Head of Data Science | 30 Under 30 Future Data & Analytics Leader | M.IT Big Data Science | Speaker

Professional Experience

Head of Data Science (Africa & the Middle East)

The HEINEKEN Company | April 2023 - Present

  • Spearhead multiple data science & AI initiatives across multiple countries, delivering €42M in 2023 and €36M in 2024
  • Developed and supported the delivery of scalable AI systems on Azure Databricks affecting both internal and external stakeholders
  • Pioneered Generative AI globally, launching pilots to accelerate innovation and deliver measurable value
  • Built a Value Measurement capability to measure and optimize ROI for HEINEKEN’s top 15 global initiatives
  • Lead ~11 cross-functional data professionals, fostering collaboration in an Agile environment using tools like Jira and Azure DevOps
  • Led multiple foundational capability initiatives at HEINEKEN that enhanced the skills of over 500 global analytics professionals, including the development of an MLOps infrastructure-as-code platform that accelerated time-to-value and a developer experience framework that streamlined onboarding and boosted productivity

Lead Data Scientist & ML Engineer

Absa Group Limited | October 2017 - March 2023

  • Developed and deployed a credit risk model that increased lending base by 25% and boosted accuracy by 130%
  • Led an Ethical AI program, creating governance frameworks to ensure responsible AI use at scale
  • Streamlined end-to-end ML pipelines with CI/CD (Jenkins, GitLab) and container orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
  • Oversaw a global team, collaborating with executives to define and track strategic KPIs in multi-million-dollar projects
  • Implemented advanced analytics solutions (recommendation systems, segmentation, forecasting) across the Retail Bank

Technical Content Creator (Part-Time)

SuperbNode | February 2019 - November 2020

  • Authored articles on DevOps, data infrastructure, and analytics, bolstering brand authority

Business Analyst

Signature Business Solutions | April 2017 - October 2017

  • Refined KYC reconciliation at Rand Merchant Bank, leading to more accurate financial compliance
  • Rewrote the Discovery Vitality Booster payout process, recovering R1.3M in erroneous payouts

Skills & Expertise

  • Leadership & Strategy: Managing Global Data Teams, Stakeholder Engagement, Cost Management
  • Technical Expertise: Data Science, Machine Learning, Software Development, AI System Design, Python, SQL, Generative AI, Causal Inference, Docker/Kubernetes, AWS, Azure
  • Big Data & MLOps: Spark, Hadoop, CI/CD, Model Deployment, Data Pipelines
  • Value Measurement: KPI/ROI frameworks, Experimentation, A/B Testing, Quasi-Experimental Methods
  • Soft Skills: Mentorship, Public Speaking, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Communication

Awards & Recognition

  • Young Data Professional of the Year 2025 - Recognized for outstanding contributions to the South African data community
  • 30 Under 30 Future Data & Analytics Leader - Outstanding achievement in data science leadership
  • Industry Speaker - Regular keynote speaker at major data conferences

Additional Contributions

Mentorship

  • Mentored multiple students and professionals globally pursuing data science careers
  • Mentees have successfully secured positions at companies like Amazon, Boston Scientific, and Accenture

Conference Speaker

  • Spoken at multiple conferences, representing both personal expertise and corporate initiatives on national and global stages
  • Delivered actionable insights on data science applications and solutions addressing unique challenges in Africa

Speaking & Thought Leadership

  • Data Science Keynote Speaker - Sharing insights on ML best practices and industry trends
  • Technical Blog Author - Published articles on data science, AI ethics, and responsible technology
  • Industry Panel Discussions - Regular participant in discussions on the future of AI and data science
  • Mentorship & Training - Active mentor for emerging data scientists and AI professionals

Professional Development

  • Continuous Learning - Regular participation in advanced courses and certifications
  • Industry Engagement - Active member of professional data science and AI communities
  • Research Contributions - Ongoing research in AI ethics and responsible machine learning
  • Conference Participation - Regular attendee and speaker at leading industry events

For a detailed resume, portfolio examples, or to discuss collaboration opportunities, please feel free to contact me.