Outsized expands with new appointments

Outsized, the leading talent-on-demand platform connecting top independent professionals with major corporate clients and consultancies across Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East, has announced a series of strategic senior appointments.

These new hires will play a key role in strengthening Outsized’s operations and accelerating its growth strategy following a successful Series A financing round led by Knife Capital.

The newly appointed senior staff include Jannie Theron as Chief Financial Officer based in South Africa, Srikant Krishnan as Regional Leader for the MENA region based in UAE, Frans Meyer as Senior Business Development Manager based in South Africa, Nick Fofana as Senior Product Manager based in Singapore, and Ines Kracun as product designer based in Singapore.

Each brings a wealth of experience and a track record of success, which aligns with Outsized’s vision to transform agile workforce models globally.

For the region, Srikant Krishnan has extensive experience in driving growth and partnerships across diverse sectors.

Krishnan’s previous roles include leading enterprise sales for UberEats and leading partnerships and monetization at Careem MENA.

He will look to expand Outsized’s market base, especially in key regions such as the UAE and KSA, and into new sectors including energy, retail and healthcare.

These strategic hires, against the backdrop of Outsized’s recent Series A funding round in October 2023, will further enable the company to expand its influence and capabilities in the global on-demand talent market, which is growing rapidly as almost half of the Fortune 500 companies use on-demand talent platforms to access highly qualified employees.

Large companies in the MENA, Asia Pacific and African regions are increasingly adopting flexible workforce models to quickly respond to market demands.

According to Outsized’s Talent-On-Demand 2024 report, the region’s on-demand talent pool has the highest average level of expertise, at 10.1 years, surpassing both the APAC and African regions.

Niclas Thelander, Founder and CMO of Outsized, said: “To capitalize on the momentum of this rapidly growing market, Outsized is strategically recruiting exceptional talent, aligned with our core vision and, most importantly, values ​​of doing business the right way and being a positive force in the talent market. These new additions bring invaluable expertise, allowing us to further solidify our role as a game-changer in the freelance economy in dynamic regions such as Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.”

Important global agreements include:

Jannie Theron brings nearly two decades of expertise in finance, having previously worked as Regional Business Director and Finance Manager for Pearson. He will oversee global financial operations and ensure strategic growth and efficient financial management across all markets.

Frans Meyer steps into the role of Senior Business Development Manager after eight years at PNet, South Africa’s leading online recruitment platform. His tenure there was marked by exceptional growth and innovation in recruiting practices. His role includes developing existing customer relationships as well as leading the acquisition of new customers to significantly increase sales.

Nick Fofana, appointed as Senior Product Manager, brings a strong background in product management from leading technology and fintech growth companies, most recently at CardUp and CoverWallet (an AON company). His role at Outsized includes owning the product roadmap, increasing user engagement and improving app usability globally through his expertise in agile methodologies and user-centered design.

Ines Kracun, who joins as Product Designer, has significant experience in digital design and user experience. Previously a lead designer at a European technology startup, she successfully innovated user interfaces to increase user satisfaction. At Outsized, she will improve platform design, focusing on user needs and business goals, setting design requirements and identifying product improvements.