Advisory · Africa & Europe
Working alongside founders, CEOs and investors in Africa.
Bridging Africa and Europe, with experience from pre-seed to IPO. Former CEO of Jumia South Africa, and fifteen years building and running commercial businesses, from a Paris SaaS start-up to a NYSE-listed pan-African group.
I work with a small number of companies and funds at a time, as an operator and sparring partner, not a coach, through growth, transition and restructuring.
Previously at
Track record
What I have worked on.
GMV run with full P&L as CEO South Africa, across Zando and 8 branded platforms including Levi's, Vans and Superdry. 100+ people, 8 direct reports.
Jumia · 2023–2025Led the end-to-end strategic exit of the South African operations, reducing the cost base while preserving enterprise value and full operational continuity.
Jumia · 2024–2025Marketplace share of Zando's total GMV. Built the seller model from scratch, 100K+ SKUs, and a China to South Africa cross-border sourcing channel.
Jumia · 2018–2022Group-wide commercial efficiency programme aligning sales, finance, tech, ops and logistics. Procure-to-pay redesign improved efficiency by around 15%.
Jumia Group · 2022–2023Clients at Lucky Cart, a Paris martech SaaS, from first sale to Series A readiness. Clients included Carrefour, Unilever and Sephora. Later a board member and shareholder.
Lucky Cart · 2012–2017Focus areas
Where I can help.
The topics that come up most often. Each engagement follows what the business needs at that moment, wherever that leads.
Entering a new market
The first twelve months in a new country decide most of what follows.
- Market selection and entry sequencing
- Go-to-market, positioning and ICP per market
- Local team, partners and operating model
Building the commercial engine
Growth that holds up once the founder is no longer in every deal.
- From founder-led sales to a sales team
- Segmentation, pipeline, sales tools and partnerships
- Sales audits and process redesign
Shifting the business model
Changing what you sell, or to whom, without breaking what already works.
- Pivots and business model shifts, such as B2C to B2B
- Marketplace and SaaS model optimisation
- Pricing and unit economics
Structuring for scale
Moving the CEO out of the day to day and into running the company.
- Organisational design and senior hires
- KPIs, reporting and management routines
- Leadership and the CEO’s own transition
Restructuring and exit readiness
Protecting value when the plan changes.
- Cost base and P&L review
- Restructuring with operational continuity
- Exit preparation and execution
Preparing to raise
Walking into investor meetings with a business that stands up to diligence.
- Strategic narrative and positioning
- Use of funds and a go-to-market plan investors can test
- Metrics, model and data room readiness
How we work
Each engagement is shaped around what the business needs.
Every engagement starts with a diagnostic and alignment on priorities. Where a topic needs deep sector expertise, such as agriculture or energy, I bring in specialist partners from my network.
CEO advisory
Starts with a diagnostic of your numbers and key material, then an onboarding session to agree on priorities. Then one or two structured sessions a month, with clear action items for the team and support by WhatsApp or email in between. A sparring partner who has held the same role. Also available through your investor's portfolio support budget.
Fractional executive
Hands-on leadership on go-to-market, revenue, multi-market expansion, restructuring or organisational design, including interim executive roles.
Portfolio support
For funds that want an operator beside their CEOs at key moments. Onboarding sessions with each CEO, fixed-scope scaling sprints, group sessions for a portfolio or cohort, and board or advisory board seats where it helps. Scoped with the fund, paid by the fund, the company, or both.
Who I work with
Founders, CEOs and investors building across Africa.
For investors, I support deal sourcing and senior talent sourcing in Southern Africa, operational due diligence, post-investment work with portfolio CEOs, KPI reviews and exit preparation, and am open to venture partner roles.
Stage
Seed to Series B
Geography
Across Africa, including francophone markets, and businesses expanding into Africa from Europe
Moment
Growth, expansion, pivots, restructuring, fundraising and other key transitions
Sectors
Sector-agnostic, across consumer, retail, fintech, SaaS and tech-enabled businesses
Operating career
Fifteen years in operating roles.
Independent advisor to founders, CEOs and investors, and Endeavor business mentor to high-growth founders
Jumia Group (NYSE: JMIA) · CEO South Africa, Group Head of Commercial Efficiency, Head of Marketplace South Africa
Lucky Cart, Paris martech SaaS · Business Developer to Sales Director France & Belgium, board member and shareholder
Co-founder, EdTech SaaS platform, Paris
Guerlain (LVMH) · Marketing France, luxury skincare and fragrance
EM Lyon Specialised Master in Entrepreneurship · ESSEC BBA International Business
Contact
If you think my experience could help with what you are building, let’s talk.
Or find me on LinkedIn, or read the one-page profile (PDF).