Tiago Garjaka shares an article designed to ensure the success of transformation projects. One of the most common questions I get is, “how do you set yourself up for a successful transformation?” The main problem with this question is that it assumes that there is a cookie-cutter approach to driving transformation initiatives. The same type of transformation in two different companies will likely unfold differently since the starting points for both companies differ as well. Also, it is naive to…

In this article, Natalie Ceeney identifies a few reasons why transformation efforts fail.  …or why large organisations find transformation so hard Anyone in business knows that ‘change’ is a fact of life. ‘Change management’ is taught on every leadership course, and we all know the essentials of good ‘change management’ (clear vision, over communicate, create a guiding coalition and more). But surely something is going wrong. If we all know how to ‘change’, why are so many organisations struggling to…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Maxim Kulchenko. Max began his career in consulting, specializing in digital transformations, technology, and operational efficiency for a decade. He then transitioned to a leadership role as a technology executive at a multinational telecommunications company with a market value of USD 9 billion, where he focused on driving business transformation and innovation through technology. He lives with his family in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and is happy to collaborate on projects across Europe and in North…

Diana Dosik shares an article that explains why transformation is now an ongoing concern; she also provides a link to a report that identifies the main reasons the current approach to transformation falls short, and how to achieve better results. For leaders in large corporations, business today often feels like being on a steep treadmill with the speed control set to max. Three months ago, the company may have finished a cost-reduction transformation to remove management layers and streamline operations….

Tiago Garjaka shares an article that offers a few tips on how to effectively leverage consultants. As a McKinsey alumnus, I am quite familiar with the consulting business model. I’ve been involved in great projects and others that, let’s just say, were not so great. After joining the corporate world, I’ve had the opportunity to work with several consulting companies, ranging from very large to very small, on a number of different topics. Just to be clear: I do believe…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Yann Parer with YP Consult. Yann is a consultant with 4 years’ experience working with McKinsey and Australian boutique firm PQ Partners with extensive experience in mining, technology M&A, business transformation, strategy, and sustainability. Yann serves companies across Australia in projects ranging from group strategy and value chain optimisation to valuing intangibles and making the business case for nature stewardship. He has also led acquisitions and partnerships in the mining technology sphere. Prior to completing…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Bill Bentaieb. Bill has, since 1998, been a consultant and interim transformation executive serving as Head of Finance, HR and Technology Transformation, Global Business Services, Analytics, BI and Outsourcing Programmes. As an independent consultant and interim executive, he supports and leads business transformation programs including the design, implementation and optimization of GBS structures in Finance, HR and Technology, with a focus on technology benchmarking, selection and implementation process and organizational design, outsourcing, off-shoring and transition…

In this article, Natalie Ceeney explains why some business transformations fail. Anyone in business knows that ‘change’ is a fact of life. ‘Change management’ is taught on every leadership course, and we all know the essentials of good ‘change management’ (clear vision, over communicate, create a guiding coalition and more). But surely something is going wrong. If we all know how to ‘change’, why are so many organisations struggling to do so? The degree of disruptive change in today’s business…

In this interview, Nils Boeffel provides insights into the application of agile methods to cope with a high degree of complexity in companies and the market environment and to develop a sustainable transformation process. Tell us a few key facts about yourself and your professional focus? I’m Nils Boeffel, and I’ve been helping companies successfully plan and implement their digital strategy, agile transformation and other large-scale projects for about 20 years. My technical background in test electronics combined with an…

Kaihan Krippendorff provides a reminder on the power of stories and why the narratives about your organization can shape patterns of thinking and daily behaviors within the workforce that ultimately shape the culture and business transformation.  A World Beyond Cash… Former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga’s vision of a “world beyond cash” has resonated across a decade. The concept expanded globally in its call for customers, employees, and executives to imagine a cashless society fueled by digital payments. Banga’s leadership at…

If you wonder why so many large organizations find transformation difficult, Natalie Ceeney’s article offers an explanation. Anyone in business knows that ‘change’ is a fact of life. ‘Change management’ is taught on every leadership course, and we all know the essentials of good ‘change management’ (clear vision, over communicate, create a guiding coalition and more). But surely something is going wrong. If we all know how to ‘change’, why are so many organisations struggling to do so? The degree…

A concise post on transformation from Carsten Friedrichs. “Transformation Key Success Factors number 2: If you are not among the first, you react quickly and consistently. You can’t be at the forefront of every topic. No organization can provide that much human and financial capacity. You can be very successful in the role of a fast follower. After all, it is enough that the wheel was invented once. But this includes being attentive and open and recognizing the important trends…

  For the innovative entrepreneur and business leader who seek transformational categories, Mark Organ shares a comprehensive post that provides the key steps to take for this adventure in growth. What entrepreneur does not dream of boldly leading the largest and most important company in a hot, rapidly growing category? As I covered in How To Create A Transformational Category Like A Scientist, Salesforce, Peloton, and Uber are all examples of modern-day “category creators” that have captured our imagination while…

  Stephen Redwood shares an article that explores managing resources during disruptive times. As companies go through phases of growth and decline, innovation and stasis, integration and diversification, resource needs fluctuate in terms of numbers, types and capabilities. Even for eminent companies such as du Pont, General Motors and Sears Roebuck, these cyclical phases have more often than not resulted in – as the professor of business history, Alfred Chandler, once wrote – “Resources accumulated, resources rationalized, resources expanded, and…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Michael D Pollack with Pollack Consulting.  Michael has over 25 years at driving industry transformation and delivering insights through leveraging best in class analytics. Prior to Pollack Consulting, Michael was a Managing Director at JP Morgan in Asset & Wealth Management where he was the Global Head of the Portfolio Analysis Group, the group that provided investment analytics for both external and external analysis of JP Morgan’s investment performance. Prior to this role, Michael was…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Mats Hugossonn with EpikOne Sweden AB. Mats has a passion for solving complex industry and business challenges in an international context. He has a background as a management consultant at McKinsey, CEO and business unit manager with a focus on developing new business and generating growth. He is very hands-on and goal-oriented with a strong track record in strategy / business development, sales leadership and creating results. His industry expertise is mostly from business services,…

  David Burnie shares an article and video on implementing an automation CoE at SCM Insurance Services.   Insurance organizations like SCM Insurance Services are using automation and AI to streamline administrative processes, drive efficiency, and enhance customer experience. ‘All right, I think we have quorum. Let’s get started. Welcome. My name is Sean Hinton. I am the country leader for UiPath here in Canada, and I’m really excited to have you all join us for a fun conversation with,…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Jeffery Perry with Lead Mandates. Jeff is a dynamic thought leader and global strategic business advisor. After an impactful 30-year career in management consulting at notable firms Booz & Co., A.T. Kearney, and recently retiring from Ernst & Young (EY), as Founder & CEO, Lead Mandates LLC, he fulfills his passion as an independent advisor—to help organizations improve business and leadership performance. Businesses are facing unprecedented disruption and uncertainty. Based on his years of advising…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Himanshu Sharma with Avolve Group.  Himanshu has 15+ years of experience across strategy and operating roles across both in industry (Citi, Capital One) and consulting (4+ years at Monitor Deloitte Strategy), serving medium-large global clients. Himanshu has particular expertise in financial services and insurance, with a functional focus on strategy, new product solution development, partnerships and product marketing / go-to-market. He lives in Jersey City, NJ with his wife and daughter, performs stand-up comedy in…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Mike Mortensen with Tandem Analytics. Mike has advised business leaders at the intersection of strategy and technology for more than a decade. His experience in business transformation comes from three perspectives: business strategy at McKinsey & Company, machine learning implementation at IBM, and as a business executive responsible for growth at a global conglomerate. Prior to Tandem Analytics, Mike led teams of business consultants and data scientists to support IBM clients in developing analytics and…

  Sean O’Toole explains why there will be no going back to normal and why the current disruption provides opportunities for companies that can redefine themselves for the future. The world post-COVID19 will be very different from [the one] we just left a few weeks back! Each crisis has brought dramatic changes in consumer, business and social behavior. At the time, some of the changes accelerated what was already in motion. Others were entirely unanticipated. Whatever changes this crisis will…

  Luiz Zorzella shares key points that can help leaders evaluate and address their approach to change to ensure better outcomes.  Strategy & Value For the past 10 years, financial services firms have publicly acknowledged that they needed to change.  Chances are, your organization was one of those. Commoditization meant a systematic erosion of margins for banks; reduction in interest rates has been challenging both interest and non-interest income sources of banks and investment firms as well as the economics…

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Rezzan A Kose. Rezzan is an operations, organizational design, and strategy leader and the founder of Ares, a boutique advisory and consulting firm. Before starting her own practice, Rezzan was the business product owner of an AI-based technology platform at Citadel, a global hedge fund. Prior to that, Rezzan was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Co. focusing primarily on business transformation, process redesign and operations across different sectors including financial services, insurance and pharmaceuticals….

  Luiz Zorzella shares a survival guide to Clay Christensen’s opus, including impressions, recommendations, and thoughts on how business leaders can use his ideas to drive success, growth and transformation. If you work with innovation and strategy and are responsible for the future of your business, you probably read Clayton Christensen’s 2 most famous opi: The Innovator’s Dilemma and Competing Against Luck (aka the “Jobs To Be Done” book).  If you have not, do it and you will improve your…

  Robbie Kellman Baxter shares a story about her favourite bookstore and how it provides a great example of the Membership Economy in action. When a Menlo Park bookstore was economically threatened, the community stepped in and created a membership program to improve long-term sustainability.  Founded in 1955 by peace activist Roy Kepler, Kepler’s Books is a large independent bookstore. After its founding, it quickly became a center for intellectual thought and community discussion for the people living in the…

David A. Fields explains why correct assumptions can quickly become wrong, and how to test the assumptions of your consulting practice to create new opportunities. You throw your best efforts into delivering value for your consulting clients, improving your consulting firm’s marketing, and creating a rewarding consulting environment. Then you find your work was off by a bit. Or more than a bit. Or completely wrong. Pickles-in-peanut-butter wrong. That’s no fun. Alas, I have bad news for you and me: we’re mistaken….