Mario de Freitas

Mario De Freitas has a diverse and extensive work experience spanning over two decades. Mario started their career as a developer at Quantum System Integrators and then moved on to work at PQ Africa and Comparex (Business Connexion) in similar roles.

In 2001, Mario joined New Clicks Holdings as an Analyst/Programmer, where they worked on various projects including merchandise planning integration and online booking systems.

In 2005, they joined IZone (MIH) as a Senior Developer, working on research, prototypes, and web products for Naspers group entities both in South Africa and abroad.

From 2007 to 2008, Mario worked as a Solutions Architect at 24.com, where they were responsible for technical architecture and lead development on high-scale web-related products.

In 2008, they joined MIH Internet Africa - Mocality, first as a Solutions Architect and then as a Lead Architect. Mario played a key role in the development of mobile and web-based business listing products for the African market.

From 2011 to 2013, Mario worked as the Head of Technology at Mocality (MIH IA, Naspers subsidiary). Mario was responsible for technical delivery, architecture, and IT operations, leading a cross-functional development team.

In 2013, they joined Kalahari.com as a Solutions Architect - Mobile, where they staffed up and led the mobile development team to deliver their first e-commerce shopping apps on Android and iOS.

Lastly, from 2015 to the present, Mario has been working at takealot.com, initially as an Engineering Team Lead - Mobile, then as a Software Engineering Manager, and currently as a Software Engineering Director. In these roles, they have been responsible for strategic planning, leadership, and engineering delivery of e-commerce shopping experiences across various platforms. Mario has overseen full-stack engineering teams and utilized a range of technologies including Python, React.js, and various mobile development languages.

Mario De Freitas obtained a National Diploma in Information Technology from Cape Peninsula University of Technology from 1994 to 1996. In 2012, they also completed an executive education program on E-commerce from Harvard Business School in Istanbul, Turkey. Additionally, Mario has attended various conferences and courses for further education. Mario also holds a Senior Certificate from Edgemead High, which was earned between 1990 and 1993. Mario has obtained a certification in E-commerce from Harvard Business School Executive Education in the year 2011.