With nearly two decades at BIC, Marc D’Oliveira brings an impressive track record in finance and leadership and an unwavering passion for people, brand, and purpose. As General Manager for Southern and East Africa, Marc’s deep-rooted belief in fairness, transparency, and the power of team culture has allowed him to grow the business while strengthening consumer trust across the region.

Marc’s journey with BIC spans 17 years as a qualified chartered accountant. It includes key leadership roles such as finance director for the Middle East and Africa (based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates) and finance director for Southern and East Africa. His career before BIC included tenures at Gidani, Sentech, and IBM, building the well-rounded commercial and strategic foundation that informs his regional leadership.

Marc’s philosophy can be summed up in three simple words: This approach not only defines his leadership style but also shapes BIC’s local strategy—remaining close to the consumer, understanding evolving needs, and delivering consistent quality across its three core categories: stationery, lighters, and shavers.

Under his guidance, BIC is actively building its footprint in East Africa, increasing product availability and visibility across the region. He’s passionate about staying connected to the end user — often found in stores, watching how people engage with the brand and make purchasing decisions.

He is especially proud of BIC’s sustainable development program, Writing the Future Together, which aims to enhance the company’s societal and environmental footprint. The program has a strong focus on education with a commitment to improve learning conditions for 250 million students by 2025. To date, the program has impacted around 200 million students.

Recent milestones under his watch include the successful launch of the Soleil Escape shavers, an award-winning CSR campaign with Paralympian Mpumi Mhlongo, and the elevating of its flagship Cristal ballpoint pen, bringing it to consumers in different styles, including pastel and glitter. The latter was in celebration of the Cristal’s 75^th anniversary – a simple and affordable tool that democratised writing and contributed towards increasing literacy rates around the world.

Marc is passionate about empowering teams and fostering inclusion. His leadership approach is personal, adaptable and values-driven. “Every individual is different,” he says. “I embrace that uniqueness. It builds a culture of pride, innovation, and accountability.”

Beyond his professional success, Marc remains grounded in his family and motivated by their achievements. He credits his work-life balance to genuinely enjoying what he does — and always being ready to seize the right opportunities when they come along.

Marc’s story is one of long-term commitment, courageous leadership, and a deep love for building brands that matter. As BIC sharpens its focus on innovation, sustainability, and consumer closeness in Africa, Marc D’Oliveira is the voice to watch.