Shaun Parkes

CoAcumen is a management and business intelligence consultancy that helps organisations turn strategy into measurable execution, using proprietary playbooks across Strategy, Product, and Data. As Product Lead, I owned CoAcumen’s Product Management offering, including the playbook, delivery approach, and supporting assets used in client engagements. I also contributed to Strategy and Data Excellence work, with a focus on keeping the three competencies aligned and coherent. My day-to-day included shaping service propositions, refining ways of working, and supporting client delivery to ensure measurable outcomes.

Stanchion Payment Solutions provides payments software and services, including SaaS offerings. I worked with key stakeholders to implement CoAcumen’s Product playbook at Stanchion, helping translate product strategy into a structure that leadership could review through clear measures, metrics, and feedback loops. In practice, I supported product leaders and PMs with strategy and execution, including positioning and value proposition refinement, ways of working, and roadmap clarity across cross-functional teams.

DVT is a software engineering and consulting firm delivering digital products for clients across industries. I worked as a consultant across Product, Business Analysis, and Product Ownership, supporting client teams from discovery through delivery. I translated business needs into clear requirements, user journeys, and prioritised backlogs, and partnered closely with engineering and stakeholders to ship improvements. I was contracted into client teams across payments, fintech, and travel, including Tencent Africa (WeChat Wallet), VISA/Fundamo, RainFin, and Wilderness Safaris.

Tencent launched WeChat Wallet to support payments and digital transactions in the African market. As a Product Analyst, I supported development and go-to-market work for WeChat Wallet, including integrations with partners such as SnapScan, Standard Bank, and third-party value-added service providers. I helped align partner requirements with delivery, shaped product flows and requirements, and supported performance tracking and day-to-day execution within a large, partner-heavy ecosystem.

Wilderness Safaris operates luxury safari experiences across multiple countries and works with travel agents globally. As a Low-code Developer (and supporting Product Owner), I contributed to a B2B reservations and booking management portal used by travel agents. I worked on process and journey mapping, requirements definition, backlog shaping, and delivery coordination, with the aim of improving booking efficiency and reducing operational friction for agents and internal teams.

RainFin is a peer-to-peer lending marketplace connecting borrowers and lenders. As Product Owner, I supported discovery and delivery for lending marketplace improvements, shaping user flows and writing backlog detail to support development. I worked closely with stakeholders and engineering to prioritise changes, clarify requirements, and ship iterative platform enhancements aligned to business goals.

Fundamo (acquired by VISA) provides mobile financial services and remittance capabilities for emerging markets. As a Business Analyst, I supported delivery and optimisation of a P2P remittance platform, including process mapping, requirements definition, and stakeholder coordination. My work focused on improving reliability and operational readiness, supporting secure fund transfers and fraud-related controls across partner and channel integrations.