APO Group appoints Bas Wijne as Chief Operating Officer

APO Group the premier award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is delighted to announce the appointment of Bas Wijne as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

In his new role, Bas will look to help the company continue its impressive growth trajectory after year-over-year revenue increases of 40% in 2021 and 60% in 2022. Bas will be responsible for enhancing operational processes, coordinating the integration of new technical innovations, and driving efficiencies in all areas of the business.

One of Bas’s key objectives will be to oversee several projects that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI), both in terms of APO Group’s internal and external operations, with a particular focus on how the company can harness the power of AI to better serve its clients.

With more than 20 years’ experience in the media and technology industries, Bas is perfectly placed to manage the development of both APO Group’s core services. The company’s unique Public Relations department delivers truly Pan-African communications support to some of the most prominent companies operating on the continent, while its press release distribution service is the most comprehensive in Africa.

Bas has a long-standing relationship with APO Group that included a spell as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) from 2019-21. His appointment as COO will allow him to demonstrate his data-driven approach and passion for technological innovation.

APO Group has long fostered a unique environment where technical evolution and human expertise can flourish together. As COO, Bas places great emphasis on the power of simplification, recognizing it as the cornerstone of operational excellence. He is committed to making processes lighter and simplifying the customer user experience to create a culture of transparency and agility for APO Group’s colleagues and clients.

Bas has enjoyed a distinguished career as a senior executive on the global stage. His expertise has taken him around the world, from The Netherlands to South Africa, Australia, Hong Kong, USA, Uganda, China and the United Arab Emirates.

He worked for more than a decade at leading broadcast media company OSN, where he was responsible for establishing a new ‘Business Services’ Team (an internal team of Project Managers and Business Analysts) to improve the company’s operations and customer experience.

His roles have included CEO, CTO, and Vice-President positions, and he has led a series of digital transformation projects, operational optimisations, and strategic growth initiatives, while also being responsible for managing large teams of operational staff.

This global experience makes him well-equipped to coordinate APO Group’s diverse workforce.  As the only genuinely Pan-African Public Relations agency, APO Group has colleagues operating ‘on the ground’ in every corner of the continent, so Bas’s ability to inspire cross-cultural teams and foster collaboration will be vitally important.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better fit for the role of Chief Operating Officer,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group. “Not only is Bas a veteran of many successful senior management positions at some of the biggest media companies in the world, he has also worked closely with our team before, building a level of trust and confidence we could not have found with any other candidate. We are thrilled to have Bas working with us as we continue to grow.”

“I have always felt that APO Group is a unique company to work for,” said Bas Wijne, Chief Operating Officer of APO Group. “As I have already seen over the last few years, there is a wonderful, natural mix of great people, great ideas and cutting edge technology here, and we lead the way in African communications with our unique model of press release distribution and Public Relations expertise. I look forward to exploring new ways to add value to our clients in my new role.”