Pendason Philemon: Driving Success through Strategic Sourcing at Tanzania’s CRDB Bank Plc
In the world of banking, where financial stability and strategic decision-making reign supreme, one name stands out as a beacon of expertise and accomplishment: Pendason Philemon, the illustrious Director of Procurement at CRDB Bank Plc. With an awe-inspiring tenure of years in the field, Philemon has proven himself to be a true titan of procurement, navigating the complex web of acquisitions, negotiations, and cost optimizations with unwavering prowess.
As his remarkable journey unfolds, his invaluable insights and unyielding dedication have not only transformed the procurement landscape but have also paved the way for sustainable growth and unparalleled success, especially in the banking sectors.
Serving currently as the Director of Procurement at Tanzania’s largest publicly listed commercial bank, CRDB Bank Plc, Pendason Philemon has changed the fortunes of the banking sector with his prerequisite skills such as strategic sourcing, process improvement, team management, stakeholder management and product management.
Known as a phenomenal person and a trailblazer in the industry, Pendason Philemon has more than two decades of experience worth in Supply Chain Management (SCM), Strategic Procurement, Business Strategy, Project Management and Corporate Governance. Over the years, Pendason has provided leadership in strategic procurement for multi-billion dollar projects in multiple industries in East Africa, including manufacturing, telecommunications, and banking.
Before this role, Pendason served as Head of Procurement at NMB Bank Plc, overseeing the bank’s centralized procurement functions and driving cost efficiency agenda. He was also the secretary of management tender committee, assisted in the establishment of strong procurement governance and was also the professional negotiator on complex projects. During his tenure at NMB in the year May 2010 – May 2019, Pendason successfully administered the expansion of the NMB bank’s real and IT estates, which comprised development of an upmarket headquarters, an ultra-modern data centre and over 150 branches.
He has vast experience in strategic sourcing, project planning, contract negotiation, cost efficiency, and enterprise risk management (ERM). His leadership abilities have earned him a reputation in the industry as a transformative leader and trailblazer in Tanzania. He currently serves as a co-chair of the Human Resource (HR) disciplinary committee at CRDB Bank Group and is a member of the Executive Management Committee (EXCO) and Management Tender Committee (MTC).
Earlier in his career, Pendason worked as a Procurement Manager at Vodacom Tanzania Limited (part of the Vodafone Group, UK), where he led a team of procurement professionals in managing the organization’s spending in Tanzania and also ensured the best practices and world class procurement system and compliance. He joined Vodacom Tanzania from Unilever Tea Tanzania (formerly Brooke Bond Tanzania Ltd.), where he had served in a similar capacity for four years. At Vodacom Tanzania Plc, his skills encompassed team leadership, cross-functional team leadership, complex negotiations, cost control, strategic sourcing and process improvement.
In terms of his educational achievements, Pendason Philemon holds an Executive Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) in the year August 2008 – August 2010, a Certified Supplies Professional training (CSP) (T) from the Procurement and Supplies Professionals and Technicians Board (PSPTB), Tanzania Institute Accountancy (TIA) in the year 11995 – 1999, and is a graduate of the Executive Management Leadership Course from Strathmore Business School (KE).
With that notwithstanding, he is a Certified International Procurement Professional (CIPP) and a Registered Procurement Professional Member (AU00206).
Pendason is also a life member of the International Academy of Project Management (IAPM) on CIPP, a registered professional with PSPTB and a Certified Director by the Institute of Directors Tanzania.
It is worth noting that Pendason Philemon is not only a seasoned banker and a business leader but also a professional negotiator with vast experience in Industrial, Donner Funded Projects, Telecommunications, and Commercial Banking.
By: Diella Teku / InstinctBusiness Magazine