Introduction
I'm Jacques, an
Operations
I am a performance-driven operations executive with a foundation in design, development, media buying, and AI systems. As COO of a digital marketing agency, I lead 20+ team members, oversee high-value client portfolios, and design scalable operational infrastructure that drives revenue growth and executional excellence.
I bridge strategy and implementation by building systems, aligning teams, and ensuring that vision translates into measurable results.
Download My ResumeOperational Leadership &
Strategic Infrastructure
Earlier in my career, I built and executed digital marketing campaigns across paid media, SEO, automation, and AI systems. That hands-on foundation now informs my leadership as a Chief Operations Officer.
Today, I oversee cross-functional teams of 20+ professionals, manage high-value client portfolios, and design scalable operational systems that align strategy with execution. My focus is on building structure by defining processes, improving accountability, optimising resource allocation, and ensuring performance targets are consistently met.
I operate at the intersection of strategy and execution. I understand the mechanics because I've worked within them. I lead with clarity, enforce operational discipline, and build infrastructure that enables sustainable growth.
Guiding Organisational Performance
Driving execution with clarity and accountability.
As COO of a digital marketing agency, I build operational systems that enable sustainable growth. I align teams, define KPIs, and implement structured reporting to ensure strategy translates into measurable execution. I oversee cross-functional departments across marketing, development, and client services, maintaining accountability and performance standards.
My background in execution informs my leadership, but my focus today is infrastructure, optimisation, and scale.
Operational Systems &
Commercial Infrastructure
Executive ownership across finance, growth, engineering, creative, compliance, and organisational governance.
My leadership combines full P&L ownership, operational system architecture, and hands-on technical fluency. I oversee financial performance, growth infrastructure, engineering environments, creative production, compliance workflows, and cross-functional teams to ensure strategic direction translates into structured, measurable execution.
Financial & Commercial Governance
Client & Internal P&L Ownership, Budget Allocation & Forecasting, Revenue Share Modelling, Tiered Compensation Structures, Hiring & Headcount Planning, Contract Negotiation, Equity Filing Support, Xero, QuickBooks, Stripe
Growth & Revenue Systems
Google Ads, Meta Ads, SEMrush, GoHighLevel (GHL), Funnel Architecture, CRM & Pipeline Design, Cold Outbound Infrastructure (Domain Warming, SMTP Routing, Deliverability Management), Performance Scaling Frameworks, Technical SEO, On-Page Optimisation, Local SEO, GBP Management, Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
Creative & Production
Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Motion Graphics, Video Production & Post-Production, Colour Grading, Brand Asset Design, Creative Direction, Multi-Camera Production
Automation & AI Infrastructure
Next.js, Zapier, API & Webhook Integrations, AI-Powered Creative Generation, Prompt Engineering, Claude, ChatGPT, Workflow Automation, SOP Architecture, Process Optimisation Systems
Data, Attribution & Intelligence
Google Tag Manager, GA4, Meta Conversion API (CAPI), Attribution Modelling, KPI Dashboards, UTM Governance, Reporting Frameworks, Performance Forecasting
Engineering & Cloud Environments
AWS, Supabase, Cloudflare, Firebase, JavaScript, Python, React, Next.js, CSS, WordPress, HTML5, GitHub, Visual Studio Code, Deployment & Hosting Infrastructure
Client & Portfolio Management
57+ Client Portfolio Oversight, $4M+ Annual Ad Spend Management, Stakeholder Communication, Client Retention Strategy, Proposal & Pitch Development, Revenue Growth Planning
Organisational Leadership & Compliance
20+ Direct Reports, Performance Review Frameworks, Revenue-Based Compensation Bands, Contractor Termination Processes, Multi-Country Contractor Oversight (UK, US, EU, Africa), GDPR & HIPAA Compliance, Legal Counsel Coordination, Sprint Collaboration with Product & Engineering (Asana, Monday.com, Notion, Slack Governance)
Executive Experience
A progression from performance execution to operational leadership and scalable infrastructure.
Lead operational delivery across a 57+ client portfolio managing $4M+ in annual ad spend. Responsible for building the systems, leadership structures, and technical infrastructure that enable scalable performance across paid media, SEO, and AI-driven workflows.
Scope of Leadership
- Direct operational oversight across 57+ active accounts
- Manage cross-functional teams spanning paid media, SEO, development, and client services
- Oversee $4M+ annual media spend and performance accountability
- Lead AI integration initiatives across creative production and reporting
- Design and maintain delivery frameworks, SOPs, and quality control systems
- Oversee technical infrastructure (GHL, Meta CAPI, automation workflows, tracking systems)
Held full operational accountability for a performance-driven agency managing 43 active clients and £3M+ in annual paid media spend. Built the systems and accountability frameworks that enabled consistent delivery at scale.
Operational Mandate
- Directed delivery across 43 client accounts
- Managed Meta & Google Ads execution standards
- Coordinated media, SEO, development, and creative teams
- Built internal SOPs and workflow systems
- Implemented delivery forecasting and reporting frameworks
- Identified bottlenecks and deployed process improvements
Transitioned a founder-led B2B service into a systemised demand generation engine. Built repeatable acquisition systems aligned with sales pipeline growth.
Built & Implemented
- Multi-channel acquisition strategy (paid, SEO, email, content)
- Lead generation infrastructure (landing pages, nurture sequences, tracking)
- Performance dashboards and KPI reporting systems
- Budget allocation and vendor management frameworks
- Funnel optimisation and experimentation roadmaps
Shifted growth from reactive marketing to structured, measurable demand generation.
Co-founded and operated a boutique content agency. Responsible for P&L, client acquisition, creative standards, and operational systems.
Built From Scratch
- Pricing models and delivery workflows
- Client onboarding and scoping frameworks
- Profitability tracking and forecasting systems
- Creative production quality control processes
Exited strategically when operational scale exceeded available capacity.
Progressed from paid media execution to cross-functional creative leadership across agencies in South Africa and the UK.
Developed foundational expertise in
- Paid media execution (Meta, Google)
- Creative production & performance analytics
- Cross-functional team coordination
- Delivery discipline and operational structure
Education
Bachelor of Science (BSc), Artificial Intelligence
Deggendorf Institute of Technology
2021 – 2025
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
University of South Africa
2014 – 2018
Bachelor's Degree, Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
SAE Institute South Africa
2010 – 2013
What Others Say
Throughout my career, the endorsements I've received speak to a commitment to excellence and collaboration. These testimonials reflect not just what I've done, but how I've approached every challenge with structure, integrity, and a focus on results.
Jacques operates at a level of ownership that most leaders take years to develop. As COO, he doesn't simply manage departments. He builds alignment between strategy, execution, and performance. He has brought structure and accountability to a complex, multi-client environment managing significant ad spend and cross-functional teams. What sets him apart is his ability to identify bottlenecks early, implement systems that prevent recurrence, and maintain performance standards even under pressure. He thinks like an operator and acts like an owner.
Ash Golestani
CEO, Pontifex
When Jacques stepped into VA Central, marketing shifted from reactive to structured almost immediately. He built repeatable acquisition systems, introduced performance reporting frameworks, and aligned marketing activity directly with pipeline objectives. What impressed me most was his ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution. He didn't build theory. He built working systems. He approaches operations with discipline and clarity, and that creates stability for everyone around him.
Bronwyn Schmidt
Operations Director, VA Central