About redPanda Software
About redPanda Software
Who we are
redPanda Software is an enterprise retail software specialist with a focus on the in-store customer experience.
With nearly a decade of experience in developing retail and financial software, redPanda Software’s custom software solutions are trusted across all business processes from point of sale (POS), data warehousing, credit management, insurance and payment systems. Having built customised ERP systems from the ground up, we have vast experience in backend systems, including enterprise communications systems and HR, property and vehicle fleet management.
We have invested in an integrated retail platform called Connected Solution, to enable our customers to align with global retail megatrends. The Connected Solution platform addresses customer experience, operational efficiency, productivity and marketing feedback needs for our customers in an era where enhanced retail experiences for customers are essential.
Our passion for providing customised solutions with value measurement enables us to build on our proven track record to deliver managed services and customised software development. Our specialised and agile teams deliver only the highest quality solutions and ongoing software support by having all the skills required to engage in all aspects of the software development lifecycle.
We have a deep understanding of each of our client’s business, which have been perfected through years of consultative relationship building. Our clients are at the heart of our business and through tailoring both our managed services and our software, we consistently ensure the unique needs of each client are met.
Rooted in experience
redPanda Software was formed in 2009 to meet a greater need for the development and support of a wide array of enterprise-level custom software solutions. These solutions are custom-made to fit any needs retailers may have of their in-store software to give them a competitive edge. These solutions ensure that our customers are in full control of their software while providing the predictability and flexibility of cost without license fees.
With the vast experience and intellectual property of the founders of redPanda Software, and under their keen leadership, we have grown from strength to strength. The team is made up of visionary and creative developers and support staff. Many of our over 135 employees have been with the organisation since inception and have grown in tandem with the success of the business.
Our expertise is encapsulated in our ‘Way to Grow’ vision, which gives us the distinguishing advantage to grow curiosity, creativity and confidence and in turn benefit our customers, operations and people. This strategy has been the root of our industry-recognised low employee turnover figure of less than ten percent. When our employees are motivated and fuelled by creativity, we can consistently deliver growth-enabling solutions for our customers. In turn, our customers worldwide are able to focus on growing other aspects of their business.
Our office in the United Kingdom is ideally placed to leverage our existing investments and partnerships to provide quality retail software solutions, consulting and managed services to retailers seeking an integrated software platform.
Vision
To be recognised as a customer experience specialist company trusted by global retailers.
Mission
We aim to be the trusted retail technology partner of choice, providing integrated software platforms to manage customer experience, operational efficiency, productivity and marketing feedback for our retail partners. We are able to do this because we partner with specialist partners to rapidly unlock a broad range of services to retailers, leaving them free to focus on delivering the best customer experience.
Awards and Industry Recognition
Winner of the 2017 Frost & Sullivan Award for Customer Value Leadership in the Enterprise Software for the Retail Market category.
Recognised by Fast Company South Africa as one of the 25 Most Innovative and Pioneering businesses within South Africa for 2017.
Recognised by MyBroadband (largest online IT news site) as of nine South African small-to-medium-sized tech companies that are doing great work in terms of providing top tech products and create employment opportunities for IT professionals.
To achieve leadership in customer value is never an easy task, but it is one made even more difficult considering today’s competitive intensity, customer volatility and economic uncertainty. Within this context, your receipt of this award signifies an even greater accomplishment. We recognise that your selection as recipient of this award is the result of many individuals (employees, customers and investors) making daily choices to support in the organisation and contribute in a meaningful way to its future. We enthusiastically acknowledge and celebrate these achievements.
Leadership
Gareth Hawkey
Gareth has 25 years of experience within the IT industry and holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town. He has a passion for business, and began his first business while still at school.
Having gained experience as an IT Technician, Service Delivery Manager and Team Lead, Gareth joined the Lewis Group as a Project Manager in 2001. He soon progressed within the organisation, eventually taking on the role of General Manager and becoming a member of the Executive Committee before leaving to co-found redPanda Software in 2009.
Gareth brings strategic business acumen to the redPanda Software team as Group CEO. His detailed understanding of and ability to identify process efficiencies allows him to guide business and software development to achieve the best results.
With a love for the magic that happens when technology and business meet, Gareth’s drive as redPanda Software’s CEO is to make software development and support easy and predictable for enterprise businesses, and change the landscape of custom software development for the global retail industry.
Leon Coetzer
Leon holds both a Computer Systems diploma and an Enterprise Architect qualification. He has more than 20 years of experience in the software industry, with extensive experience in enterprise software development.
Prior to joining redPanda Software, Leon was a Senior Development Manager, working closely at an executive level with various corporate companies. Through this involvement, he gained an intimate appreciation of the workings of large corporates.
Leon has a strong background in implementing and improving the full systems development cycle (SDLC), with a preference for agile methodologies and tools, and technical abilities in architecting and overseeing projects using a wide range of technologies and frameworks.
Responsible for strategy and operations in the UK, Leon brings a unique blend of technical and business knowledge to the redPanda Software team.
Allan Dickson
Allan has more than forty years of experience in the IT industry and holds qualifications in Economics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Information Resource Management from the Harvard Business School.
He has a proven track record of delivering major IT-driven transformation in the South African retail and banking sectors, and has been particularly effective in building ‘bridges’ between IT and the user communities it serves.
Allan is one of the most experienced Retail Systems people in South Africa. Having held executive roles at Edgars, SPL, Standard Bank, Woolworths, and Ellerines, Allan’s experience and wealth of knowledge led him to take a new path as an independent consultant in 2009.
Allan adds gravitas to the entrepreneurial fleet-footed executive team at redPanda Software and regularly shares his experience and expertise in strategic, project and operational management with them. As a recognised expert in building capability and releasing capacity in organisations and people, Allan is an invaluable asset to the redPanda Software group.
Julian Weber
Having gained experiences in both IT and retail across a number of roles over 20 years, Julian joined redPanda Software at its inception in 2009.
With a passion for service delivery and people, each day is about building new relationships and reinforcing existing ones.
Julian’s strengths lie in building connections with people, his deep understanding of the client’s business needs, and the ability to interpret these and provide solutions to enable a business to perform successfully.
Since joining redPanda Software, Julian has been an integral part of the team in both software and business development. As the Sales Manager, he is responsible for growing brand awareness and overall business through his passion for customer satisfaction and understanding the client’s needs.
Paying it forward
Sanccob
Established in 1968, SANCCOB is a non-profit organisation whose primary objective is to reverse the decline of seabird populations. This is done through the rescue, rehabilitation and release of ill, injured, abandoned and oiled seabirds, particularly endangered species such as the African penguin.
As part of their work, SANCCOB has partnered with SANParks and the City of Cape Town to establish the Burgher’s Walk Restoration Project. This initiative is aimed at creating a safe environment for the African penguins in the Boulders Beach area (near Simonstown) and one in which penguins and humans can successfully coexist.
Having a long-standing relationship with SANCCOB, the redPanda Software team saw the value in the work being done through the Burgher’s Walk Restoration Project. As a result, the team assists the project by providing funding towards the salaries of essential monitor staff, management of the terrain, rehabilitation of penguins, and the upkeep of fencing and path. We are proud to support valuable employment for the staff who are passionately monitoring and managing the terrain.
With a drive to support an initiative that is having such a positive impact on the environment, and particularly the city in which we are based, the redPanda Software team actively participates in SANCCOB’s fundraising auctions.
For more information on the work being done by SANCCOB, visit www.sanccob.co.za.
Internship Programme
Having grown into a successful custom software development company we saw an opportunity to invest in South Africa’s IT skills pool and in the developers of the future who will shape it. As such, we launched our software developer internship programme.
Through this programme, we offer IT graduates from around the country a unique opportunity to gain invaluable skills and experience. With first-hand experience of what it takes to start out and achieve success in the IT industry, we make sure that our interns learn from the best and get hands-on experience.
We believe in ensuring our interns complete the programme with the highest level of training to provide them with the launching pad to successful employment. To do this, we provide practical training and experience in all relevant tool sets and programming languages, as well as insight into our software development methodology and our ‘Way to Grow’ ethos.
The success of our programme is evident not only in the quality of work generated, but in the vast majority being offered full-time employment at redPanda Software on completion of the internship.
For more information or to apply to join the redPanda Software Internship programme, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..