Johannesburg – APO Group (www.APO-opa.com) on Thursday announced the appointment of Laila Bastati as Chief Commercial Officer.
Bastati has more than 15 years of experience in international business development, strategic partnerships, and operations with a proven track record of building and managing cross-functional and geographically distributed teams.
This experience makes her perfectly suited to manage commercial operations and strategy for APO Group.
The company’s staff are spread across the continent providing deep knowledge and expertise of Africa’s diverse and complex media landscape to more than 300 clients.
APO Group’s unique model combines strategic Public Relations know-how with the continent’s leading press release distribution service, providing clients with unparalleled Pan-African communications support.
As Chief Commercial Officer, Bastati will be responsible for driving revenue and attracting new clients as APO Group looks to move to the next level of growth.
Bastati comes into her role at APO Group with impressive international credentials.
Having lived in 12 countries and worked in over 50, Bastati has consulted Heads of State, government officials, Fortune 500 accounts, and High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) on effective communication campaigns to attract foreign investment and has negotiated complex agreements to secure multi-million dollar and multi-year income deals.
In her previous role, Bastati was Managing Director of the Commercial Division at Energy Capital & Power, Africa’s leading investment platform in the energy sector. She led the company through a new era, increasing turnover by 50% YoY and growing the commercial team by 80%.
Earlier in her career, Bastati worked as Chief Operating Officer, Global Commercial Director, and Project Director at The Business Year, a global media group specialising in economic news and business intelligence.
In these positions, Bastati managed 100+ employees across 14 locations, revitalised and diversified revenue streams, quadrupled annual sales volume, and spearheaded the company’s transition into the digital era.
Bastati holds a B.S. in Political Science, International Commerce & Relations from the University of Padua, and an M.A. in Fashion Promotion from Marangoni Fashion Institute, Milan.
She is fluent in English, Spanish and Italian, and proficient in French.
“It is a privilege to join such a diverse and dynamic team that is leading the way in African communications,” said Bastati, the new Chief Commercial Officer at APO Group.
“This role presents a fabulous opportunity to work with some of the most prestigious organisations operating on the continent, who rely on our services and our expertise every day.
“I am thrilled to come on board to help navigate APO Group through an exciting new chapter of expansion and innovation.”
Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), Founder and Chairman of APO Group said: “APO Group experienced a year-over-year revenue growth of 40% in 2021 and 60% in 2022, and I am confident that Laila [Bastati] is the right person to lead us to the next level.
“Her proven track record in managing teams across diverse commercial landscapes will help to drive collaboration, increase performance, and reach new heights.
“It is a pleasure to welcome Laila to the APO Group family.”
