Cape Town-based, working with clients worldwide.

Strategy and delivery,
without the gap in between.

33 South is a strategy and delivery practice founded to turn ambitious plans into delivered outcomes.

Capabilities

Each service draws on 20+ years of cross-functional delivery including market entries and exits, new business development, global digital transformations, AI SaaS go-to-market; with experience across HQ teams and regional offices, both in Europe and Emerging Markets (Middle East, Africa & Brazil).

Strategy & Business Development

Strategy Implementation

Strategic planning frameworks, digital and OKR integration, and the operating structure to carry a strategy from board slide to daily practice.

Market Growth

Market entry and exit strategy, partnership building, and commercial groundwork for organisations expanding into new or complex markets.

Transformation & Execution

Cross-functional programme delivery: bringing stakeholders together to deliver organisational, data or digital transformations.

AI Transformation

AI
Fluency

Individually tailored 1-on-1 sessions that give Executive Leaders a working understanding of AI — what it can do, how to use it and direct it — without the hype or the jargon.

AI
Adoption

Practical guidance on AI product go-to-market, adoption strategy, and organisational readiness — grounded in hands-on scale-up experience, not hype.

Who we help

Sound familiar?

Different starting points, same gap — between what's intended and what's installed.

We have the vision. We can't seem to execute it.

Strategy Implementation, installed as an operating structure — not another deck.

Strategy Implementation →

We need to know where to go next — and why.

Market entry and expansion groundwork, grounded in commercial reality.

Market Growth →

Our team doesn't know what to do with AI.

Two ways in, depending on where you're starting: a personal primer for leaders, or ongoing advisory for the organisation.

We're losing momentum between meetings and milestones.

Cross-functional programme delivery that turns plans into milestones that land.

Transformation & Execution →

We need senior capacity, not a full-time hire.

Fractional leadership or a project sprint, scoped to the need.

Fractional leadership →
Approach

From intention to installed.

33 South exists for the gap between good intentions and chaotic execution — the moment a well-meaning plan needs someone to install the operational backbone that actually gets it delivered. Every engagement starts with the same approach: get to know the team and culture, identify the key challenges and opportunities, get hands-on where it matters, and leave behind something that works without us.

Advisory retainer

Ongoing strategic counsel for founders and leadership teams — a standing sounding board through quarterly or monthly cycles.

Project sprint

A defined scope, a fixed timeline, a clear deliverable. Best for market entries, strategic reviews, or a specific programme that needs to land.

Fractional leadership

Embedded, part-time leadership — country lead, interim director, or programme head — for organisations that need senior capacity without a full-time hire.

Board & advisory seat

Longer-term governance and strategic input as a board or advisory committee member, for organisations building for scale.

About

About 33 South

33 South is founded and led by Lucie Martin, built on 20+ years of institutional experience, which means every engagement gets direct, senior attention from the first conversation to final delivery. As the practice grows, that same standard will extend to a small, trusted network of collaborators.

Portrait of Lucie Martin, founder of 33 South LUCIE MARTIN — FOUNDER

Lucie Martin is a strategic, delivery-oriented business leader with 20+ years of global experience spanning investment management, strategy, and business development, with deep roots in the sporting goods industry.

She spent 13 years at adidas, most recently as Senior Director, Business Development for the Emerging Markets region, leading strategic planning and cross-functional project delivery, including market entries, exits, and brand divestitures. Earlier in her adidas career, she held senior roles in Global Digital Strategy and Big Data & Sales Strategy, driving change management, OKR integration, and analytics-led decision-making at global scale. Prior to that she also spent 2 years in Brazil working as project lead for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Since 2025, Lucie has worked as an independent consultant, advising organisations including an AI SaaS voice-tech scale-up and an emotional intelligence training company on commercial development, strategy, and go-to-market execution. She holds board and advisory roles with The CoolPlay Trust and La French Tech South Africa.

33 South brings a proven ability to build high-trust partnerships and translate complex programmes into measurable impact — combining strategic rigour with hands-on delivery experience. It's built as a practice first, with the intention of growing into a small collective of specialists who share the same standard of delivery.

Testimonials

What partners say.

A few of the people we've worked alongside, in their own words.

01

Lucie supported us in an interim capacity as South Africa Country Lead for our voice AI company, sizing up the local market, prioritising target prospects, and representing us at conferences and with investors. What stands out most is that she operates like a senior hire, not an interim resource or consultant passing through: she quickly understands internal processes and R&Rs, builds real relationships with the team and external stakeholders, delivers what she promises, and brings her own ideas for improvement along the way.

Any company scaling into a new market would be lucky to have her.

Odin D Founder & CEO - AI SaaS company
02

Lucie joined us at a pivotal moment, helping shape and drive a significant strategic expansion. It was a complex undertaking that required her to navigate a small but passionate team, limited resources, and the particular sensitivities of an NGO environment. She brought genuine rigour to this work and consistently brought well-prepared, thoughtful perspectives to Board meetings, asked the right questions, and was never afraid to raise difficult issues directly and constructively.

At the conclusion of her consulting engagement, we invited her to stay on as Chair of our Advisory Committee, a reflection of the trust and confidence the whole team has in her judgement and leadership.

Denis H Advisory Committee Member - NGO
03

I had the opportunity to entrust a project to Lucie, as part of the launch of a new business venture. First and foremost, I greatly appreciated her ability to take a step back and challenge my assumptions with tact and skill. Throughout the project, I found it very refreshing how she adapted to our pace, whilst always ensuring she gently pushed us to exceed our own expectations.

Her direct and straightforward communication style made for a fruitful collaboration that I would be honoured to repeat.

Stéphane M President - Leadership & EQ consultancy
Contact

Tell us what you're building.

Whether it's a single sprint or an ongoing retainer, the first step is a conversation. Send a short note and we'll come back to you within two business days.

Direct

lucie.martin@33south.ai

Building an extended network

33 South regularly partners with independent consultants, coaches, and specialists across strategy, delivery, and AI. If you're an affiliate or potential partner rather than a prospective client, select that below — we'd genuinely like to hear from you.