EXPERTISE

Areas of Professional
and Personal Interest

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A Thinking Partner

I'm keen to connect with individuals or groups about most topics in the Product space.

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A Product Builder

I've been building websites since 2007. I enjoy practicing the entire software development lifecycle from Design to Deployment.

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Growth Strategist

I've done a lot of web experimentation and AB testing with large volumes of traffic. It has taught me the impact of designing and executing against a test roadmap.

EDUCATION

Academic Degree and
Professional Certifications

Working in Ed-Tech, I embraced the chance for self-study, earning certifications from top universities through various online courses. This journey has not only enriched my professional skill set but also fostered significant personal growth, shaping my approach to working with others.

SOCIO INFORMATICS

Bachelors Degree

UX & SEO

Online Certification

DIGITAL BUSINESS STRATEGY

Online Certification

NEGOTIATION

Online Programme

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Online Programme

FINTECH

Online Certification

DIGITAL PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

Online Certification
  • Web Developer

    Collaborated closely with the SEO and Product Design teams to engineer custom, conversion optimized microsites. Pages were tailored to adhere to prestigious university brand guidelines such as Harvard, Cambridge, and the LSE.

    2016/2017

  • Organic Development

    Led an agile product development team to produce the new GetSmarter blog, achieving a milestone of two million yearly sessions. My role encompassed directing the UX/UI design, content architecture and loading, and the engineering of a modern CMS, able to generate flexible content as well as house custom built campaign landing pages.

    2017/2018

  • Paid Marketing Infrastructure

    Innovated a scalable, white-label CMS for paid marketing, focused on creating partner-branded web assets and custom funnels. The system managed millions of USD in advertising spend, attracting roughly 150k sessions daily.

    2019/2021

  • Conversion Rate Optimization

    Product Manager for a squad dedicated to conversion rate optimization and testing. My responsibilities included designing a test roadmap, implementing features, and overseeing visual reporting and measurement to enhance monetisation for key product lines.

    2022/2023

  • E-commerce

    Efforts are directed at increasing conversion within the purchase and enrollment journey for prospetive learners on the edX marketplace.

    Current Role

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Read About
Insights and Learnings

Habit & Goals Tracker

5 April 2024

TESTIMONIALS

What Others Say
About Me

“Andries used his wealth of experience and understanding of how humans learn best to foster a culture of growth in the Web Operations team that he led during my time at 2U. Always being keen to innovate and push the boundaries of what is possible made Andries a key component of a very successful team - he would be an absolute asset to any brand looking to drive hyper growth in the digital space.”

Ricky Hendricks
Industry Leader

I had the privilege of managing Andries Bester for eight months. His passion for Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and dedication to this field are evident in his work and the results he consistently delivers. One of Dries' most commendable qualities is his focus on people and team culture. He understands the importance of a positive and collaborative work environment and goes above and beyond to foster this within his team...”

Pieter Malan
Senior Director, Software Engineering

“Dries is someone I trust implicitly. He’s hugely passionate, driven and responsible. He’s the definition of a self-starter, and supremely capable, but he’s also humble, always willing to take accountability, and constantly looking to learn and improve. He has a clear vision of what he wants to achieve, and he leads through authenticity, vulnerability, organisational skill and a genuine desire to do the very best for his team...”

Tim Withers
Vice President, Digital