covering letter & short resume leon swart april 16

Sustained Results through Applied Wisdom

Short Resume for Leon Pieter Swart

April 2016

Sapient : With Great Wisdom and Discernment

1. Introducing Leon Swart

Recent surveys in the USA and Europe have shown that business transformation is number one on the

corporate agenda of many top companies in the world. This is due to the confluence of several

important triggers, including a tipping point in globalisation, a major slowdown in Western Economies,

significant shifts in technology and energy costs, and the challenge of regulatory compliance.

The USA survey conducted with 900 senior executives from the Top 500 companies in the USA shows

that ninety tree percent of US based multinational companies are in some phase of changing their

business models. The majority of these companies take a strategic approach to business transformation

by continually aligning their business models with strategy.

It is against this back drop that Leon Swart is positioned to assist multinationals with their business

transformation agenda.

Leon Swart is a driven entrepreneurial business transformation leader with strong emphasis on

execution.

Leon believes that successful business solutions are realised by harnessing competent implementation

team members through good leadership. For the past 36 years it has been Leon’s passion to empower

people by unlocking their true intrinsic value and harness that uniqueness with other team members

into a cohesive team with a clear strong vision to pull the team to excel above expectation. He believes

a common value system and a culture of high performance will allow people to achieve their own

personal objectives and ultimately will allow everyone on the team to achieve the outcomes that is

required for the client

Leon believes today's business calls for an integrated approach to business solutions. Clients require

trusted advisors with solid business leadership experience and the knowledge how technology, people

and processes are integrated to transform a client’s business. This allows for the business solutions to

be matched with the ever changing demands and needs of a client.

For the past 36 years as CEO, Executive Director, program director, project manager and program office

manager for many large scale business solutions, transformation programs, start-up operations and

operational excellence projects it is his passion to lead a team of business professionals to achieve

business results for a client

Leon has applied business transformation, program and project management principles in different

industries. An excellent strategic focus combined with an ability to translate strategy into executable

project plans has made him an effective transformation executive and program director.

According to the business transformation surveys the right strategic vision, being able to anticipate

what your customer is going to want in the future, and leveraging new and disruptive technologies is

some of the key success factors that allows for successful business results. Most companies get the

vision right, but the execution is the hard part: more than half of companies undertaking

transformation fail to achieve the desired business results

Leon has worked with large ICT divisions of companies to interpret the business strategies and design IT

strategies that would align and strengthen the business value and growth. Leon spent much time to

coach and mentor business solution architects within these IT divisions to craft the business solutions.

This called for a major mind shift of the solution architects to become transformation leaders and

change agents

Some of the company results where Leon has been involved in shows; South African Automotive

Manufactures have been awarded the best export plants in the world. Petro chemical and Mining

Groups have experienced improved production, quality, safety and profitability. Major utility

companies have experienced a remarkable improvement in client services and reduction of losses.

Banking and service companies have showed improved productivity and increase in margins

2. Summary

For the past 36 years as CEO, Business Transformation Executive, Program Director, Project Manager and Program Office Manager for many large scale business solutions, transformation programs, start-up operations and operational excellence projects it has been my passion to lead teams of business professionals to achieve business results for many high profile clients.

I have applied strategic planning, program and project management principles to manage business transformation in different industries. An excellent strategic focus combined with an ability to translate strategy into executable project plans has made me an effective transformation executive and program director.

3. Business Transformation Programs and Projects for the period 1989 - 2016

List of major business transformation programs and projects that I have managed during the past 27 years

ClientDuration of Programs

Period 1989 - 2016Description Role

Eskom Protection Telecoms & Maintenance(Electricity Utility)

18 Months

Re define business strategy. Re-engineer business processes and implement integrated protection telecoms & maintenance management system through business transformation methodologies

Transformation Executive &

Program Director

BMW SA 48 Months

Build capacity in SA plant to deliver on international mandate. Coordinating several large transformation projects with the establishment of the new plant in SA including: Program Office, SAP implementation, New Paint Shop, enhanced Trim Shop, launching new model, etc.


Program Director

Ford Motor Company 48 Months

Build capacity in SA plant to deliver on international mandate. Create capacity to Implement the Ford Production System and several other key projects including establishing a Program Office


Program Director

Eskom Distribution(Electricity Utility) 36 Months

Re define business strategy. Establish capacity to manage capital projects and implement leadership framework and systems. Build cohesive leadership teams to deliver on mandates

Program Director/ Coach

Eskom ITD/ arivia.com/T Systems(Merger of IT Divisions of three public enterprises)

60 Months

Re define business strategy. Establish capacity for the design and implementation of large scale computer systems in their client base namely: Eskom, Transnet and Defense Force agencies. Provide integration framework to merge the three different entities into one cohesive delivery structure

Program Director / Coach

Several Government Departments ± 60 Months

Establish capacity to implement business improvement & transformation projects in central, provincial and local government institutions


Sasol Synfuels & Mining 36 Months

Business improvement & transformation programs to achieve increased production through people behavior modification


Anglo Gold Ashanti 18 Months

Re define business strategy. Business improvement & transformation programs to achieve increased production through people behavior modification. Establish a high performance business culture


Continental Coal 12 Months Manage the integration of two mining Program Director /

Australia companies and transform them to new business culture Coach

Seri Mining Philippines 24 Months Establish & Run Program Office for start-up coal mining company in the Philippines

Program Office Manager

BIDVEST 2 Months Business Transformation Program. Build high performance leadership team Project Manager

Palabora Mining 2 Months Business Transformation Program. Build high performance leadership team Project Manager

South African Bureau of Standards 6 Months

Establish Project Office and Project Management best practice and process for delivery of projects within the enterprise

Program Manager

SA Reserve Bank 6 Months Business Transformation Program Program Manager

4. Business Transformation Programs and Projects for the period 1979 – 1988

List of major business transformation programs and projects that I managed during the first 11 years of my career

ClientDuration of

Projects Period 1979 - 1988

Description Role

South African Government:

GOVNET

72 months

South African government first implementation of a Public IT Network. Manage the design, development and implementation of all elements to make the network operational for all government departments and public enterprises in SA

Transformation Executive & Program

Director

South African Government Departments

72 months

Manage the design, development and implementation of Large Scale Computer Systems for most government departments and public enterprises in SA


Director

Telkom 72 months

Manage the design, development and implementation of Large Scale Computer Systems for Telkom the public telecommunication provider in SA


Director

Transnet 60 months

Manage the design, development and implementation of Large Scale Computer Systems for Transnet the public transport utility in SA


Director

SA Air Force, SA Police Services, Infoplan (agency that coordinated defence force ICT projects)

36 monthsManage the design, development and implementation of the First Office Automation Systems for the mentioned agencies


Director

Government Intelligence Community and other Strategic Installations

60 months

Manage the design, development and implementation of Large Scale Computer Systems for intelligence entities and strategic installations in SA


Director

5. Career history

a. ITCORP (Pty) Ltd now t/a Sapient 3D (Pty) Ltd – (Jan 1989 – Present) 27 years

As CEO, transformation projects have been conducted by me as transformation executive, program director,

project manager or program office manager for companies like BMW SA, Ford Motor Company, Sasol Group,

Eskom, Anglo Gold Ashanti, Continental Coal Australia, Seri Mining Philippines, BIDVEST, South African Bureau of

Standards and SA Reserve Bank.

The business transformation projects resulted in:

Automotive Manufacturer’s Subsidiaries to become the number one export plant in their company due to

high performance cultures, allowing for excellent quality, acceptable consistent production volumes,

competitive input cost, high productivity figures and continuous business process improvement

Petro Chemical and Mining Groups to increase their production, exceeding targets and sustain it over time,

create behavioural safety all-time records, ensure quality of local and export product, sustain accelerated

profit figures over time, establish organisation cultures that allow for ownership and accountability at every

level

Electricity Utility Company providing a better service to major clients, striving to connect more users to the

grid, containing losses on the network, ensuring debt is collected. This was done by creating high performance

teams working to achieve the output of the entire value chain

Banking and service companies have showed improved productivity and an increase in margins

b. Real Estate and Wild Life Estate Development – (Jan 2007 – Dec 2010) 3 Years

As Program Director of several development companies I was instrumental to obtain development rights and

establish the implementation plans for Real Estate Developments in the North West Province.

As co-owner of a game farm and Program Director for the development company of a Wildlife Estate in the

Limpopo Province I secured all the development rights and established the implementation plans for this

development.

I worked with Conservationists, Regional & Town Planners and a Professional Team to establish Wild Life

Conservatories within the North West and Limpopo Province. Liaison with property owners, obtaining of

development rights and the drafting of joint venture business plans and agreements were my main focus.

c. PC Software Academy (Pty) Ltd– ( Jan 1989 – Dec 2008) 20 years

As co- founder and CEO I established a network of computer training franchises in South Africa serving the

Corporate Sector. I specialised in the Government Departments and Utility companies in SA, to name but a few:

Department of Labour, Eskom, CSIR, South African Police Services and Transnet.

The rights to the intellectual property, designs and material were sold to what is today known as Price

Waterhouse Coopers SA.

d. CSC Computer Sciences Corporation – ( Jan 1983 – Dec 1988) 6 years

Regional Manager responsible for IT Sales, IT Development & IT Support on Desk Top, Networks and Mainframes,

Hardware and Software to all Government Institutions, Telkom, Eskom, Transnet, Armscor, Defence Force, and all

Public Enterprises in Southern Africa. I fulfilled the role of program director for many large projects:

GOVNET (South African government first implementation of a public IT network)

Large scale computer systems for several South African government departments

Several large scale computer systems for Telkom

Large scale computer systems for Transnet

First Office Automation Systems for SA Air Force, SA Police Services, Infoplan (agency that coordinated

defence force ITC projects)

Large scale computer systems for the Government Intelligence Community and other Strategic Installations

e. Burroughs Corporation – (Jan 1979 – Dec 1982) 4 years

As executive account manager I managed Hardware & Software Programming, Support and Sales of Desk Top,

Mainframe and Networking IT Equipment to Construction, Manufacturing, Attorneys, Accountants, Plant

Contractors, Retail, Wholesale and Banking.

f. University of Pretoria B.Com – (1974 – 1978)

Graduated at the University of Pretoria in B. Commerce with main subjects Accounting, Marketing Management,

Economics and Business Economics

6. Top Skills Profile

Core Skills Supporting Skills

Business Strategy (Strategic Planning) Strategic Leadership

Business Transformation Organisational Design

Portfolio, Program & Project Management Risk Management

High Performance Team Development Procurement & supply chain management

Cross Functional Team Development Legal & Contract Management

Client centric organisation cultures Facilities Management

Leadership Development Financial & Cost Accounting

Business Improvement Entrepreneurship

Business Process Re-engineering Emotional & Spiritual Intelligence

TOC, Cause & Effect, Flow Principles – Process

improvementInterpersonal & people skills

IT Strategy Counselling & Mediation

IT Service Management Microsoft Project

IT Solutions Architecture Microsoft Excel Dashboards

Executive Coach & Mentor Trainer Microsoft Word

Executive Coaching & Mentoring Microsoft PowerPoint

Business Coaching & MentoringPersonal & Business Assessment design and analysis

tools

Facilitation skills Real Estate Development

covering letter & short resume leon swart april 16

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