Interviewer: Tarek Hassan Refaat
“Working with Oracle Partners is immensely satisfying since it is a journey of coaching a CEO to be the best they can be. This of course is not an easy task since coaching and journeying with any individual takes time, investment, effort and compromise…”
Stefan Diedericks
About the Interviewee
Adv. Stefan Diedericks, is the Oracle Alliances and Channels Director for Africa who is from South Africa and lives in Johannesburg, a personality that known to be flamboyant, highly energetic with deep and strong belief in the potential of the African continent and has been working with Oracle since 2007. Stefan is also an Admitted Advocate of the High Court of South Africa and became an advocate in 2011.
THE INTERVIEW
1-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: First of all, thank you for taking the time to be with us and sharing with us your insights! So, let us begin, can you tell us a bit more about Stefan Diedericks?
Stefan Diedericks: I’m a passionate individual who believes in the power of positive thinking, unlocking human potential through coaching and ultimately that we can achieve greatness as humanity when we work together towards common goals and plans.
2-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Could you tell us a bit more about your role with Oracle?
Stefan Diedericks: I’m responsible for Oracle’s indirect technology sales & deployment across the 46 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean Islands working with and leading an immensely talented group of A&C Managers and nearly 1000 Oracle Partners.
3-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Where do you currently see the future of business with all the modern technologies and the cloud and other rising solutions?
Stefan Diedericks: The future of enterprise business is definitely a human one, there will of course be automation and modernization, but ultimately business requires innovation and transformation to succeed in a very dynamic, globalized & digital economy and thus human beings are now more critical than ever to assist in leveraging these rising solutions in order to achieve amazing results.
4-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Your career over the past 10 years has been focused around driving business through partners, most people would relate mostly to direct selling, can you tell how do you define ‘Channel Sales’ ?
Stefan Diedericks: “Channel Sales” isn’t only about selling, it is primarily about a journey of solution development between a channel partner and the end customer which sees these two role players creating new solutions in supporting the customer’s path of innovation and driving new solutions to its own clients.
5-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: You were a CEO at a company before moving to Oracle, and your job was not an Cx level, most people would think this might be a downgrade, how did you view this, was there some sort of vision?
Stefan Diedericks: In life we often need to make calculated risks with our careers, prior to joining Oracle I was the CEO of a Value Added Distributor taking midsize applications to Africa for another Global Software Company and I had a responsibility of approximately $5m and I realized that in order to grow my career I will have to take a step back and build again. Today I’m responsible for $100m of achievement and I am grateful I made that decision in 2006 prior to joining Oracle.
6-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Channel Business is all about relationships that drive the business, what is the most challenging part in working with a partner? And what is the most exciting part?
Stefan Diedericks: Working with Oracle Partners is immensely satisfying since it is a journey of coaching a CEO to be the best they can be. This of course is not an easy task since coaching and journeying with any individual takes time, investment, effort and compromise and therefore at the same time as it being the most exciting, it is also the most challenging.
7-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: You have been working in the field of information technology, and still you passed your LLB and were admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, how did this add to you?
Stefan Diedericks: The journey of learning is a lifelong one and completing my honors degree in law and being admitted has allowed me to be a better coach and advisor to the CEO’s within the Oracle Partner Ecosystem since it provides me with a different outlook and perspective to the challenges we discuss in growing their businesses.
8-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: You are known to be an extremely strong believer in Africa and the potential to make it one of the most prosperous places in the world, can you share with us your vision?
Stefan Diedericks: Africa is the 3rd most populous region in the world behind China and India and yet it possesses a unique creative spirit which gives it a unique differentiator. I believe that if we as Africans; all 1.2billion of us; focus on our true value – the ability to generate Intellectual Property and leverage the Skills of those across the continent; we will reach amazing heights.
9-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: When we mention Africa, what do you think are the main challenges in terms of business and people in Africa?
Stefan Diedericks: One of the current biggest challenges in Africa is “access”; access to education, access to infrastructure, access to funding, access to markets. If we can focus on solving some of these challenges by collaborating with the global community to buy more Africa Intellectual Property and Skills from us, we can overcome the challenge of “access” and truly connect everyone on the continent to the world at large.
10-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: You have worked a lot of teams, hired quite a lot of people, can you tell us what is the first thing that grabs your attention in a resume?
Stefan Diedericks: Simplicity, Measurability and Uniqueness.
11-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: When interviewing a candidate, what are the first three things you tend to look for in the candidate?
Stefan Diedericks: Honesty & Integrity, Creativity and Tenacity.
12-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: As a manager of a team, what are the main KPIs you use to measure a team and an individual?
Stefan Diedericks: Every year I believe that one needs to set a set of KPI’s for each team member as well as oneself that will drive Organizational Achievement, Personal Development, Teamwork & Innovation. These have been the four pillars that I’ve consistently used in setting KPI’s for my teams.
13-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: One of the main challenges that usually appear in the African continent, is lack providing a track for employee development and growth in the organization to which they belong, do you agree with this statement yes or no? And if you could kindly clarify why?
Stefan Diedericks: I come from a background of Performance Management and deploying such programmes, so I would admit to being biased and say “no”. I do however think that the focus placed on employee career development, personal development and skills growth can improve and that should organizations improve linkages between employee development and organizational outcomes, they will be more successful.
14-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: South Africa is known to be the most mature market in Africa and always compared to Europe, why do you think so? What are the key success factors of the maturity of the South African market compared to the rest of the continent?
Stefan Diedericks: Whilst South Africa has an interesting background; we have to realize that the European history we have (not just in South Africa, but across Africa) can be a great asset if we take the best from it and build on that. I believe that structural thinking, policy & process management and quality assurance are some of the mature elements South Africa has that we can use to support other African countries in their journeys in developing their own.
15-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Between your hectic job in such a big company, which must be a time-consuming job, could you give us an insight in your regular day? Do you have any hobbies? Practice any sports? If so does it affect your performance?
Stefan Diedericks: Whilst I’m not a sports fundi, I normally wake up between 5.30-6am every morning, go to gym and then my day starts at around 7am. I choose to spend time with family & friends during down time and essentially museums & theatre are my hobbies. Such “down-time” is critical for recharging and allowing the brain to relax from the demands of everyday life.
16-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: It’s been quite a pleasure having you with us, would you care to share your favorite quote that inspires you?
Stefan Diedericks: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” ~ Robert Frost
17-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: If there’s one advice that you would give to the youth in Africa, what would it be?
Stefan Diedericks: Realize that you are infinitely possible, realize that you are made for a purpose, realize you’re you are made as part of a community. Pursue that purpose and never give up on becoming the best version of you so that you may serve the community you’re in.
18-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: In the end, we’ve come to the end of our interview, is there something you would like to say or share?
Stefan Diedericks: Thank you for the opportunity to spend time with you today. It has been a motivating experience!
-HR Revolution Middle East Magazine: Mr. Stefan it’s been indeed quite the pleasure in having you with us as part of this interview!
