Estelle van Niekerk has 15 years of experience in GSM telecommunications, GSM based new product development, information technology, and M-Commerce Value-added services as well as extensive experience in applied Information Technology. She has successfully implemented Technology-based training projects in 19 African countries and two M-Commerce solutions projects.
Estelle started her career at Standard Bank in 1988 in the Information Technology Division as a Systems Analyst Project Manager. She left the Group after having gained extensive experience in the banking environment, and joined the Advtech Group as a Project Manager. In 1994 she began consulting for technology-based training projects for major Corporates such as Standard Bank, Absa Bank, Nedcor and major insurance companies in South Africa. Two years later she was appointed to the Board of Directors of Advtech and assigned responsibility for operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique.
She was appointed as the Managing Director of Virtual Solutions Nigeria Ltd in 2001. The company sold and managed GSM Public Payphones, telecommunications equipment and Virtual Pre-Paid airtime. She took the company from a late entry to market leader for both MTN and Econet and was consistently awarded prizes for best dealer, distributor and overall channel leader for both networks. During this period she gained valuable experience in the telecommunications environment.
Estelle joined Safaricom (part of the Vodafone) Group in Kenya in 2004 with a view to broaden her telecommunications experience both technically as well as commercially. Initially she was responsible for the establishment and rollout of the GSM public payphone strategy as well as virtual distribution of pre-paid airtime. Thereafter a “Business Feasibilty Leader” in the New products and Services team that evaluated and implemented all new products, such as MMS, GPRS, VAS, EFT and GSM based Micro Finance systems (Mpesa). During this period, Estelle gained extensive (mobile operator) experience into “Banking the Unbanked” through the use of GSM technology.
As Estelle discovered the large potential of M-Commerce as both a tool for generating profits and its social impact she accepted an offer to become the Country Director for Paym8, a Safaricom M-Commerce technology partner. She project managed the establishment and role out of the M-Commerce business between Safaricom and 12 banking groups in Kenya.
In 2005, Estelle joined Mtranzact in Kenya after they had obtained a license from Cointel-Simplus in South Africa for a Mobile Banking and M-Commerce platform for a number of countries in Africa an the UAE. She was responsible for the successful launch of the above platform with both Cellular Operators and a number of banks in Kenya. This involved the installation of a Visa and MasterCard certified datacenter, project managing the connectivity between the GSM network bearer channels, the Vendor and the EFT switches at banks. Recruitment and training of staff for the operation as well as developing Marketing strategies and the implementation thereof for the Cellular Network Operators, Mtranzact and Equity Bank.
Estelle has since joined TroyTyla, a project management and consulting services company; to play a more active role internationally in implementation of Mobile Financial Services. Her focus is on managing Mobile Commerce projects for financial institutions, governments, donor/funding organizations, to extend the payments franchise to new products, channels, customers and the unbanked.
STRENGTHS:
§ Good Project Management Skills
§ Operations/General Management and Business Development
§ “Get the job done!”
§ Exceptional Interpersonal Relationships & Team Player
SPECIALISATION:
Telecommunications Mobile Commerce E-Commerce E-Banking
