Heidi Custers
About Heidi Custers
Heidi Custers serves as the Digital Transformation Director at Backbase in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where she has worked since 2021. With a background in digital transformation strategy and design, she has held various roles in South Africa and has contributed to initiatives in tech innovation and education.
Work at Backbase
Heidi Custers has held the position of Digital Transformation Director at Backbase since 2021. In this role, she focuses on driving digital transformation initiatives within the organization. Based in Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands, she has been instrumental in implementing strategies that enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency.
Previous Experience at Deloitte Digital
Before joining Backbase, Heidi worked at Deloitte Digital as the Digital Transformation Strategy Lead from 2016 to 2021. During her five years in this role, she developed and executed digital transformation strategies for various financial services and telecommunications groups across multiple African countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Kenya, Botswana, and Tanzania.
Educational Background
Heidi Custers has a diverse educational background. She studied Graphic Design & Multimedia at Design School Southern Africa, earning a National Higher Diploma from 2002 to 2004. Additionally, she achieved a Marketing Management Diploma from UNISA in 2009. She also studied Accounting and Business/Management at The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, obtaining the CGMA designation from 2014 to 2018.
Entrepreneurial Ventures and Initiatives
Heidi founded and served as Managing Director of Dali, a tech startup focused on strategic consulting and ERP software for the professional services sector. She also founded and chaired Umonya Girls, an initiative aimed at teaching coding skills to children and promoting STEM education. Furthermore, she has been involved in supporting tech innovation and career development in South Africa through her role on the Silicon Cape Exco.
Guest Lecturing and Advisory Roles
Heidi Custers has contributed to the education sector as a guest lecturer at the AAA School of Advertising and Google's Digify programme, where she shares her expertise in digital marketing and transformation. She is also an Advisory Board Member of Rise & Lead Women in Europe, where she contributes to leadership and empowerment initiatives for women.