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Work Background
Oxton and Channelkirk Community CouncilChairman
Jun. 2022Scottish Borders, Scotland, United Kingdom
Edinburgh Third Sector Interface (TSI)Chairman
Mar. 2020 - Mar. 2023Edinburgh, Scotland, United KingdomEdinburgh TSI is a partnership of three organisations which help to support and develop the city's third sector: The partners are; EVOC Edinburgh Social Enterprise and Volunteer Edinburgh. "Our partnership starts from the principle that as the established experts in our respective fields, when we work together we are able to better support you - whether you are a volunteer, a voluntary organisation or a social enterprise. After all, without volunteers there is no voluntary sector, many social enterprises use volunteers and many voluntary organisations have social enterprise functions or aspirations. We all connect together."
Oxton and Channelkirk Community CouncilVice Chairman
Oct. 2019 - Jun. 2022Oxton, Scottish Borders, United Kingdom
Edinburgh Social EnterpriseVice Chair
Apr. 2019 - Sep. 2023
Edinburgh Social EnterpriseTrustee
Aug. 2018 - Sep. 2023Edinburgh, United Kingdomhttp://www.edinburghsocialenterprise.co.uk
CROSSING COUNTRIESNon Executive Director
Apr. 2018 - Sep. 2023Edinburgh, United KingdomCrossing Countries is a social enterprise the provides unique, individualised equal opportunities for disabled and non disabled people to volunteer abroad together
Oxton Community Development LimitedChairman
Mar. 2018 - Dec. 2021Oxton, BerwickshireA Community Benefit Society, formed to start a new Community Shop when it was discovered that the last shop in the village was closing.
Oxton and Channelkirk Community CouncilCommunity Councillor
Nov. 2017 - Apr. 2019Oxton, Lauder, Berwickshire
Cassava Connect LimitedDirector of Cassava Connect's South African business
Jun. 2015 - Jun. 2016Johannesburg Area, South AfricaCassava Connect is part of the Econet Group and is a Fintech start-up providing Mobile Financial Services, primarily in Africa. • Responsible for ensuring that corporate governance was implemented and followed.
• Oversaw regulatory compliance, essential in the highly regulated South African financial sector. • Member of South Africa Institute of Directors.
Cassava Connect LimitedCOO
Dec. 2014 - Jun. 2016Johannesburg Area, South AfricaWorked with the Chief Executive Officer to develop a commercially viable international business to expand financial services to the formal and informal sector using a mobile wallet as a platform. • Managed the day to day Operations of the business and adjusted priorities as required.
• Oversaw all commercial agreements, working with the legal team.
• Provided input into strategy formulation and the business planning and budgeting process.
• Oversaw due diligence for acquisition of a UK based International Money Remittance business. • Ran the subsequent integration of the acquired business.
Econet Wireless InterminationalHead of Mediation
Nov. 2013 - Nov. 2014JohannesburgEconet Wireless operates Mobile Telephone Networks in Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Burundi. It also has interests in Networks in Botswana and various other countries.
• Led a dedicated task force to investigate the feasibility of creating a payment processing system that could be used by Mobile Network Operators to mediate between disparate systems to consolidate payments collection across all value-added and non-telecommunications services.
• Conducted due diligence and shortlisted vendors to provide billing and customer management solutions to a new Econet Group pay TV venture in Africa.
Econet Wireless InternationalHead of Business Operations - Econet Solar
Jul. 2012 - Oct. 2013JohannesburgEconet Solar is part of the Econet Group of Companies. The company provides consumers with Solar Power solutions. Worked with the CEO to build a new company in the Group to create and market consumer solar powered devices.
• Managed the day to day operation of the business.
• Provided input to the business strategy and marketing plans.
• Led the team that developed the “Home Power Station”, which provides solar charging for devices.
• Managed development and implementation of a software platform to bill and manage payments.
• Negotiated and concluded manufacturing agreements with Chinese hardware manufacturers.
Econet Wireless InternationalIndependant Advisor
Jan. 2010 - Jun. 2012Johannesburg Area, South AfricaInstrumental in the launch and implementation of EcoCash, one of the most successful implementations of mobile money in Africa. To date over $13Bn has been transacted through the system and there are approximately 30,000 agents. • Conducted a feasibility study and led drafting of business plan that resulted in the creation of the EcoCash in Zimbabwe.
• Implemented a customised Customer Relationship Management system fto support the Agent network in Zimbabwe.
TecnotreeDirector Business Development - Southern and East Africa
Mar. 2009 - Dec. 2009Uganda and South AfricaTecnotree is a unique combination of two industry forerunners, Tecnomen and Lifetree. Tecnotree makes business flourish by serving Communications companies with Business and Operations Support Systems (BSS/OSS) and Value Added Services (VAS) platforms. • Recruited to manage difficult relationships with MNOs in Uganda and Rwanda.
• Transferred to South Africa to manage consolidation of the merged Technomen Lifetree offices.
ScoZA UgandaIndependent Consultant
Jan. 2007 - Jul. 2008Uganda• Completed a Corporate Social Responsibility feasibility study for Neptune Petroleum into the viability of establishing distance learning centres in rural schools, in co-operation with Heriot Watt university of Scotland.
• Created partnerships between partnerships Neptune and NGOs to provide potable water to underserved rural schools.
• Provided management advice to a variety of small companies in Uganda and Rwanda on an ad hoc basis.
MTN publiComCEO
Mar. 2002 - Dec. 2006UgandapubliCom is a payphone operator in Uganda. During this period, there were some 2,500 payphones deployed throughout the country. Appointed to the position by the Board to turn the company around from imminent bankruptcy.
• Within three years the business became profitable and could start re-paying its loans, showing a pre-tax profit of $1 million from a turnover of $6 million.
• Staff morale was improved by adopting a more hands on, firm and caring management approach. • In 2006 succeeded in getting the majority shareholder to buy out the minority shareholders, enabling them to realise a reasonable return on their original investment.
MTN Uganda LtdOperations Advisor
Aug. 1999 - Jan. 2002UgandaMTN Uganda is the leading mobile and fixed line operator in Uganda. Joined the start-up team to advise the CEO and assist executive committee members with several key strategic projects.
• Led the team that successfully acquired a new Customer Care and Billing system.
• Led a business process revision project.
• Led the team of consultants who conducted a fibre ring implementation feasibility study. The fibre network was successfully rolled out.
MTN rwandaCellCEO
Jan. 1998 - Dec. 1999RwandaMTN Rwanda was the first mobile operator to be established in Rwanda. Appointed to lead the implementation team that launched the network.
• Mobile services were launched within very tight deadlines required by the operating license.
• Created a functioning, viable business, in what was to the team, a completely new and different operating environment.
• Had full responsibility for the day to day management of the business and the P&L.
• Established working relationships with local partners.
MTN South AfricaRegional Operations General Manager
Jan. 1995 - Dec. 1998South Africa• Managed the rollout of new Customer Care centres throughout South Africa.
• Was responsible for the day to day operations of Customer Care centres.
M-TelIT Manager
Jan. 1993 - Dec. 1995Johannesburg Area, South AfricaM-Tel was a Service Provider in the mobile telephony sector when licenses were first issued in South Africa in 1993.
• Was appointed to the team that studied the viability of starting a Service Provider business, alongside the Mobile Network Operator prior to the granting of licences in South Africa.
• Acquired and implemented the Customer Care and Billing System.
• Managed the merger of the Z-Net service provider business into M-Tel after M-Tel acquired the business.
M-Net and MultichoiceVarious Management positions
Jan. 1988 - Dec. 1993Johannesburg Area, South AfricaM-Net was the first Pay TV operator in South Africa. • Started the field service department to install Antennas and decoders.
• Started Customers Service offices in major cities around South Africa.
• Performed the liaison function between IT and users.
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