CHRISTOPHER OKELUE
Lagos,LA
Summary
A highly experienced and target driven Business development Professional across African markets. An outstanding Marketing professional with 20 years’ experience developing businesses across the African continent across Enterprises, Government, Consumer and SMB segments.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
2
2
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Marketing.Manager West and Southern Africa
Cropin Technology
05.2021 - Current
- Identifying specific regional marketing goals and objectives.
- Assisting the marketing director to develop creative strategies.
- Recommending strategies to implement in regional marketing plans.
- Analyzing local competition and strengthening the company’s brand position in assigned regional areas.
- Supervising and developing the regional marketing budget.
- Liaising with the product marketing department to suggest product alternatives.
- Understanding national marketing plans and tailoring them to suit particular regions.
- Developing a clear understanding of the financial goals in a region and the key success indicators.
- Interacting with marketing leads to formulate and supervise the regional marketing budget.
- Evaluating productivity and marketing strategies’ return on investment (ROI).
Channel Development Manager West Africa
Kaspersky Lab
07.2016 - 05.2021
- Build marketing programs to support specific marketing objectives across different channels and segments in support of our overall strategic marketing plan
- Market through various channels and segment databases working with large data sets
- Develop business cases for marketing programs at the proposal stage and make recommendations on marketing tactics
- Evaluate the impact of marketing programs in achieving their stated objectives, including impact on lead flow, LTV and retention
- Propose and manage marketing research projects to generate consumer insights in support of improved marketing strategy and communications
- Partner with creative teams, other internal stakeholders, and external agencies and vendors
- Lead the execution of marketing programs from start to finish, driving collaboration with the stakeholders and leveraging the right internal processes
- Work with the other marketing teams, other internal stakeholders, and external agencies and vendors
Territory Accounts Manager
Danaher Corporation
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Gilberco Veeder Root.
- Maintaining existing client relationships and ensuring that there are continued business transactions from the clients.
- Initiate and develop client relationships to drive customer satisfaction.
- Drive marketing and sales for all of GVR products and services.
- Researching and evaluating new product opportunities, demand for potential products, and customer needs and insights.
- Act as first point of contact for all enquiries regarding GVR’s services and provide a first response to such enquiries ensuring follow up to possible closure.
- Overall marketing strategy and execution of plans for the existing products.
- Analysis of the effectiveness of all marketing efforts.
- Working with product development teams to manage new product development for clients.
- Managing communication channels for product distribution to clients.
- Ensuring strict adherence to Danaher HSE policy.
- Be responsible for the customer in all aspects of account growth including strategy development, integrated account planning, opportunity identification, and value communication.
- Responsible for the effective and profitable conduct of the sales and service function of assigned territory.
- Be responsible for growth of new accounts as well as focus on maintaining existing accounts.
- Represent the organization in all presentations, meetings, fairs, conferences and such like.
- Be responsible for training (as Trainer), coaching, mentoring and human capacity development of staff and external training delegates.
- Identify new and strategic business opportunities in alignment with the vision of the organization.
- Develop innovative proposals and presentations that clearly demonstrate the unique value of GVR’’s solutions.
- Analyze potential partner relationships for GVR’s product lines.
- Responsible for end to end sales; from initial contact and understanding of client needs to delivery and closure.
- Maintain the CRM(Sales Force CRM) database of the organization, utilizing it as a tool to enhance customer satisfaction and profitability.
Busines Development Manager
Nigeria and Ghana, Issues Central Inc
01.2011 - 01.2013
- Supporting and working with specific managed and non-managed accounts to expand sales and capacity to sell Company’s products across West African Markets.
- Building an implementing targeted marketing plans
- Identify, recruit and support strategic partners and accounts within the market region.
- Build a superb team comprising of target driven account managers and market support team.
- Enhancing strategic sales for larger corporations and Governments to facilitate results for sales team.
- Travel to customer facilities for trade shows and events
- Be responsible for the customer in all aspects of account growth including strategy development, integrated account planning, opportunity identification, and value communication.
- Be responsible for the effective and profitable conduct of the sales and service function of assigned territory.
- Be responsible for growth of new accounts as well as focus on maintaining existing accounts.
- Work with current customers and prospects to meet desired sales and service needs.
- Visit at least 20 accounts per week Monday through Friday in a formal business setting to identify new opportunities, prospects and sustain existing relationships.
- In conjunction with account managers, and partners, prepare proposals to conform within margin, legal standards and customer requirements.
- Develop and maintain a healthy sales pipeline on sales Force CRM.
Channel Sales Manager
East and West Africa, Hewlett-Packard
01.2008 - 01.2010
- Developing and execution of sales strategies and tactics to maximize HP opportunities within customer environment.
- Maintaining and growing HP’s market share.
- 8.
- Sales of HP business solutions to targeted customers via partners and vendors.
- Management of all partner sales and discovering new sales opportunities.
- Ensuring highest degree of customer satisfaction.
- Constant visits to all partners, key customers and potential customers in the region.
- Organization of relationship building, events & opportunities.
- Developing and delivering accurate revenue forecasts in line with business objectives.
- ROI evaluation of all key accounts.
- Constant review of customer and prospect database to ensure on Siebel CRM.
- Target setting and implementation across partners in coverage region.
- Market development activity budgeting, planning and implementation.
- Product allocation, ordering and delivery tracking in conjunction with distributors.
- Competition monitoring and trend analysis.
Retail Accounts Manager
Anglophone West Africa
01.2006 - 01.2008
- Worked with customers to understand needs and provide excellent service.
- Exceeded goals through effective task prioritization and great work ethic.
- Maintained energy and enthusiasm in fast-paced environment.
- Collaborated with team members to achieve target results.
- Increased customer satisfaction by resolving issues.
- Saved decent marketing budget by implementing cost-saving initiatives that addressed long-standing problems.
Senior Marketing Executive
Netcom Africa
01.2003 - 01.2006
- Meet / exceed retail quota for market region.
- Develop the SELECT partners’ channel: trainings / Demo days visibility in the stores.
- Establish a strategic retail expansion plan for Western Africa’s retail partners.
- Expansion of consumer market reach based on budgeted plans.
- Implementation of HP retail dev.
- Programs ( RCH / MDF ).
- Management and implementation of market development funds based on approved budget.
- Market research and consumer satisfaction surveys, NETCOM AFRICA LIMITED – Broadband and VSAT company.
- Relationship and key accounts Management.
- Leads\ sales generation.
- Research and trend analysis.
- VAR relationship management.
- Market research and Intelligence building to understand customer requirements.
- Media Relations, Brand and Events Management.
- Formulation of sales/marketing strategies.
- Budget planning, monitoring and implementation.
- Relationship Management with Technology partners.
- Sales forecasting/Sales support.
Education
Master’s - Business Administration
Pan Atlantic University
01.2019 - 06.2021
Bachelor of Science Degree - undefined
University of Ibadan
African senior school Certificate - undefined
Satellite Town Secondary School
school - undefined
Satellite Town Primary School
Skills
Enterprise, B2B and Consumer Sales and Marketing Channel and Accounts Management Pipeline management Sales Strategy Business Improvement Business Management Relationship Management Expert in CRM Applications - Salesforce & Siebel C Level contact base Knowledge of African IT Market First level after sales support Budgeting, Team Building, Sales forecasting
Timeline
Marketing.Manager West and Southern Africa
Cropin Technology
05.2021 - Current
Master’s - Business Administration
Pan Atlantic University
01.2019 - 06.2021
Channel Development Manager West Africa
Kaspersky Lab
07.2016 - 05.2021
Territory Accounts Manager
Danaher Corporation
01.2013 - 01.2016
Busines Development Manager
Nigeria and Ghana, Issues Central Inc
01.2011 - 01.2013
Channel Sales Manager
East and West Africa, Hewlett-Packard
01.2008 - 01.2010
Retail Accounts Manager
Anglophone West Africa
01.2006 - 01.2008
Senior Marketing Executive
Netcom Africa
01.2003 - 01.2006
Bachelor of Science Degree - undefined
University of Ibadan
African senior school Certificate - undefined
Satellite Town Secondary School
school - undefined
Satellite Town Primary School