OUR TESTIMONIALS

References from Personal and Professional Circles

Manny de Canha

Chairman C2Group

First impressions last, and Phonnie made a lasting one for all the right reasons when we met back in 1995. It was clear that the young man who sat opposite me that day when he came for a job interview, was a gifted communicator and natural leader with the human touch. I immediately wanted him on my team and that day the business partnership began.

I soon discovered that Phonnie is someone who puts other people first, a trait that requires humility and the willingness to listen and learn. He displayed a curiosity for new ideas and enjoyed a creativity that served not only the company well, but everyone he came in contact with. He had an almost uncanny ability to get new, unknown brands off the ground and giving it wings. Although a lot of his success can be chalked up to sheer dedication, when you meet Phonnie you soon realise there is much more to it than that.

A born educator and motivator, Phonnie now gives back to people his knowledge/experience /and share his human touch through his new venture. What better investment than investing in people by helping them become the best versions of themselves and be best at what they do in life? What a great legacy to leave behind. Phonnie not merely draws from the failures and successes of his professional career of three decades. He not only teaches the art of persuasion or helps individuals overcome what may appear to be insurmountable challenges. He imparts honest caring for the human spirit. With Phonnie’s backing, the odds are stacked in one’s favour to achieve real transformation with in one-self.

Xavier Gobille

CEO/Founder Peak Africa Solutions

I have known Phonnie since 2000, at the inception of Renault South Africa. At this time I was head of Accordian (Head of Tata cars distribution in SA), Renault SA and Phonnie head of Marketing. Phonnie is an amazing person to work with, thanks to his “always positive” approach/mindset, and his people-focussed way of interacting. His expertise in marketing is huge and his creativity and experience in his field make him somewhat of an expert in all the different aspects of it. From strategic marketing and brand building, to operational planning and execution – he knows how to leverage marketing as a tool for sales activities effectively. His experience as Head of Marketing and also Head of Sales, make him a well- rounded executive, able to master the “road to sales”. Phonnie has quite unique intrapersonal and interpersonal relationship skills, and I do believe these originate from his character. Before he joined the business world Phonnie was a teacher – which says it all. He loves the people aspect and everything related to training, developing and now coaching. I also want to mention Phonnie’s entrepreneurial abilities. I do believe his entire career at Imperial has served as an amazing foundation to develop these qualities, and that he is arguably part of the best group of Entrepreneurs in South Africa. I unreservedly recommend Phonnie to any employer or client who would like to benefit from his vast experience and knowledge as a top entrepreneur and exceptional person.

Madhu Singh

AVP: Electric Mobility, TVS Motor

I worked with Mr Phonnie Cilliers very closely from 2013 to 2016 and I got to observe him as a leader in different circumstances. At the time he headed the operations for Accordian Investments Pty, the authorised distributor for Tata Motors in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. There are certain qualities, skill sets and competencies in Phonnie that stood out very exceptionally and elevated him head and shoulders above his peers. Phonnie is a gifted leader of men who can lead companies and teams under various business dynamics. He communicates very effectively with his teams and has the ability to influence motivations and engagement levels across the board. He has different strokes for different folks and can maneuver them in really difficult situations. Phonnie understands the entire gamut of marketing and has great insights into the marketing domain and understands the consumer needs well. If there is one art that Phonnie really excels in – it is selling. He can sell Products & Ideas with equal elegance. He connects the needs and solutions very well and is therefore a great communicator. His excellent negotiation capabilities help him get a better deal out of most situations. Phonnie has built and nurtured very many brands from scratch in his long career. He understands what it takes for a brand to appeal to customers and also thrive amongst stiff competition. His ability to understand people and their motivations has always helped him mentor and nurture his team members and sales force. His has excellent communication skills and his genuine interest in the development of other people helps him discover their latent needs and talents. It was an absolute privilege and pleasure for me to work with Phonnie. And I would hop on to such an opportunity any time in future.

Dr Henri Staal, Exec. Director

Kapela Investments Holdings

I have known Phonnie Cilliers since 1979 when we were roommates at University and have been friends ever since. Phonnie is a highly intelligent person who studied maths, physics and chemistry at University. He later did an MBA that equipped him for the business world. He was a dedicated student with a balanced life. He did well in sport, was very social and participated in cultural activities. He is also someone with not only a high IQ but a high EQ. His people skills and ability to communicate is exceptional. He is a very likeable person that gets on with all people. He is no doubt a strong team player and a leader. I would describe him as someone who broke out of the mould, tried different careers in life and made a success of not only teachingr but was very successful in the corporate/business world. Phonnie is a hard worker, people person, someone who is blessed with a fierce intellect and deep integrity. Most of all, he is someone who lives close to his Creator. I highly recommend Phonnie to anyone who wants to consult with him or employ him as a coach and I know he will be highly successful in the next chapter in his life. He is someone you can trust and who will give you good and honest advise based on solid principles and years of experience.

Raman Dhawan

Ex CEO & Managing Director TATA Africa Holdings (SA) (Pty) Ltd.

I have known Phonnie Cilliers since 1979 when we were roommates at University and have been friends ever since. Phonnie is a highly intelligent person who studied maths, physics and chemistry at University. He later did an MBA that equipped him for the business world. He was a dedicated student with a balanced life. He did well in sport, was very social and participated in cultural activities. He is also someone with not only a high IO but a high EQ. His people skills and ability to communicate is exceptional. He is a very likeable person that gets on with all people. He is no doubt a strong team player and a leader. I would describe him as someone who broke out of the mould, tried different careers in life and made a success of not only teaching, but was very successful in the corporate/business world. Phonnie is a hard worker, people person, someone who is blessed with a fierce intellect and deep integrity. Most of all, he is someone who lives close to his Creator. I highly recommend Phonnie to anyone who wants to consult with him or employ him as a coach and I know he will be highly successful in the next chapter in his life. He is someone you can trust and who will give you good and honest advise based on solid principles and years of experience.

Rudra Maitra

Vice President Product Line Head - ILCV Trucks Tata Motors Limited

I have known Phonnie Cilliers since 2005 as the COO of Accordion Investments. Our experience together were spread over a decade of creating new business opportunities and building strong brands in Africa, while interacting with teams that operated across continents. I have seldom seen a leader manage teams from different cultures, with varied thought processes and under the constant pressure of performance, as well as Phonnie does. One of Phonnie’s greatest skills is his ability to build a brand and take the entire team along with him in achieving its goal. He positioned himself as a trusted and respected business professional for colleagues in his own industry in South Africa as well as his overseas partners. His entrepreneurial skills helped him to create a footprint of dealerships for multiple brands in all the provinces of South Africa in a very short period of time. His qualities of understanding marketer creating value propositions, and thereby creating demand, are the true hallmarks of a business professional with great selling skills. What sets Phonnie apart from many as a leader, is the fact that he has always shown a genuine interest in people. He makes time for people and he believes in investing in and creating relationships with people of diverse backgrounds. I have seen him do this repeatedly over many years and he truly enjoys it. He is a strong and multifaceted leader who was at ease at handling the Members of the Board and Shareholders of his organisation on the one handi while at the same time serving as a great coach and mentor for his team and channel partners. He was respected by his channel partners and team members and also had quite a fan following amongst them. This was because he made the effort to get to know them as individuals, share his knowledge with them, coach them, motivate them and made them perform at levels they themselves never knew they were capable of. The fact he could do this consistently and repeatedly over a long period of time, launching dozens of people off on their own journeys toward success, exemplifies that not only is Phonnie a seasoned and talented business professional, but also an empathetic leader of people.