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Founder: Benji Coetzee
Strategist, entrepreneur, author

Day in and day out, I’m constantly taking on new and interesting projects that help me build my personal brand. From industry-related tasks to unusual and sporadic opportunities, each experience I’ve had has turned me into who I am today. Have a look at everything I’ve done, and send any questions my way.

Benji Coetzee Technologist
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Native Strategist | M&A & Portfolio Architect | AI-Native Behavioralist | Author & Investor | Human-Centered, Data-Driven Leader

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Benji Coetzee is an internationally respected strategy executive with 17+ years of experience across telecom, private equity, AI ventures, and digital scale-ups — spanning infrastructure, resources, retail, and banking. As Group Chief Strategy & Growth Officer at KPN, the Netherlands’ ~€6BRev  listed telecom and digital infrastructure leader, she leads corporate strategy, M&A, ventures, and business model transformation — delivering long-term value across sectors and geographies.

With a foundation at BCG, HSBC, and high-growth tech ventures, Benji blends financial engineering, behavioral science, and systems thinking to turn complexity into scalable, sustainable growth. She partners directly with KPN’s CEO and board, shaping capital strategy, ecosystem partnerships, and enterprise transformation. Known for her clarity, conviction, and human-centered leadership, she builds high-performing teams that don’t just adapt to change — they advocate for it.

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Previously, she served as Chief Digital Officer at VodafoneZiggo, where she led agile and MACH-based transformation across B2B and B2C. She also founded a generative AI logistics venture (pre-hype) later acquired by RCL Foods and Santova B.V. Her global track record spans four continents, consistently anchored in transformation with purpose.

 

Benji holds degrees in law and finance, with certifications in neuropsychology, and is currently pursuing a PhD in behavioral psychology. A Forbes Top 60 Women in Tech honoree, GSMA strategy contributor, and author of Daddy Says No focusing on decision making and biases.  She brings rare depth, sharp execution, and a bold, ethical lens to every table she joins with a dose of personality to keep it enjoyable too!

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Her belief: In a bionic world, those who lead with both heart and technical logic will define the future worth building

Summary

Chief Strategy & Growth Officer, KPN, June 2023 – Present | Amsterdam, Netherlands
KPN is the Netherlands’ listed leader in telecom and digital infrastructure, with revenues over €6bn.

  • Lead KPN’s long-term value strategy across Corporate Strategy, M&A (incl. portfolio management), Ventures and Group Insights — reporting directly to the CEO and shaping growth, margin, and capital allocation agendas.

  • Architect ecosystem partnerships and business model innovation across connectivity, ICT, and tech; execute inorganic growth through strategic acquisitions and venture investments aligned to local and global ambitions alongside digital transition goals.

  • Apply behavioral economics, financial engineering, and systems design to enable elastic strategy — driving sustainable profit, customer relevance, and responsible tech-human integration with capital market savvy hat on.

 

Executive Vice President, Consumer Growth and Change, KPN, May 2022 – May 2023, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Responsible to identify, define & steer strategies for customer excellence and ARPA growth beyond legacy portfolio.

  • Accountable for allocation of Capex (€140m), innovation & IT service roadmap (€60m) to unlock best value objectives.

  • Facilitates the management of complex projects from idea to delivery, paired with implementing value tracking.

Inspires creative thinking to change to a digital operating model for simplicity to customer & cost reduction.

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Digital Director (SVP & Tribe Lead), VodafoneZiggo, December 2019 – April 2022,  Utrecht, Netherlands

VodafoneZiggo is a telco joint venture of Vodafone Group & Liberty Global in the Netherlands with revenues north of €4bn.

  • E2E Responsible to transform, grow & mobilise all customer facing digital channels & assets for both B2C & B2B.

  • Accountable for the vision & delivery of all digital capabilities, targeting, CDP; with concise roadmaps & strict product lifecycle management intertwined with commercial digital ambitions incl.  legacy, infra security & innovation. Owns the investment portfolio & business outcomes of digital assets [incl. caps for e-commerce, self- service (voice / chat / language), entertainment, e-gaming, VR/AR & other modern innovations incl loyalty platform] (±€1.6bn sales rev, +25% by 2023).

  • Ensures accelerated time to market, leveraging modern principles (MACH), open-source networks, smart supplier mgmt. whilst implementing & cultivating agile way of work in development process, CI/CD, & DevOps mentality.

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Venture Investment Advisor at Calibre Capital, May 2019 – ongoing, Pretoria, South Africa

  • Calibre is an independent, highly respected private equity investment company, active within a range of industries.

  • Scout, foster & ensure strategic value enhancement from (alternative) growth venture opportunities into the portfolio.

  • Ventures explored; vegan baking tech, organic skincare, peer-to-peer delivery & payment cart, plastic-free shopping.

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Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Empty Trips, January 2017 – September 2019, Johannesburg, South Africa

  • Ideated, designed & developed an enterprise (B2B) freight marketplace software solution which leverages spacial directional algorithms with real time analytics, machine learning & automation to better match empty spaces to cargo.

  • As the founder - the role was dynamic, demanding & fulfilling. Responsibilities E2E from product design (model, tech architecture), legal structuring, cyber security, compliance, IP-offshoring, rapid multi-supplier identification/ integration, open-source acceleration, adaptive go-to-market planning, organisational growth, performance-driven SAFe culture, financial engineering (VC- backed), board governance, deal negotiation etc.

  • Successfully innovated the business model & solution with an additional platform for revenue diversification. Ideated, designed & developed the solution named Surefox; now SureCargo. Native solution for underwriters - offers insurance to commercial customers/ brokers instantly, transforming manual traditional facultative service to a multi- channel automated simple solution based on MACH principles. IP exited to Santova B.V.  Apr’19.

  • EmptyTrips exit via asset & IP sale to Vector Logistics part of Remgro, a diversified investment company – close Sep’19.

Experience

Timeline

timeline cv updated june 2025.png
Benji Singularity

Founder & Strategic Architect, Seedpitch Advisory, November 2016 – April 2019, ad-hoc, JHB, South Africa

  • Advisory using alternative frameworks, data analytics & behavioral science for strategic planning & value engineering.

  • Entity created to bootstrap startup Empty Trips until VC raise completed November’2018. Remain advisor; ad-hoc.

  • Ability to position frameworks, orchestrate teams & originate workable interim structures to achieve fast results.

  • Example projects: Revolutionary mobile in-store lending app for leading micro-finance credit provider - (active) prototype all built through a UI/UX studio of an opensource digital factory in Kenya, portfolio model developed for real-time insight into tracking multi-billion commercial property development projects of Saudi Family office.

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Senior Project Manager, Singular Group, March 2016 – November 2016, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  • Singular is an international strategy & investment consulting company across industries.

  • Largely focused on strategic value engineering from M&A, joint ventures or synergistic partnerships.

  • Example projects: Led a complex multi-country asset portfolio divestment programme of an industrial group, redefinition of respective asset management (lifecycle) strategies, designed “Innovation Delta” framework.

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Senior Consultant, The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), October 2012 - February 2016, JHB, South Africa

  • BCG is one of the leading top-tier management strategy consulting firms of the world across sectors.

  • Projects managed: Operating model redesign of commodity trader, organizational restructuring & workforce planning of SOE, cost optimisation & process re-engineering of diamond MineCo, turnaround of development bank, M&A FMCG.

  • A comprehensive role demanding analytical finesse, presentation excellence, complex multi-stakeholder management expertise, dedication, ability to work independently, whilst ensuring consistent measurable impact for clients.

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Project Manager Africa Infrastructure, World Economic Forum, June 2014 – June 2015, Geneva, Switzerland

  • Seconded from BCG to facilitate acceleration of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA - NEPAD).

  • The role focused on the $5.5bn Central Rail Corridor managing a 50+ business working group (Private, NGO & gov).

  • Enabled the conclusion of a tri-partite agreement, alongside clear tooling for project selection for value investing.

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Corporate Finance Analyst, HSBC Africa, November 2011 – October 2012, JHB, South Africa

  • HSBC Africa is the African head office of the international bank, focusing on corporate & investment banking only.

  • Quantitative & qualitative analysis of corporate portfolio worked directly with deal makers for origination & valuations.

  • Received global recognition for a scenario-based automated covenant trigger model developed.

**October 2010 – October 2011, completing second Masters’ degree in Germany

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Marine Insurance Consultant, Hollard Insurance (Etana), November 2008 – September 2010, JHB, South Africa

  • International marine risk underwriting to enable the African transport book growth from 0 to ZAR500m in 18 months. 

  • Coordinated complex insurance negotiations, grew experience in customized insurance, risk mgmt, & claim adjudication.

  • Actively managed a large portfolio of clients across Resources (Gold), Telco, Chemicals, Retail & FMCG.

*** references from all employers readily available on request

Acknowledgements

Education

  • Candidate Behavioral Psychology Phd - Under construction

  • Master of Law (LLM) Finance, Institute of Law & Finance, Goethe University, 2010 – 2011, Germany.

  • Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Maritime Economics, University of Stellenbosch, 2008 – 2009, South Africa.

  • Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) Financial Management, University of Stellenbosch, 2005 – 2007, South Africa.

  • Positive Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 2021.

  • Diploma Behavioral Design, SUE Behavioral Design Academy, 2022, Netherlands.

  • Diploma Neuropsychology, Centre of Excellence, 2021, United Kingdom (CMA registered).

  • Diploma Nudging & Behavioural Insights, INudgeYou – Applied Behavioural Science Group, 2020, Denmark.

  • Certified ScrumMaster®; expires 9.10.2021.

  • Exponential Executive Programme, Singularity University, 2019, United States of America.

  • Behavioural Economics, Johannesburg Business School, University of Johannesburg, 2019, South Africa.

Personal

  • Languages: Native English (eloquent communicator) & fluent Afrikaans, L2 Dutch, learning French.

  • Personality attributes: Passionate, progressive, energetic, humble, empathetic, committed.

  • Top skills: Design, Visualization, Communication, Problem Solving, Decision-making, Negotiation, Value Engineering.

  • Hobbies: Competitive dressage riding, reading (booklist), writing (book), psychology, seeing & tasting the world.

  • Personal: South African citizen, Netherlands – Dutch resident (require sponsor), Female, 35 yrs.

  • Extra-curricular / Volunteer: GSMA, Vodafone Instant Network Foundation, SER TopVrouwen, WICT mentorship.

Top skills

  • Communication

  • Frameworking & Critical Problem Solving

  • Digital Design with Data Visualization

  • Project Management

  • Investment Management

  • ​Lifecycle (asset) management

  • Matrix Complexity Management

  • Prototyping & Experimentation

  • Digital Marketing Excellence (UX, SEO, Social)

  • Decision making

© Seedpitch Pty Ltd

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