Leading Sage Platinum Partner, Lorge Consulting Services, has publicised that Carlien Thomson is retiring as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Lorge is a leading name in ERP, CRM, business management and intelligence solutions, and is celebrating 35 years of excellence in the industry. The organisation has appointed Neville Govender as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Govender, with more than 22 years of business management experience, will be leading the multi-award winning consulting service, while Thomson will remain on board as a part-time business consultant.
Encompassed in the impressive Lorge portfolio, the proudly South African IT pioneer has a presence in several other countries, such as Dubai, Ghana, India and Canada. More than a third of its South African clientele are listed on the JSE and it is also a service provider for in excess of 250 companies.
Govender specialises in the delivery of complex, high-risk global projects in all markets. Utilising his exemplary leadership, management and business development skills, he has successfully contributed to the growth and advancements of five different organisations over the past two decades. The combination of Govender’s expertise and proactive management, and the network of resources of Lorge, will see new territorial expansion in the years to come.
When asked what he was most proud of regarding the company, he highlighted the longevity of Lorge, together with its client portfolio, as well as the amazing staff that play a role in the success of the organisation. Apart from its existence, the new CEO indicated the pride he felt was also directed towards the type of service and delivery offerings that Lorge added to the market.
As part of the new succession plan, Lorge Consulting Services is focused on strategically increasing its market share and dedicating its footprint to global expansion. The long-term strategy, as pointed out by Govender, was to shape Lorge into becoming a key player in the market. Included in the vision, the objective of the business is inclined to client-centric priorities, in terms of its product offering. Part of this process includes the grooming and upskilling of staff to be trendsetters in the market and to support his vision in building and growing the enterprise.
Mergers and acquisitions are pivotal to the expansion of Lorge, but the vision of Govender is to also organically grow the company through the current staff. This includes the recruitment of graduates and upskilling them through a programme that will enable them to support the vision. Every employee at Lorge exposed to this initiative will then be trained, skilled and equipped to the best of their abilities to enter the IT market, according to the succeeding CEO.
Apart from the trials brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, where the company has had to adapt in response to economic downturns and recessions, some of the risks the organisation faces include the personal difficulties experienced by their customers. The COVID-19 outbreak has seen many clients experience tribulations, and this, together with the current state of the economy, has the ability to jeopardise the growth and success of Lorge. Govender, however, is unwavering in his plans to expand and intends on mitigating these risks by being a multi-vendored company with a customer-centric focus. Building key strategic relationships and emphasising good service delivery is the cornerstone of business advancement, according to the new CEO, as this assists in customer retention. Strong customer support is paramount in retaining clients, as well as in the transformation of the enterprise, and is a clear path to success. In addition, another plan to mitigate the risks faced by the business includes the negotiation of pricing with the company vendors, in order to relay this cost-efficiency to the clients of the organisation, in order to sustain them.
Govender added this about the moral dimensions he intends on adapting at Lorge: “While our business is based on our clients, my main focus is our employees. We put our employees first at Lorge and that gives us the added advantage to confidently get into the market and to avoid any major setbacks.”
As part of her final thoughts, Thomson was eager to point out that reaching 35 years in consulting excellence was an achievement of greatest proportions. She added that she would love for the company to “go on for another 35 years” and grow to be the biggest IT service in the industry. Three and a half decades is no small feat and under the guidance and instruction of the new chief executive officer, Thomson is optimistic that Lorge Consulting Services will continue to grow in leaps and bounds.
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