Manie Botha

Experience

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  KPMG

  Jan 1986 - Jan 1989

  Audit Manager
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  Department of Finance South Africa

  Jan 1990 - Jan 1991

  Special Investigator
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  TFG (The Foschini Group)

  Jan 1992 - Jan 1993

  Computer Audit Manager
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  Mr Price Apparel

  Jul 1993 - now

  Primary objective includes the design, development, testing, implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of sustainable and practical machine learning algorithms using big data tools for use in business optimization projects.⇒ Oversee the development path of algorithms to ensure consistency of implementation and availability to business optimization projects. ⇒ Ensure the correct prioritization of development projects.⇒ Ensure the enhancement of algorithms as new technological capabilities and ML techniques present themselves. (* A full list of projects is available upon request) Show less Worked as Area Manager for 1 year to further business acumen and identify opportunities for improvement. Learned more about how corporate decisions and planning/buying/distribution processes affect store employees and customers. It also highlighted how each store's behavior changed over time, as well as its strengths and weaknesses in achieving its goals. ⇒ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Led the project that utilized the Redbrick data warehouse to identify opportunities within each Milady's store and develop an individual store strategy for each store that addressed the identified strategic opportunities within each store (number of customers, frequency of shop, basket size, average price, returns). Show less Took up the position in Merchandising to gain insight on planning and various other issues being faced by the business to design, build, and implement a new planning system. ⇒ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Implemented WSSI planning across the group after researching the state of the art merchandise planning solution at that time. Successfully implemented Arthur 4 with Essbase as the back-end server moving the business from monthly full-price planning to weekly net sales and markdown planning. Show less Recruited by one of the group's founders, joining MRP to assess the group's mainframe-based IT strategy. After being dissatisfied with the Unisys mainframe-based IT strategy, joined Milady's division, established an IT department, and implemented local area networks with email, office automation and BI solutions. Designed and implemented the Item Performance System (style card) that is still the most extensively used application across all levels in the group. ⇒ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Purchased and installed Redbrick as a data warehouse solution (still being used as the ‘de facto’ merchandise decision support system to this day). Took up a merchandise planning position after the mainframe strategy was abandoned in favor of client server technology. Show less

  • Systems Commercial Director/Information Insight Executive | Mr Price Group

    Jan 2010 - now

  • Planner & Planning Director | Ladies Junior Department & Apparel Division

    Jan 2006 - Dec 2009

  • Retail Credit Project | Central MRP IT Division

    Sept 2003 - Dec 2005

  • Project Easier: Area Manager | Milady’s KwaZulu Natal South Coast

    Jul 2002 - Aug 2003

  • Project Reach: Merchandising Planner | Milady’s Division

    May 1998 - Jun 2002

  • IT Manager | Milady’s Division

    Jul 1993 - Apr 1998