specific products for all particular clients within those. 3. Marketing – translate the results of my design and research work into marketing material for both investors and potential clients.