MANAGEMENT TEAM
Emma Murray
Senior Vice President Sales - Africa
Software AG South Africa
Emma Murray is responsible for developing our markets and leading Software AG's drive into Africa and beyond. She has been the Software AG SA the Country Representative and Vice President Sales for the last two years, responsible for the outstanding performance of the country's sales teams. Having been with Software AG South Africa since 2005, Emma has played a successful and pivotal role in the Banking and Financial Sales team for several years, including that of Sales Director. She has over 15 years IT industry experience in both sales and technical positions and has worked for several global IT companies before joining Software AG.
Emma is a strong advocate for customer relationships based on mutual value and successfully fosters long term understanding of strategic objectives for key accounts. The planning she advocates enables these customers to become more successful as part of the future value proposition of working with Software AG to accomplish these mutual goals.
With an MBA in International Business Management and Cultural Diversity, from Henley (UK), Emma has a focused approach to corporate strategic business objectives and business development. She is a highly experienced manager and continues the excellent growth of Software AG South Africa through her leadership skills, to the benefit of its staff, existing customers and new clients.
In addition to her MBA, Emma holds diplomas and certificates from a number of international colleges and educational institutions in Project Management, Supervisory Management, and Solutions Selling.
Ike Kunene
Country Representative and Vice President Sales
Software AG South Africa
Ike Kunene is the Country Representative and Vice President Sales for Software AG South Africa. He is an accomplished sales and marketing executive with a proven track record in new business development, management and strategic skills, coupled with 15 years of sales management experience in the ICT sector. Previously CSI Director at Software AG, Kunene has extensive knowledge and experience within the Public Sector, donor organizations and inter-governmental organizations. He will be responsible for the daily operation of the company and achieving revenue and growth within the South African operation.
Ike has hands on experience in developing and implementing sales strategies, including managing high value bid teams and setting up partnerships and alternate channels, and leveraging relationships in other territories around the African Continent.
His strengths are in combining broad business understanding with technical knowledge and creative problem solving skills in both strategic and tactical areas. He is an effective communicator with an ability to explain complex concepts and ideas to internal and external clients.
Kunene’s career has included sales and marketing positions at SAP, Microsoft, iafrica.com and in publishing and broadcast.
Barry De Waal
Vice President, Global Consulting Services
Software AG South Africa
Barry De Waal holds a B.Eng (Industrial and System Engineering) from the University of Pretoria.
He has 15 years of middleware experience, starting off with five years of Tibco experience ending with Fluant as the sales and pre-sales director.
Barry then joined MGX as the pre-sales manager for the Sun iPlanet and Java Enterprise Systems product set, driving the go to market strategy. Subsequent to the management buyout of MGX Enterprise Solutions to form AL Indigo, Barry managed the BEA Systems business. This later changed to the Oracle Business Unit post the the Oracle acquisition of BEA Systems. Barry spent the last 2 years of an eight year journey with BEA and Oracle at EOH as the Managing Director of the Oracle Middleware Business.
Barry has been with Software AG as Vice President of the Global Consulting Services since the start of 2012.
Diellie Schmutz
Global Consulting Services Director
Software AG South Africa
Diellie Schmutz is the Global Consulting Services Director for South Africa. Diellie brings over 20 years of general experience in IT spanning the full software development lifecycle and a broad array of roles and technologies.
In her current position, Diellie manages a team of 30 Software AG consultants delivering on more than 20 projects. The South African GCS team had a year on year growth of more than 40%. Customer focused solution delivery is the key to this success as well as team motivation and loyalty.
Originally educated on IBM mainframe systems, her IT experience also encompasses Windows, Unix and all Mainframe operating systems. Her varied career has ranged from database and operating system administration to software design, development and project management. Most recently her focus has been on SOA-enabling, and legacy modernization technologies and the related business value and return on investment associated with this.
Diellie started her career in Information Technology in 1983. She studied BSC (Hon) Computer Science at the University Pretoria. Diellie’s career has revolved mainly around the Software AG products for the past 15 years, in the capacity of Software AG Technical Specialist. She joined Software AG in October 2005 as Manager Technical Services, from Gijima AST where she was responsible for the Software AG professional services.
Stephen Sim
Financial, Controlling and Administration Director (FC&A)
Software AG South Africa
Stephen Sim is the Financial, Controlling and Administration Director (FC&A) at Software AG South Africa. Stephen brings with him over 20 years of financial experience from various IT, Retail and manufacturing industries, both local and foreign.
Stephen joined Software AG in October 2008 and was appointed to the Board in March 2009 as FC&A Director. His portfolio of responsibilities include finance, human resources, IT and administration. Stephen holds a BCompt degree from the University of South Africa and a CMA (Charted Management Accountant).
Prior to Software AG, he worked for Mercedes-Benz South Africa for nearly 10 years as Treasury Operations Manager, and held various financial positions at SASKO Milling, Mutual and Federal, Goldwell SA, HP and debis Financial Services.
Cindy-Anne Passet
Marketing Director
Software AG South Africa
Cindy-Anne Passet is a marketing and communications professionals with more than 15 years experience in the IT sector and allied tech organisations. She is responsible for Software AG's marketing strategy in South Africa and will also assist in the new African markets. Her passion for marketing and experience in brand building equips for the marketing role and for the challenges of new markets.
Cindy-Anne has a BSocSci from the University of Natal and an Honours in Marketing (UNISA). Her career includes senior marketing roles at SABS, Cell C and Intel.
