TECH BUSINESS
LEADER
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
SYSTEMS
24
Years IT
Experience
160
Largest Project Team Led
50
Largest Multi-Country Implementation
3
Years M&A
Experience
ABOUT
Dewald is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the technology sector. He supports clients in reimagining businesses through customer digital technologies, guiding them in creating new customer experiences and business processes to navigate market changes. His expertise includes leading SAP and Salesforce customer strategy development, operating model innovation, and strategic acquisitions, especially in the realm of digital transformation projects. He has extensive experience in leading complex technology transformational projects with Salesforce and SAP ERP systems at the core of the change. These large-scale technology transformations span diverse geographies, time zones, language barriers, and contracting parties.
He has led large SAP and Salesforce practices, as well as market-building activities for multiple business divisions. His background includes significant roles such as Partner at PwC, an Associate Director at Deloitte, and a Group Executive for Marketing at a listed IT company on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Dewald integrates his experience in ERP and customer systems with his M&A expertise. He contributed to South Africa’s largest service integrator’s M&A team, where he drove investment framework development, valuation modeling, and strategic inorganic growth alignment. He is adept at driving business unit sales, marketing strategies, and customer and industry insights across various sectors.
He paused his academic journey at Harvard University Extension School, where he pursued a business management degree with a finance minor, achieving honors-level results and demonstrating his commitment to excellence in both professional and academic arenas.
I want to compliment you on this major milestone, where we are finally reaching the conclusion of a long and difficult journey. You were impeccable in the way you lead the efforts to turn this program around. Thank you for your efforts.
CEO
Board Members, I know I am not impartial here, but I just want to say this: I'm on a session with Dewald now, and this man should be recognized as a courageous leader. The way he is putting the issues in front of the client is authentic, fearless, and direct. He has grit. A very rare quality. This is not easy.
Partner
ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE EXPERIENCE
Systems
CX: Salesforce, SAP CRM 4 to 7.1, SAP Cloud for Customer, MS Dynamics, Zoho CRM
ERP: SAP ECC, SAP S/4HANA
Programming Skills
SAP ABAP, VB6, VB.NET, Oracle Java, Deluge, Velo, and related technologies.
Industry Experience
Media, Mining, Healthcare, Automotive, Utilities, FMCG, Public Sector, Professional Services, High Tech, Telecommunications, Energy Resources and Industrials, Financial Services.
Project Roles Performed
Project Director, Project Manager, Solution Architect, Functional Consultant, Developer, SAP Basis.
Methodologies
Waterfall, Agile, Hybrid Agile, SAP ASAP, SAP Activate
Project Functions
Hosting project townhalls, stakeholder engagement, steering committee escalations, project financial management, quality risk and issue management, business case value management, team culture and well-being, contract negotiations and management.
Business Development
Establish new teams, manage sales targets and pre-sales teams, Go-to-Market strategies, Value Added Reseller (VAR) program management
Market Eminence
Presenting thought leadership at conferences, steering on User Groups
M&A EXPERIENCE
As an investment analyst in a Mergers & Acquisitions team he created acquisition plans, developed search and screening methodologies, built valuation models, compiled investment proposals, structured and negotiated transactions, and presented proposed transactions to investment committees. His role included building relationships with transaction decision makers like the executive committees and investment committees. He was part of a team that set up an M&A Centre of Excellence to provide leadership, best practices, development of own practices, research, transactional support, and training for M&A.
ACADEMICS
Dewald followed an unconventional career path. After completing high school, he delayed his tertiary studies due to the time demands of his Olympic sport aspirations. He started his tertiary education at 41 and was admitted into the undergraduate program at Harvard University Extension School where he worked towards a degree in business management with a minor in finance. Most of the courses have been via video conferencing and Harvard’s e-learning platform, but there is an on-campus requirement that requires him to travel to Cambridge at some point in the near future. Dewald has managed his academic demands over-and-above his business commitments and maintained an honors-level GPA.
OUTLOOK
In 2024, Dewald transitioned from corporate roles to founding his own technology consulting business. His passion lies in establishing new business ventures through both organic and inorganic growth strategies. Dewald excels in setting up a strong foundation, aligning initiatives with long-term strategic objectives, and applying the necessary energy to create momentum that leads to successful business establishment and value generation.
CONTACT
Enquiries
Location
Pretoria
South Africa