Werner Schmidt Email & Phone Number

Durban, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

• Headed the commercial, brand, and data strategy for a dynamic digital lead generation startup specializing in the Insurance, Banking, and Debt industries (FSP/Fintech), assuming full end-to-end responsibility for the business operations.• Drove growth of the Profit and Loss (PNL) by strategically assessing client requirements, acquiring and managing data, and crafting effective brands, campaigns, and customer journeys. • Drove sales for prominent FSP clients including African Bank, Sanlam, Old Mutual, Clientele, Hollard, and industry leaders. • Deployed a diverse range of channels including Web, FB, WhatsApp, Bots, AVM, USSD, TV, and Radio.• Encompassed ownership of data management, journey design, brand development, marketing initiatives, commercial operations, as well as new client and affiliate acquisition. • Led negotiations, including the creation of legal and commercial contracts. • Established and nurtured direct relationships with over 50 businesses, showcasing a proactive approach in a lean, cross-functional environment characterized by high operational intensity.Notable Achievements:• Achieved exceptional growth metrics since inception, including a 300% expansion of the client portfolio and affiliate partner network. • Generated remarkable increases of more than 1000% in Revenue, Gross Profit (GP), and Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (Ebit), consistently sustaining month-on-month growth. • Implemented a strategic shift resulting in a new business category, which now accounts for over 40% of GP and recently led to a successful acquisition in the same category.• Managed a dedicated team of 4 direct reports and oversaw a cross-functional team of 15, demonstrating strong leadership and managerial skills in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

• Spearheaded the groundbreaking Command Centre Marketing structure as a pivotal member of the Nerve Centre Growth Executive team, seamlessly integrating marketing strategy into the overall business strategy.• Orchestrated a transformative change management initiative, successfully repositioning our brand within the organisation, deepening its significance in the hearts of our team members.• Played a critical role in key project deliveries, collaborating closely with our founder to develop and refine the Brand Strategy, significantly influencing and enhancing the business strategy.• Maintained accountability for every customer touchpoint and communication, meticulously crafting journeys, leveraging technology implementation, harnessing data and segmentation insights, and utilizing ML and AI models to inform Sales strategy, scripting, and brand representation within every interaction. • Oversaw all associated budgets, sales targets, and forecasting efforts.• Led and managed a highly skilled team of 12 Journey Team and 6 Brand Team.Key Achievements:• Drove notable improvements in Brand Awareness impact, NPS scores, and SEO performance, further solidifying our market presence.• Ensured 100% customer awareness of the value and benefits offered, enhancing overall customer satisfaction and retention.• Achieved impressive results in delivery rates, click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and sales revenue, consistently meeting or exceeding budget and forecasting targets.• Demonstrated proficiency in managing Gross Profit (GP), Through-The-Box (TTB) metrics, and effectively mitigating decay rates, optimizing both free, sale, and upsell initiatives.• Successfully executed a seamless CRM migration, establishing a single view of the customer, resulting in enhanced customer understanding and engagement.• Effectively managed the advertising budget, instrumental in driving sales revenues, showcasing exceptional financial acumen and strategic planning expertise.

Cape Town Area, South Africa

• Spearheaded the development, execution, and management of distribution strategies and programs, strategically aligning them to maximize business opportunities.• As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), played an instrumental role in shaping operational decisions for Levi Strauss SA. • Led the adoption of innovative business principles rooted in insights, neuro leadership, and successfully reinvigorated the organisation's values and purpose.• Managed a diverse portfolio, overseeing major players in the apparel and fashion retail industry across South Africa and greater Sub-Saharan Africa. • Took charge of the "Indie accounts channel," which encompassed leading eCommerce retailers. • Managed cutting-edge urban, exclusive, and brand collective retailers, ensuring a comprehensive market reach.• Led a groundbreaking project to establish Levi’s.co.za as an online retailer in South Africa, marking a significant milestone in the company's digital commerce journey.• Fostered a strategic partnership with the Manufacturing Plant, enabling a holistic approach to wholesale channel management. • Drove key business strategies including growth, profitability, and brand positioning. • Established comprehensive plans for planning and management, incentives, national programs, and business results. • Formulated well-defined annual, 3 and 5-year directional business plans and KPIs.Key Achievements:• Successfully monitored and improved sell-out and sell-in figures (units/revenue), optimized retail inventory (FMC), and managed margins (dilution/EOSS). • Excelled in operations metrics, including Margin MRP – COGS, and consistently maintained high standards in retail quality and talent management KPIs.• Oversaw a dedicated team of Direct Store, Key Account Managers, and Area Sales Operations, with a dotted line responsibility across Brand Environment, Merchants, Planning, and Finance resources.

• Led the strategic development of a new brand, overseeing the entire brand lifecycle from inception to maturity. • Spearheaded brand creation, identity establishment, project management, and orchestrated successful launches. • Executed a comprehensive digital identity strategy and managed ongoing operations for sustained success. Key Achievements:• Played a pivotal role in the successful launch of the world's strongest coffee, establishing a strong presence both locally and in the USA through a robust Omni-channel approach.• Drove impressive business growth by implementing a robust Omnichannel strategy and expanding retail outlets, establishing a formidable market presence and enhancing revenue streams.• Pioneered the creation and launch of innovative products, including Cold Brew and Nitro Coffee, demonstrating a keen ability to identify and capitalize on emerging market trends.

Cape Town Area, South Africa

• Oversaw a network of 118 serviced Clicks stores, managing a dynamic sales team comprising 130+ professionals. • Additionally, assumed comprehensive operational responsibility for all six GNC Concept stores.Key Achievements:• Orchestrated an extraordinary 118% surge in existing store sales for GNC within Clicks, accomplishing this feat in just seven months, outperforming the previous year's performance in the same timeframe.• Demonstrated exceptional talent management skills by reducing staff turnover rate by an impressive 50%, even amidst a 40% expansion of the workforce, attesting to the effectiveness of recruitment and retention strategies.• Pioneered the development and seamless implementation of the GNC Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for concept stores, ensuring uniformity and efficiency in operational practices.• Ushered in a transformative era by achieving a first-ever green audit, marking a phenomenal 100% improvement in audit performance, underscoring an unwavering commitment to excellence in compliance and operational standards.

Cape Town Area, South Africa

• Orchestrated seamless operations across a network of 12 stores, with a team of mid-level managers and an extensive workforce of over 220 professionals, including pharmacy managers. Key Achievements:• Demonstrated exceptional leadership by swiftly filling critical pharmacy vacancies, and providing seamless integration support and coaching, achieving the second-lowest vacancy factor nationwide.• Drove significant cost savings by implementing strategic measures, reducing staff budget over-spend by an impressive 50%, particularly noteworthy in the high-stakes, specialized pharmacy environment.• Ignited a remarkable growth trajectory, achieving a remarkable 16% increase in the area's performance compared to the previous year, resulting in the attainment of Roam incentives for the first time in four years.

Cape Town Area, South Africa

• Successfully managed a portfolio of 53 front shops and 35 Pharmacies spanning across Western Cape and Namibia.• Spearheaded the launch of 11 new Front shop stores and 5 Pharmacy drop-ins, surpassing profitability targets.• Achieved the top position in the division for consecutive years in both new and existing turnover growth.

Cape Town Area, South Africa

Cape Town Area, South Africa

Cape Town Area, South Africa

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