Christiane Neher - Management Consultant

Recommended expert

Munich, Germany

Experience

Nov 2020 - Present

5 years 3 months

Management Consultant

Christiane Neher Management Consulting

Large retail company – Consultant in Karlsruhe: Advisory services for the setup and step-by-step implementation of an internationally deployable RELEX solution in the supply chain management environment:
Advising overall and sub-project management on methodology, project setup and steering (e.g. agile approach, Jira configuration, RELEX phases, Jira Structure PPM)
Strategic-operational consulting for the introduction of RELEX including best practices
Support in defining overarching goals and requirements (2-year target picture)
Guidance in scoping a relevant supply chain network segment for the project
Development of a roadmap for iterative, incremental RELEX setup and rollout
Assessment of project dependencies (interfaces, configurations, etc.)
Advice on prioritized implementation of business requirements and data interfaces
Support in test planning (data validation, system testing, UAT)
Consulting on internationalization, change management, training, and knowledge transfer
Stakeholder advisory and alignment activities between the client, implementation partner, and RELEX
Insurance company – Management Consultant in Munich: Analysis, consulting and support for the optimization of a large-scale business and IT transformation. Focus on strategically important programs and modernization projects in the area of Managed Services Operations and processes:
Review of project plans and deliverables; analysis of programs and projects (e.g. cloud approach, process standardization, system integration, roadmaps)
Identification of technical, functional and personnel risks and challenges; development of content-related measures and alternative solutions
Proposal of quality improvements for program and modernization efforts
Sparring partner and professional, technical, structural and organizational consulting for project and program management
Large retail group – Management Consultant & Stream Lead in Cologne: Consulting, process, project and product management for the introduction and implementation of a large strategic program in the field of advanced analytics, assortment and space management:
Setup, test and rollout of a new space planning, automation and optimization product based on the existing cluster-based merchandising approach
Definition and setup of new processes and transformation and change management measures for the new store-specific merchandising approach
Collaboration with Advanced Analytics and IT (internal and external) for software implementations, automations, extensions and interfaces
MVP approach and piloting in phases with gradual rollout (pilot with 80 stores, region with 500 stores, national level with 4000 stores)
Large retail company – Agile Coach & Change Agent in Cologne: Agile coach, OKR master and facilitator for the introduction of the OKR approach in a large strategic digitization program for retail stores:
Coaching of the core team with topic managers and team leads
Introduction to the OKR topic and setup of the OKR cycle
Establishment of the OKR approach in teams and on a cross-team level
Delivery and logistics company – Management Consultant in United Kingdom: Consulting and coaching in the restructuring of the Data Analytics department:
Analysis of current challenges
Definition of overarching goals
Development of a proposal for a new team structure
Identification of required competencies, skills and responsibilities
Advisory and alignment on communication and change management strategy

Jul 2019 - Oct 2020

1 year 4 months

Munich, Germany

Chief Operating Officer

ONE LOGIC GmbH (today: One Data)

Managed all business operations functions with 30 employees in customer service and support, IT administration and support, back office, legal and compliance, corporate communications and finance
Set up a customer service and support unit and established another location in Frankfurt
Increased efficiency through standardization of processes and introduction of systems for procurement, invoice and license management, customer service software, travel booking and accounting
Revised financial reporting (P&L, DB invoice, cash flow) and corporate planning; secured liquidity by raising outside capital (seven-digit € amount)
Organized and prepared shareholders' meetings

Apr 2018 - Jun 2019

1 year 3 months

Aschheim, Germany

Vice President Business Technology Solutions

BestSecret GmbH

Managed Business Technology Solutions and Business Intelligence divisions with 29 employees
Defined and implemented agile IT portfolio and program management including project controlling, process templates and central SharePoint area for templates, prioritization, updates and reporting
Served as Chief Product Owner for all projects with a total budget of €15 million
Migrated on-premise BI platform to Microsoft Azure Cloud BI technologies
Established a new Advanced Analytics team and improved data competence and data culture
Reported directly to managing directors and founders

Jul 2014 - Mar 2018

3 years 9 months

Munich, Germany

Professional Services Manager for BI, Risk, Customer Centricity & Digitalization

metafinanz Informationssysteme GmbH, a company of Allianz

Managed, developed and expanded six profit centers: Big Data, Data Mining, Enterprise Data Architecture & Management, Reporting & Visualization, Actuarial Services, Risk & Financial Services
Established a new Customer Centricity & Digital Marketing profit center (greenfield approach)
Disciplinary responsibility for six team leaders and two direct reports; expanded business area from 50 to over 80 internal employees
Executed projects in customer centricity, customer experience and relationship management, enterprise data management, analytics and reporting
Managed digital marketing automation initiatives in the Global Digital Factory of a large international insurance group; implemented new customer journeys and campaigns in Belgium, Spain and Germany
Served as product owner for digitalization and change processes of the Campaign Center Platform at a German insurance company; handled business analysis, specification, release, test and change management with agile coaching
Developed NextGen BI architecture strategy, conducted sentiment analysis in social media, accelerated incoming invoice processing for dark processing, and performed supply chain analysis in manufacturing for specialty insurances

Mar 2011 - May 2014

3 years 3 months

Munich, Germany

Department Head Account Services / Head of Business Consulting

PAYBACK, a company of American Express

Led product, project, process and requirements management in the CRM environment
Executed internal and external consulting activities; served as interface between business (countries, partners, departments) and IT (DEV, QA, OPS) using Scrum on-/near-/offshore
Ensured internationalization by establishing central product management
Served as Chief Product Owner for a new scalable, internationally applicable multi-partner loyalty product (initial deployment in Mexico)
Setup and managed an agile roadmap and project portfolio approach for PAYBACK Germany with a double-digit million Euro annual budget
Defined and setup standardized feature and change management processes
Acquired and consulted new PAYBACK partners; supported existing partners in process, technical challenges and new initiatives
Integrated REWE as the largest partner in the PAYBACK Germany program
Disciplinary management of 15 employees and professional leadership of up to 50 people

Jan 2009 - Mar 2011

2 years 3 months

Munich, Germany

Head of Technical Consulting

emnos, a company of American Express

Developed and managed the internationally positioned Technical Consulting department to professionalize product management
Managed processes, product requirements and projects for Customer Insights SaaS products and services in retail, including roadmaps, requirements and budgets
Oversaw product optimizations and upgrades (SAS70 audits, disaster recovery, IT security)
Managed internal and external development service providers (on-/offshore, Scrum)
Conducted international product launches and consulting projects in customer segmentation, product range optimization, customer insights and campaign management for large retailers in Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK
Disciplinary management of four technical consultants and professional management of up to 30 people

Jul 2006 - Dec 2008

2 years 6 months

Munich, Germany

Head of CRM Business Solutions

arvato services, a subsidiary of Bertelsmann AG

Established and managed a CRM business unit providing IT and marketing services with full P&L responsibility
Acquired and implemented customer loyalty programs for Tchibo and Peter Deilmann
Led the setup of the DeutschlandCard multi-partner loyalty program, including campaign system selection, technical sales support, integration and partner consulting
Delivered CRM and marketing consulting projects for Allianz agents and GMAC; developed a cross-selling strategy for GMAC
Conducted market analysis, development and delivery of an omni-/cross-channel customer communications automation product
Disciplinary management of five employees and functional leadership of teams up to 20 professionals

Jul 2001 - Jun 2006

5 years

Munich, Germany

Senior IT Project Leader / IT Project Leader / Software Engineer / Team Lead

BCG Platinion, Boston Consulting Group

Planned, executed and monitored national and international IT projects in strategy, consulting and development
Designed and evaluated IT system strategies and concepts; conducted feasibility studies and technical analyses
Analyzed, optimized and redesigned business processes for efficiency and scalability
Researched and selected standard software products to meet client needs
Developed and implemented quality assurance and quality management processes
Organized and conducted trainings and system handovers
Key projects: IT roadmap and software vendor evaluations for Dubai International Financial Centre; ECM strategy and architecture for E.ON; business cases for deregulation of the Dutch energy market; IT security concept for central access management at E.ON IS; e-business applications including the first equipment leasing platform for SüdLeasing and CRM system for KKH
Managed teams up to 40 and had disciplinary responsibility for eight IT employees

Nov 2000 - Jun 2001

8 months

Munich, Germany

IT Consultant

Viant GmbH

Served as lead functional analyst for a user-centric redesign of Consors discount broker website
Gathered and modeled functional requirements; specified technical interfaces using UML
Conducted competitive analysis and market evaluation for internet banking and brokerage services

Nov 1998 - Oct 2000

2 years

Munich, Germany

Software Engineer & In-house Consultant

Bertelsmann Media Systems

Analyzed, specified and designed customer requirements for the EROS (European Royalty System) billing product for BMG International
Developed client- and server-side software; performed ER modeling, PL/SQL development and database performance tuning
Worked with Uniface Seven and collaborated with a nearshore development team in Hungary

Summary

experienced - many years of professional experience with a focus on business analysis & planning, program & project management, SW product management, IT roadmap & portfolio management, SW development, process & change management as well as special expertise in the fields of business intelligence, data analytics, customer centricity, CRM, digital marketing and digital transformation. Industry knowledge from management/IT consultancies, retail, media, financial services and energy industries.
entrepreneurial - successfully managed the setup, growth and professionalization of various business units at companies such as BCG Platinion, Bertelsmann arvato, emnos, PAYBACK, metafinanz, BestSecret and One Logic
digital mover - supported and led various digital transformation ventures in the field of process automation, new business models, customer insights management, digital marketing, CRM and customer loyalty programs (e.g. various data science approaches, digitization of PAYBACK, emnos SaaS products, customer-centric redesign of an online broker, first online equipment leasing platform)
data lover - driving the potential and professional harnessing of data in businesses (on-premise & cloud) using my expertise in Business Intelligence (DWH, Data Lake, Data Intelligence/Analytics/Mining, Reporting & Visualization) and CRM/Marketing Automation (digital marketing, campaign management, customer service).
integrating - with my interactive and cross-functional attitude, I am experienced in working with different stakeholders and parties (customers, business partners, service providers, departments, IT) and pursue the goal of bringing together the requirements of different areas in an effective, agile and cooperative approach.
method-savvy - sound know-how from leading management & IT consulting (including BGC) as well as extensive experience with agile and classic management methods
agile - comprehensive experience with agile organizational models & transformations (e.g. metafinanz) and agile management methods in the context of IT portfolio management, project management & software development (Scrum, Kanban) as well as modern innovation management approaches (e.g. Business Model Canvas, Customer Journey Mappings, Design Thinking)
leadership skills - many years of disciplinary and functional management responsibility for up to 80 employees in national and international environments as well as extensive knowledge in coaching and further development of employees and teams
customer-centric - very customer-oriented with extensive knowledge of customer insights and customer relationship management (e.g. Payback, DeutschlandCard, emnos. arvato) and convinced that customer centricity is an essential part of successful organizations
interactive - experienced in running workshops and confident in communicating and presenting at different decision-making and stakeholder levels (CxO level, departments, analysts, IT experts, software developers, etc.)
international - appreciate the close cooperation in mixed teams from different disciplines & cultures and managed numerous national and international projects and activities on-/near- and offshore
interdisciplinary - seasoned generalist who is able to match and combine strategy, business and IT

Skills

Digital Strategy & Transformation
Agile Methods & Coaching
Process & Change Management
Product & Development Management
Roadmap & Portfolio Management
Data Intelligence, Strategy & Culture
Project & Program Management
Vendor Analyses & System Selection
Business Analyses & Planning
Crm & Digital Marketing
Business Analysis & Planning: Business Analysis, Requirements Management, Solution Design And Interface Specifications Using Various Uml Notations And Tools
Project Management & Program Management: Program And Project Management In Consulting, Retail, Insurance, Media, Banking And Energy Industries, Building And Managing Strategic Initiatives, Portfolios And It Roadmaps
Digital Transformation, Process & Change Management: Management Of Numerous Digital Transformation Projects In The Field Of Data Intelligence, Customer Insights, Digital Products, Process Automation And Crm/customer Loyalty Programs, Digitization/standardization/optimization Of Business Processes, Modernization Of It / Bi Environments, Development Of Advanced Analytics Approaches, Transformation From Proprietary Software Development To Product Development Approach, Implementation Of Various Project Application And Change Management Processes, Management Of Business And It Planning Processes, Documentation Of Business Processes
Business Intelligence: Consulting And Project Management For Customer Insights, Modern Bi Architectures Based On Classic Dwh And Data Lake, Self-service Bi Approaches, Data Strategy & Data Governance, Big Data, Advanced Analytics / Data Mining, New Business Models As Well As Definition And Visualization Of Kpis /Reports/dashboards
Crm & Digital Marketing: Advising And Managing The Development And Expansion Of Customer Loyalty Programs, Customer Segmentation, Customer Insights & Advanced Retail Analytics, Customer Journey Mappings, Data-based Persona Development, Campaign Management Automation, Digital Performance Marketing, Customer Experience & User-centric Design
Agile Methodologies & Agile Transformations: Agile Software Development With Scrum & Kanban, Coaching On Agile Methodology, Setting Up Agile It Portfolio And Project Management Approaches In Companies, Transformations From Classic To Agile Business Models, Agile Organizational Development
System Selections & Vendor Screenings: Support Of The It Sourcing Process As Well As Various Projects Regarding The Selection Of Standard Software, E.g. For Customer Service, Marketing, Campaign Management, Crm, Enterprise Content Management, Erp Solutions
Software Product Management: Chief Product Owner For An Internationally Used Product, Management Of Saas Products, Development Of A New Platform For Multi-channel Customer Interaction And Communication, Implementation Of The First German Online Platform For Equipment Leasing Via The Internet And Of Hr Products For Consulting Companies
It Roadmap & Portfolio Management: Development And Establishment Of Agile Approaches For It Portfolio Management As Well As For The Management Of Strategic Initiatives To Increase Transparency And Flexibility At Different Companies, Implementation Of Standardized Project Initiation Procedures Including Business Case Evaluation
It Provider Management: Management Of Service Providers Onshore/nearshore/offshore Including Requirements Management, Risk And Compliance Management, Sla And Contract Management
Data Governance & Gdpr: Advice And Management Of Various Legal & Compliance Topics In The Area Of Gdpr, Marketing Consent, Cookie Management, Pii, Data Processing By Third Parties, Data Protection And Data Security
Methods & Frameworks: Agile Working & Goal Management (Okr, Scrum, Kanban, User Story Mapping And Xp); Innovation Management & Product Development (Design Thinking, Minimum Viable Product (Mvp), Customer Journeys, Personas And Empathy Maps); Lean Startup & Business Development (Business Model Canvas, Build-measure-learn Cycle, Hypothesis-driven Development (Hdd)); Classic & Hybrid Process Models (Rational Unified Process, V-model, Waterfall Model)
Crm & Marketing Systems: Adobe Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Pega, Ibm Unica, Sas Marketing, Comnos, Dymatrix, Oracle Siebel And Many Proprietary Crm Solutions (Arvato, Emnos, Pb)
Retail Software: Relex Software, Nielsen Spaceman, Emnos Analyzer, Emnos Ranger, Emnos Segmenter
Service & Support Systems: Salesforce Service Cloud, Freshworks Freshdesk, Jira Service Desk, Helpline
Reporting Tools: Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics, Power Bi, Tableau, Sas Va, Microstrategy, D3.js, Excel/pivot
Visual Modelling Tools: Ms Visio, Lucidchart, Provision, Aris, Argouml, Poseidon For Uml, Visual Paradigm For Uml, Yed, Gliffy, Rational Rose
Business & Data Modelling: Uml, Erm, Relational Model, Dimensional Models (Star, Snowflake)
Data Modelling Tools: Toad, Erwin, Oracle Sql Developer, Borland Together, Power Designer
Further Tools & Software: Smartsheet, Miro, Concept Board, Ms Office, Confluence Wiki, Confluence Jira, Jira Structure Project Portfolio Management, Trello, Ms Visio, Ms Planner, Ms Project, Ms Sharepoint, Basecamp, Roadmunk, Mindmanager, Xmind, Freeplane
Databases: Oracle, Mysql, Ms Sql Server, Greenplum, Teradata, Postgresql, Mongodb, Sybase (Now Sap Adaptive Server Enterprise)
Data Warehouse & Data Lake: Microsoft On Premise, Microsoft Azur Cloud, Oracle, Teradata, Apache Kafka, Apache Hadoop (Cloudera, Hortonworks, Mapr), Apache Spark, Apache Hive, Apache Impala, Apache Mahout, Snowflake Cloud Dwh
Programming Languages & Tools: Sql, Python, Html, Javascript, Pl/sql, Anaconda Plattform, Pycharm, Java*, Intelli J Idea*, Eclipse*, .Net*, Visual Studio*, Uniface*, C/c++, Search Frameworks: Lucene, Solr*, Elasticsearch* (* No Active Usage Anymore)