Proficient in bridging the gap between practice and theory

A Chemical Engineering PhD graduate (University of Stellenbosch), Herman Franken has excellent problem-solving skills, with experience in strategy, research, and practical application. He finished high school in 2007 at De Aar High School in South Africa, making it to the top 10 students in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa 2007. Fraken Participated in a range of school activities such as choir, karate (brown belt) and drama. His solid technical background has been supplemented through the school of life with a love and understanding for sales strategy and route to market. Being directly exposed to innovation and R&D, marketing, project management, production environments, logistics, management, sales, business strategy, "I am proficient in bridging the gap between practice and theory, preferring to get things done,'' says Franken.

Franken started as a global management trainee, a programme that identified high performance individuals and groomed them to be the leaders of the future.

The programme identified high-potential individuals and provided hands-on experience in production, sales, logistics, business solutions, marketing, global strategy, project management, etc. and includes experience in working abroad (Ghana).

Thereafter he went on to be a manager in market and tech sales in Zambia, where he was responsible for leading the sales back-office team, the measurement and reporting of sales drivers, and sales and RtM strategy development. Continent ManCom visibility restructured the measurement and interpretation of basic sales drivers (availability, price compliance, key accounts drivers, call compliance and call quality). Fixed Zambia call compliance from low 70%’s to consistently >95%. Microsegmentation and Geo-mapping of Zambia POCs to drive efficiency and enable targeted execution and rep optimisation. Rolled out as best practice to Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia. Restructured the sales back office to develop a more streamlined team, to mention a few.

January 2022 Franken was appointed as general manager at AB InBev Namibia, where his responsibilities include running AB InBev Namibia, P&L responsibility, leading the ManCom team, as well as directly responsible for commercial operation in the country. Facilitating transition in moving reporting lines from BU Southeast (Tanzania) to BU South (South Africa) Planned restructure in ways of working and routines throughout business.