Open to opportunities

Ferdinand De Bruyn

@ferdinanddebruyn

Customer Success and Account Management leader with 20+ years driving remote retention, onboarding, and SaaS-style expansion growth.

South Africa

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a 100% remote SaaS-facing role where I can own onboarding, retention, and expansion—using proactive communication, Salesforce pipeline discipline, and financial-commercial clarity to drive measurable growth and low churn.

I’m a commercially experienced Customer Success and Account Management professional with 20+ years of client-facing, relationship-driven roles conducted remotely or in distributed environments. I combine client onboarding and retention expertise with CRM pipeline management and revenue growth, built through consistent top performance across complex B2B portfolios.

I’ve managed up to 60+ strategic accounts remotely, engaging clients across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia through digital communication, video, phone, and email. My focus is repeatable: proactive relationship management, structured onboarding, and disciplined commercial reviews that keep accounts healthy and moving forward.

Performance is a theme in my work. I maintain a 9.45/10 international client satisfaction rating, was recognised as Top 3 Key Account Manager nationally at Propell, and delivered zero client churn over 2+ years within Limpopo Graan Group’s key account portfolio through early issue resolution and proactive communication.

I’m ready to bring this background immediately into remote Customer Success Manager, SaaS Account Manager, or Client Relationship Manager roles—especially where retention, upsell/expansion, and stakeholder communication drive outcomes. With Salesforce CRM used daily and a financial-management foundation, I’m comfortable owning pipeline, forecasting, and the commercial conversations that accelerate growth.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Key Account Manager

Current

Limpopo Graan Group

Oct 2023 - Present (2 years 8 months)

Managed a portfolio of strategic logistics and agricultural accounts remotely from Cape Town, driving retention and account growth through proactive relationship management and commercial reviews. Identified upsell and cross-sell opportunities, coordinated client/supplier/ops alignment to meet delivery commitments, and owned independent pipeline and reporting.

Key Account Management & Customer Success Remote Account Management Upsell Cross Sell Retention Management Pipeline Management Contract Management

International Exports Key Account

Cape Herb & Spice

Jul 2022 - Aug 2023 (1 year 1 month)

Managed international buyer accounts across Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia using remote communication (video, email, phone), maintaining a 9.45/10 satisfaction rating throughout tenure. Led buyer onboarding, product training, and follow-up, and closed upsell opportunities by expanding SKUs, ranges, and private label contracts.

Client Onboarding Remote Training Salesforce CRM Cross functional Coordination

Account Manager

Limpopo Graan Group

Jan 2020 - Jun 2022 (2 years 5 months)

Managed key logistics and agricultural supply chain relationships fully remote, maintaining retention through regular account reviews, proactive communication, and issue resolution. Expanded the portfolio via referral-based new business development while sustaining zero churn across the key account portfolio over 2+ years.

Account Management New Business Development

Senior Business Consultant

Propell Financial Service

Jan 2015 - Jan 2020 (5 years)

Managed a portfolio of ~60 strategic SME accounts remotely, driving retention and recurring revenue through proactive relationship management and portfolio reviews. Owned Salesforce CRM pipeline and activity forecasting, executed upsell/cross-sell within the base, and was recognised as Top 3 Business Consultant nationally for remote portfolio performance.

Remote Account Management SME Lending Onboarding Salesforce CRM Upsell Cross Sell Retention Strategy Revenue Growth Forecasting Client Relationship Management

Business Consultant

Propell Financial Service

Aug 2012 - Jan 2015 (2 years 5 months)

Built and managed a growing remote SME client portfolio by delivering funding solutions, advisory support, and ongoing relationship management via phone and digital channels. Maintained CRM pipeline and reporting, supported client retention, and earned a promotion to Senior Business Consultant based on sustained remote performance and satisfaction.

Remote Client Portfolio Management Client Retention SME Advisory Relationship Management Digital Communication

Executive Financial Advisor

Old Mutual

Mar 2011 - Jul 2012 (1 year 4 months)

Provided remote and field-based financial advisory and insurance solutions to personal and business clients with a self-managed service model. Drove new client acquisition through proactive outreach and referrals, and built retention through disciplined follow-up and relationship-first communication.

Financial Advisory Referrals Client Retention Consultative Selling Relationship Management

Financial Consultant & Banker

Standard Bank

Jan 2004 - Feb 2010 (6 years 1 month)

Managed a personal client book and SME banking portfolio across insurance, investment, lending, and transactional banking using a remote/field approach. Was recognised as Top 5 Financial Consultant in-province (North West) for sales performance, client retention, and relationship management.

SME Banking Client Relationship Management Financial Services Sales Lending Transaction Banking Client Retention Remote Sales