Manuel VERGEZ
Regional Director Africa
Digital Infrastructure,
Fintech & Identity | B2B & B2G
"I am because you are"
Growth & Revenue leader with +30 years in business development, go-to-market & partnerships in complex environments - Turning constraints into commercial traction.
Senior international executive with experience building and scaling technology, telecom, and digital identity operations across Africa and Latin America. Proven ability to structure multi-country growth strategies, develop Tier-1 partnerships (MNOs, banks, governments, NGOs), and deliver sustainable regional revenue expansion within complex regulatory environments.
Experienced in market entry & GTM: country/segment prioritization, partner search, evaluation and pick, rapid tests / POCs, first new logos, then channel build-out at C-levels (telcos, banks, NGOs, integrators) in emerging and fast-growing markets.
KEY
ACHIEVEMENTS
- B2B/B2G Revenue Engine creation– Built from scratch Latin America sales operations across 3 main verticals (telecom, banking & government) in 4 years time, building a 60 million euros business for Oberthur Technologies (IDEMIA) from 2003 to 2007
- Go-to-Market Execution – Pipeline growth at Famoco from 400k USD in one year across 4 main sub-regions (East Africa/South Africa/Nigeria/Egypt), while developing the rest of Africa to achieve high expected conversion rate. Budget commitment for year 2 is now 6,3M€ in 2026.
- Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem – Partnerships: distributor/SI agreements, co-sell models, enablement, and joint governance. 11 partners identified in Year 1 and contracts signed for distribution in some specific markets and verticals. Training done to local teams.
- Team leadership – Built and led global sales teams, marketing and pre-sales teams (20+ FTE), driving operational efficiency and budget discipline across regional organizations in IDEMIA.
Tagline
Identity, security and mobile technologies EXPERIENCE
“I am because you are” — Nelson Mandela’s vision of collective success and mutual growth has strongly influenced my approach to business development across Africa and emerging markets. Sustainable sales performance is never built alone; it comes from trust, long-term partnerships, local empowerment, and shared value creation between companies, customers, governments, and ecosystems. Throughout my career, I have focused on building collaborative growth models where commercial success is driven by understanding local realities, aligning interests, and enabling partners and teams to grow together.
Famoco | Sales Director AFRICA | 2024-present.
Lead global sales in eastern and southern Africa - Secure Android devices for digital identity, KYC, payments & field operations as well as installing software recurring business.
- Built Africa GTM across East/South Africa, Nigeria & Egypt
- Grew pipeline from $400k to $6.3M in 12 months
- Signed 11 strategic channel & SI partnerships
- Reduced GTM cycle from 18 to 12 months
Oberthur Technologies (Idemia) | Latin America Director | 1996-2007
Built a ten-year approach to the Latin American market – Telecoms, banking & government
- Grown as a professional from sales executive in Mexico in 1996 to product marketing on VAS in 2000-2003 to the setup from scratch, development and management of HQ in Brazil and offices in Bogota and Buenos Aires from 2004 to 2007.
- Delivered a 60 million euros business on 3 main segments: telecom, banking and government with a sales and pre-sales team of 20+ FTE and a 100+ FTE factory setup.
- Organized operations while developing the company business according to the budget.
Tagline
Health and Medical devices business EXPERIENCE
“I am because you are” — Nelson Mandela’s vision of humanity, dignity, and interdependence deeply resonates with my experience in the healthcare industry. Healthcare is built on trust, care, and collective responsibility, where the well-being of patients depends on the commitment of caregivers, medical institutions, industry partners, and communities working together. Throughout my career, I have always believed that sustainable growth in healthcare comes from creating value-driven partnerships, improving access to quality care, and supporting professionals whose mission is to improve people’s lives every day.
Laboratoire TETRA MEDICAL | Sales Director | 2015 - 2019
Lead the company direct and indirect sales onto the French and African markets (20+ FTE)
- Rebuilt the company strategy towards its markets in France and abroad (32M€ sales)
- Reorganized the company sales from tender desk to indirect sales (+30% in export sales)
ABENA-FRANTEX | Sales & Marketing Director | 2012 - 2015
Lead the sales, pre-sales and marketing teams and reorganized the company approach to the French health market (30+ FTE)
- Built +35% growth strategy between 2012 & 2015 (from 41M€ to 55M€)
- Constant margin improvement over the period
- Restructuration of processes, product range and portfolio as well as organizations
From
2007
Transition Management | Various export / sales / director transition positions |
Until 2024
EDUCATION
1993 - 1996
Institut Supérieur de Gestion
Multinational Management & Finance
2004 - 2006
University of Liverpool
Online MBA program
LANGUAGES
French: Native
English: Professional
Portuguese: Professional
Spanish: Professional
"There is only one language for business: partnership”
My success has always been built on the success of my customers. Throughout my career, I have believed that sustainable business growth comes from creating long-term value, understanding customer challenges, and building trusted partnerships where all stakeholders grow together. Whether working with governments, telecom operators, healthcare organizations, distributors, or financial institutions, my approach has consistently been driven by collaboration, commitment, and shared achievement.
MY INTERESTS
Investment, wealth management
During my professional experience at a real estate company specializing in investment asset management, I discovered a true passion for analyzing real estate markets and optimizing asset portfolios. Each project was an opportunity to deepen my understanding of market trends and work closely with investors eager to maximize their wealth. This experience allowed me to develop critical investment strategy skills while reinforcing my desire to contribute to long-term value creation in the real estate sector.
Golf
My all-consuming passion for golf took on a whole new dimension when I had the opportunity to coach youth teams at the local and regional levels. Sharing my love for the sport, seeing young people blossom and improve, has strengthened my own mastery of the game. Each training session becomes a special moment where I share tips, and, above all, the camaraderie that characterizes our shared passion. This commitment to young people isn't limited to teaching them the etiquette, but also to instilling in them the values of perseverance and respect, essential in golf and in life. It's an experience that fuels my enthusiasm and pushes me to surpass myself every day.