Jerry Mabena

ByWBSComms

Jerry Mabena

Current title Chief Executive Officer, Thebe Services Division; Chief Executive Officer, Thebe Tourism Group Course at Wits Business School Certificate Programme in Accounting and Finance, 2010 International Executive Development Programme, 2015 A defining moment in my career Two events forged my career path. When I was 29, I came up with a concept that I sold to my then employer, Telkom. I used to run the advertising and promotions department for Telkom when I started working on a plan to pitch selling advertising space on phone cards. The idea was that the consumer uses the phone card many times to make a call. Each time they use their cards, the advertiser’s product or service gets exposure. I bought the advertising space for 5c a card and sold it for 7c, across up to three million cards per month. That was my first adult, postgraduate entrepreneurial venture. I was later headhunted by Kagiso Media but didn’t initially get the job to run their exhibitions business and subsequently their property holdings business. Getting the job happened in a peculiar manner. I was first turned down for the role and only got the job after asking the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Kagiso Media to present my ideas to them. The Kagiso Media experience helped prepare me for my current employment at Thebe, first in property and later into a bigger role looking after their services portfolio.

Similar Posts

  • Lauren Liebenberg

    ByWBSComms

    I used to try candy-coat things, but no longer: giving birth is less painful, less bloody and infinitely quicker than getting your first novel published. If you haven’t been smothered under the avalanche of “Dear Author, Thank you for your submission, but …” slips by the time you find a publisher, you and your manuscript will still have to face the pitiless glint of your editor’s scythe.

  • Priya Rowjee

    ByWBSComms

    As I continue on my journey, I have made self reflection my personal discipline – to remain true to my values as I seek to advance my unique strengths. On this path, I constantly remind myself of Nelson Mandela, who said that, “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up”.

  • Dino Rech

    ByWBSComms

    It’s not easy to pinpoint one defining moment. There have been a number that has shaped the person and professional I am today. One person (and series of events) that stands out was a young patient of mine during my internship year as a junior doctor.

  • Deon Opperman

    ByWBSComms

    The defining moment of my career happened when I was 12 years old. My father was the managing director of Glenton & Mitchell in the Eastern Cape, the company that launched Joko Tea during the first half of the 20th century.