Marketing Head (Financial Services)

Responsible for setting specific objectives to develop a cohesive and profitable marketing strategy for clients
Set specific marketing goals
Design and implement marketing strategies aligned with business targets
Develop digital campaigns to increase web traffic
Analyze sales and marketing metrics
Forecast market trends
Research market to identify new opportunities
Generate innovative ideas to promote brands and products
Address advertising needs
Ensure brand consistency through all marketing channels
Use customer feedback to ensure client satisfaction
Liaise with internal teams and ensure brand consistency

In 2014,  started a business known as Mahusiano (Pty) Ltd, focused on Marketing Strategy, Customer Engagement and Communication, doing work for corporate clients such as General Motors South Africa on their Opel, Isuzu and Chevrolet brands, Spar, Momentum, Unilever and PRASA as well as working with media personalities.

Duties

• Business Management
• Client Relationship Management
• Strategy Development
• Media Relations

Achievements:

• As the exclusive media agency for General Motors South Africa, my business was responsible for positioning and growing their brands in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our work led to the Opel brand winning multiple consumer and media awards.

• Strategic Marketing Management - development of a marketing management capability that allows for efficient conceptualization, planning and delivery of marketing and media strategies throughout business.
• Communication Management - gather and disseminate accurate and timely information to all relevant stakeholders throughout the business and broadcast media.
• Campaign Management - develop processes and measures to track effectiveness of communication campaigns
• Research and Analytics - initiate and manage market research, data mining and quantitative analysis to ensure sustainability and future competitive growth.
• Financial Management - establishment, alignment and management of target and budget goals whilst ensuring effective control of costs for a range of functional areas to increase.
• Operational Execution - through analytical business thinking translate strategies into actionable goals and execute relevant projects / initiatives aligned to strategic objectives with specific performance measures and control systems to track progress – building segment branch capacity. Corporate Governance - monitoring of changes in laws, regulations, initiatives and relevant industry practices, drafting and implementation of appropriate interventions. Comply with audit requirements.
• People Management - plan and manage performance, skills development, employment equity, talent and culture of team in order to improve innovation, achieve efficiencies and increase competencies.

Achievements:

•  Oversaw the rebranding project of FNB’s Platinum Banking into what is now known as Premier Banking.

Marketing

• Defining and implementing the marketing strategy
• Managing he preparation of tender documents iro pitches for new business
• Participation in tender presentations
• Market research and analysis
• Product development and marketing campaigns
• Participation in Management team strategic planning process
• Prepare and operate the marketing budget
• Monthly report preparation for EXCO
• Liaising with other Metropolitan Group Business Units

Brand

• Creation and implementation of the Brand Strategy
• Brand Identity control ? internal & external

Corporate Communications

• Implementation of a Corporate Communication Strategy
• Writing and managing the writing of press releases and articles
• Conducting regular communication audits
• Standardisation of all stakeholder communication
• Budget control and monitoring
• EXCO reporting
• Managing the complaints desk

• Responsible for market development of a particular strategic segment including acquisitions, cross sell and upsell across various products in Retirement, Investments, Actuarial Consulting and Group Risk/Assurance.
• Collating, analyzing and interpreting market intelligence data for the segment.
• Accountable for specific marketing focus (such as brand, product marketing and CVP delivery) to the segment.
• Developing and executing marketing plans directed at decision makers, intermediaries and end customers.
• Responsible for communication (including to the media) and marketing activities of the Segment. Conducting presentations and facilitating marketing workshops, events and seminars.
• Responsible for direct mail and leads campaign into the Segment.
• Briefing design agencies on creative work.
• Briefing Media Buying Agencies on campaigns.
• Ensuring brand consistency on all client-facing material.
• Building relationships with suppliers (internal & external), vendors and internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensuring on-time delivery of marketing plans.
• Coordinating the elements of a client/product launches.
• Managing a team of 6 people

• To develop and manage marketing strategies.
• Develop, implement and manage the communication strategy in conjunction with MMI Holdings and management for relevant business units.
• Manage the development and implementation of a multiple creative campaigns (above-the-line, below-the-line and online)
• Manage the preparation of detailed communication briefs, and providing solutions to meet specific communication objectives
• Liaising and co-ordination of creative briefs with the agencies
• Reviewing and securing approval on all communication material
• Responsible to integrate Sales Strategic activities into overall marketing mix and to implement online campaigns.
• Regular feedback with team members, preparation of monthly and quarterly reports, presentations to senior management forums.
• Manage the conceptualization and implementation of marketing initiatives as well as various other projects.
• Liaison with numerous external agencies/suppliers and various internal divisions within the Group.
• Translate research results into appropriate marketing actions.
• Briefing and managing external agencies in order to implement activities identified in the Communications Strategy.
• Writing and editing reports, proposals and plans.
• Manage the production of various client newsletters in respect of content, design and printing/online publishing.
• Provide communication support to internal stakeholders e.g. Operations, training, call centre, HR, Fund Executives etc.
• Monitor competitor environment as well as market activities/trends and translate into appropriate actions.
• Development of a media strategy
• Ensuring a consistent corporate image in all media platforms
• Developing relationships with strategic media
• Managing a team of 3 employees.

Communications Manager

• Communications Consultant
• Defining and developing effective communication strategies
• Ascertaining communication requirements and assessing impact
• Developing and enhancing necessary communication tools/material
• Brand management - Establishing and building the DiscoveryCard brand
• Identifying marketing opportunities
• Taking detailed communication briefs, and providing solutions to meet specific communication objectives
• Liaising with advertising agency regarding creative briefs
• Ensuring briefs are met timeously
• Reviewing and presenting creative concepts to client
• Securing approval on communication material
• Co-ordinating the production of print and promotional items
• Budget management
• Building client relationships
• Interacting with team to manage the flow and timing of communication
• Interacting with team to manage feedback and communication form the business audience
• Ensuring consistency and accuracy of all communication material
• Maintaining and enhancing the various print and electronic media available for communication
• Enhancing the use of the internet as an essential and dynamic communication tool
• Ensuring consistence use of terminology and language style in communication documents, often writing of communication documentation is required
• Utilising all media to achieve objectives, including the electronic media
• Co-ordinating the planning of company launches and roadshows
• Partner relationship management (including development of point-of-sale marketing elements for all 15 partner stores and 3 travel partners)

• Project Co-ordinator: Communications
• Managed multiple creative and strategic projects, deliverables and timelines (Sample projects included HR initiatives, MySAP, Fraud Awareness, Liberty Life Challenge, Let?s Dream Guinness World Record attempt etc.)
• Developed and wrote proposals, scope documents, communication material and client correspondence
• Participated in day-to-day control and managed design for all types of communication channels (Web, print, mpeg, wallpapers, internal TV channel etc.)
• Regular correspondence with client and project teams to stay abreast of the day-to-day flow of information and business in general
• Researched into best practices in respect of internal communications
• Identified creative solutions for business and project needs aspiring to innovation and originally at every opportunity
• Assisted with other duties within the internal communications environment
• An uncompromising focus on excellence and quality control in all deliverables
• Provided effective communication support for all change management initiatives
• Conducted competitor analysis to determine where the team was in relation to main competitors
• Identified and used existing and new communication channels to build the company brand
• Worked closely with marketing colleagues to ensure fit and alignment between Communication and Marketing activity
• Client relationship management ? development and management