PERSONAL DETAILS

Full Names: Theodorus Ignatius Jacobus Ferreira

Known As: Theo
Nationality: South African
SA ID Number: 7010125028086
Date of Birth: 12 October 1970
Languages: Afrikaans & English
Marital Status: Divorced
Dependents: 3 Children
Valid Driver’s License: Code 8
Residence: South Africa, KZN

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

A professional executive with strong transformational leadership skills and a unique ability to
motivate and inspire people from different demographics enabling him to build strong teams
within organisations.
He is a big picture person with an innate ability to solve complex problems.
As a results driven individual he holds people accountable for mutually agreed goals aligned with
the overall objectives of the company.

He firmly believes that people want to do their best and it is up to leadership to develop excellence
in all employees.
Theo also has strong financial management skills with ample business development experience and
insight into growing organisations.

On a socioeconomic front Theo has been involved in various social development projects. Most
notably helping to launch an Asset-based coping project in the eastern Cape. This project part
funded by Theo has been running since 2003
 TERTIARY QUALIFICATIONS

 Gordon Institute of Business Science

Current Studies
PhD: Leadership (Discretional Time)
 Gordon Institute of Business Science
2006
Executive Development Programme
 Oxford Brookes
2005
MBA: Change and Project Management

Professional Courses & Certificates:

 BIDVEST: BIDVEST Academy (2004) * selected as one of 300 candidates from the entire
Bidvest group of 58 000 employees
 Mathys Forsyte USA: International Sales and Marketing (1994)
 Damelin Business School: Business Management Diploma (1997)
 SADF 1990 achieved the rank of second Lieutenant

TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS

 Sales management (various channels)

 Business Development
 International procurement
 Change management
 Risk management
 Communication: Presentation
 General management experience
 Tender procurement
 International commodity sales
 Project management
 Retail vendor relationship management including public relations.
 Account management
 Budget control (expenditure): Over R200 Million per month
 IT System design, IT Data base design, IT business analysis, IT System analysis, IT system
development (Delphi + Object Orientation), Web site backend development, online trading
system development.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Blue Platinum Holdings

2008 – 2020
Share Partner and CEO

Active industries
  Mining
 Oils and Gas and petrochemicals
 Civil construction
 Commodity trading
 Various security related projects
 IT start-up funding focusing on mobile and online development of disruptive technology

Responsibilities:

 Identifying and scrutinising new investment opportunities and start-up companies.

 Leading, in conjunction with the Board, the development of the Company’s strategy.
 Identifying new sales development opportunities to grow the business.
 Leading and overseeing the implementation of the Company’s long and short-term plans in
accordance with its strategy.
 Ensuring that the Company is appropriately organized and staffed to achieve the approved
strategy.
 In collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), overseeing that expenditures of the
Company are within the authorised annual budget.
 In collaboration with the CFO, assessing the principal risks of the Company and ensuring
that these risks are monitored and managed.
 In collaboration with the CFO, ensuring that effective internal controls and management
information systems are in place.
 Ensuring that the Company has appropriate systems in place to enable it to conduct
activities lawfully and ethically.
 Ensuring that the Company maintains high standards of corporate citizenship and social
responsibility wherever it does business.
 Acting as a liaison between management and the Board

Reason for Leaving: They’ve closed the company down after the death of his partner.
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Redpoint Consulting
August 2008 – December 2017
Business Partner & Principle Associate

Responsibilities:
 Development of leadership teaching material
 Executive leadership development in multinational companies in Africa.
 Leadership development of managers in multinational companies in Africa.
 Executive coaching in multinational companies in Africa
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Myfer Solutions and Maziwa Petroleum

August 2008 – March 2017
Shared Business Owner
Responsibilities:

 Developing the business in trading fuel in the Southern African region (RSA, Zimbabwe,
Zambia)
 Procuring clients from various international fuel suppliers.
 Driving and Managing sales of R 180-195 million per month

Reason for Leaving: Sold the company.

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Independent Contract Work

April 2006 – Ongoing
Management Consultant

Responsibilities:
Lightworks Imaging
 Designed, developed and implemented a strategic plan for Lightworks Imaging in a cost
and time efficient manner.
 Responsible for the day-to-day running of the company.
 Developed business plans for the long term future of the organization.
 Restructured the Company to ensure smooth operation after my exit.
 Involved in building a cohesive team and clarifying roles and responsibilities.
 Established a sales team to drive growth of the company
 Accountable to the board and shareholders of the company.
Standard Bank
 Senior consultant to one of the largest financial service companies (Standard Bank) in
South Africa on a performance management project. Main focus of the project: worldwide
(38 countries) implementation of elements of a performance management process across
the group (43 000 people).
 Responsible for managing the organisational change associated with the implementation
of a new approach to performance management as well as for team building.
 Managed the internal marketing and communications campaign for the entire worldwide
project (above and below the line), utilising the internal channels television, web and
printed material. Face-to-face introduction seminars with more than 400 senior managers
and executives.
Landelahni Human Resources
 Assisted in designing, developing and implementing various business processes, and
identifying opportunities for growth.
 Assisted in developing future marketing strategies for the group companies, focusing on
both above (excluding television and radio) and below the line advertising, for target
audiences of candidates and clients.
 Assisted in the day-to-day running of the company and developing growth plans for the
long-term future of the organization.
 Focused on generating a cohesive team to ensure optimal execution of a company
balanced score card.
 Accountable to the CEO and board of the company.
 Line manager to three directly reporting, and 12 indirectly reporting, employees.
SRM Solutions
 Co-developed the company marketing and business development strategy within various
channels.
 Expanded market share and grew the company
 Developed a marketing intelligence and research framework to assess customers, markets
and competitors in order to identify areas of growth (focusing on strategic procurement in
the medical, FMCG and petrochemical business areas).
 Assisted in increasing the profitability of the company about sourcing solutions on offer

Various clients in the security industry,

 Assisted in the design and implementation of various security projects, mostly in the
security estate environment and farm security in Rural areas
 Co conceptualised a primary detection system using cameras and raspberry pie solution.
 Planned and implemented the roll out of a technology solution utilising fibre optics as a
detection system to deploy drone as first response to farm permitter fencing. Project was
not taken past pilot phase due to high cost to farmers.

Reason for Leaving: On going consultancy work

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TEBA Ltd
April 2004 – March 2006
Marketing director

Responsibilities:
 Jointly responsible for formulating the overall company strategy (in collaboration with the
COO), as part of company executive tasks.
 Responsible for developing and maintaining a marketing and sales strategy (including
growth and communication) and developing action plans for the nine regions in South
Africa as well as for four neighbouring countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique,
Swaziland).
 Developed marketing intelligence and a research framework to assess customers, markets
and competitors, in order to develop new products that could meet the unique needs of
the various market segments.
 Responsible for identifying and expanding current as well as potential markets for the
TEBA Ltd services in South Africa and the four neighbouring countries.
 Line manager to nine directly reporting, and 84 indirectly reporting, employees
 Assisted in the management and control of the nine regions’ sales and marketing activities
via the retail bank channel as well as field offices.
 Responsible for new corporate sales, primarily in the mining sector.
 Monitored the income budget.
 Responsible for driving a customer centric focus within the company.
 Liaised with various stake holders and governmental departments (local, national and
international), and organised labour and mining houses in order to increase the exposure
of the company.
 Primarily responsible for internal and external group communications.
TEBA development:
 As Marketing Director directly responsible to garner support for various social
development projects that would enrich the lives of mine worker communities.
 Responsible for campaigning and implementation of the development project for various
mining houses (focusing on the implementation of sustainable food projects) and initiating
and implementing projects as a means for ex-mineworkers to generate a sustainable
income.

Reason for Leaving: Recruited to join a consultancy house

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Visual Information Systems (IT Company, part of the BIDVEST Group)
August 2002 – November 2004
Marketing/Business Development Manager
Operational Manager: Johannesburg office

Responsibilities:
Visual Information Systems
 Developed and implemented a relevant marketing strategy that focused on expanding
existing products and solution services.
 Ensured alignment of marketing and business goals and strategies.
 Responsible for the management and development of the Sales and Marketing teams, in
line with the marketing strategy and plans.
 Identified potential and expanded existing markets for both bespoke and existing products
and Systems.
 Identified new opportunities to offer innovative products to the existing client base (part
of the team that developed the Jobmatrix recruitment package).
 Formulated and implemented a Business Development plan that focused on the organic
growth of the company.
 Formulated and implemented a Channel Development plan that focused on the organic
growth of the Document Management product via existing and new channels.
 Developed new and current customer relationships by identifying new opportunities and
participating in developing software products.
 Developed a new approach to attend to clients’ needs and expectations in terms of
company services.
 Provided input on improving the general management of the company.
 Managed relationships between the Company and customers, including the development
and implementation of Service Level Agreements.
 Managed relationships with external parties including advertising functions and PR
activities.
 Accountable for the overall performance of the Company to the Managing Director.
 Line manager to two directly reporting, and 19 indirectly reporting, employees.
BIDVEST
 Worked closely with Bidvest Executive Director Muriel Dube and Jack Hochfeld in
accomplishing the BIDVEST Group financial consolidation for the BIDVEST BEE Score card
and EMPORDEX BEE rating.
 Responsible for arranging and managing various financial consolidation projects for the
BIDVEST Group as part of the due diligence process for new acquisitions.
 Involved in developing a strategic management tool that would allow the various entities
to develop a consistent strategy within the divisions they reside in, as part of Bidvest
Academy responsibilities

Reason for Leaving: Recruited to become the Marketing Director of TEBA Ltd
_____________________________________________________________________
Openware (Pty) ltd
February 2001 – July 2002
IT Consultant Account Manager (Contract)

Responsibilities:
 Actively involved in the following sectors: Cellular industry (one client), Retail industry (one
client, SAP interface concluded), National State Department (two clients).
 Total value of projects for the last year involved: R 5 500 000.00 with a 40% profit margin.
 Regular meetings with clients in the Cellular and Retail Industry as well as Government
departments, in order to negotiate and determine the Information Technology needs and
requirements of these companies.
 Managed consultants and senior infrastructure consultants working with external clients
(Vodacom 4000+ users, Makro 1000+ users, Government organizations 10000+ users).
 Responsible for multiple project management functions, implementing the full software
development life cycle.
 Sales and pre-sales of development services for existing and prospective clients.
 Needs analysis of various business requirements for clients in the retail and cellular
industries, thereby creating opportunities for growth.
 Project planning and control, including resource planning, budget allocation and
determining deliverable dates to help ensure smooth project delivery.
 Negotiated with clients in order to alleviate change in scope or intervene if project changes
or problems occurred.
 Systems Design and Implementation, including IT System Development at Vodacom,
focusing on infrastructure/development environment for more than 4000 users.
 Responsible for planning account budgets and assisting clients to plan projects within
available budgets.
 Responsible for sourcing new clients by establishing which companies were users of a
particular technology, e.g. JAVA, and approaching them with simplified proposals after
initial meetings.
 Implemented full and partial Software Development Life Cycles depending on the scope of
projects.
 Managed large component-based development projects for various clients, using OO
architecture.
 Involved in interfacing into large accounting ERP packages, e.g. SAP, CS3 etc.
 Provided advice on development methodologies.
 Accountable on director’s level.
 Line manager to four directly reporting, and 21 indirectly reporting, employees
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Maslin Consulting
January 2000 – January 2001
Senior Analyst Programmer (Contract)

Responsibilities:
 Started as a developer and accelerated to senior analyst programmer within four months.
 Responsible for the partial development of major web Object Orientated (OO) based
information systems for the National Department of Agriculture (over 8 000 users).
 Analysed and facilitated the development of two national projects within the Department
of Agriculture.
 Liaised with different sections within the Department of Agriculture in order to determine
the needs for each project.
 Allocated development resources to different projects and determined project plans and
budgets.
 Total value of projects: R 1 200 000.00.
_____________________________________________________________________

DDL Submerged Solutions

February 1999 -January 2000
Business Development Consultant (12-month Contract)

Responsibilities:
 Contracted to start DDL Submerged Solutions – a company specializing in the de-sulting of
major water reservoirs and features in the Golfing and Mining industry.
 Assisted with the planning of an overall company and marketing strategy.
 Planned and finalized budgets.
 Responsible for sales and marketing of the services of the company.
 Used this time to develop computer programming skills
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Krause Corporation
November 1994 – February 1999
Operations Manager

Responsibilities:
 Permanent executive position at Krause Corporation, a medium/large company (201-1 000
employees) in the Manufacturing, Production and Trades sector in Pretoria, South Africa
(Gauteng).
 Managed four companies in the FMCG (Mainly cosmetics and cookware) section, utilizing
direct marketing with an annual turnover of R 51 600 000 per year.
 Coordinated the day-to-day management of the companies, including the planning and
finalisation of budgets for both production and procurement.
 Formulated a centralised marketing strategy for direct marketing of the manufactured
products by consultants.
 Negotiated long-term procurement contracts from suppliers, both nationally and
internationally.
 Human Resource Management of 130 permanent production staff members in the factory,
and associated labour negotiations with trade unions.
  Major accomplishments during this period: Change management and development of a
new marketing and production strategy which enabled the company to reduce production
cost by 9% and increase sales by over 389% (from R 10 560 000 to R 51 600 000) during the
period I was actively involved with the company.
 Important skills for this task: Strategic thinking and business management skills.
 Line manager to 14 directly reporting, and 132 indirectly reporting, employees

Reason for Leaving: Decided to enter and gain experience in the IT sector
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Mathys Forsyte (US company)

October 1993 – June 1994
Business Partner

Responsibilities:
 One of the founding members of the company.
 Coordinated and facilitated sales of high-end imaging equipment to various hospitals
around the world.
 Purchased imaging equipment from various sources in the US and Europe.
 Expanded the company globally to Asia and Eastern Europe

Reason for Leaving: Returned to SA

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The Virginian (Bermuda registered vessel)

April 1992 – October 1993
Boson’s mate

 Crew member for a motorized yacht

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South African defence Force

January 1989 December 1990
SECOND LEUTANANT

After one year of Officers training deployed to Northern KZN to run the Anti-poaching operations
and training program in the joint operations between Natal Parks board and SADF

Various extremely successful operations against Mozambiquan rebel forces poaching elephants
and Rhino in South Africa.