Lea Scholdan
Project Management
Experience
Project Lead
Confidential Client
- Developed a scalable emergency operating model to secure operations in 11 European markets during a potential franchise crisis due to impending insolvency
- Delivered an immediately deployable model later adopted as a global best-practice blueprint
Project Lead
Confidential Client
- Assessed marketing, service, and pricing processes for automation and AI potential, and prioritized short- and mid-term levers
- Identified efficiency potential in the mid double-digit percent range and developed a clearly prioritized implementation roadmap across all relevant functions
Project Lead
Confidential Client
- Analyzed the end-to-end e-commerce process chain to identify opportunities in personalization, dynamic pricing, and automated content creation
- Derived concrete measures to improve digital efficiency and customer journey performance based on a cross-functional optimization model
Project Lead
Confidential Client
- Developed integrated marketing planning in a key transformation year, decommissioning the Payback program and introducing a new loyalty program
- Reduced the entire planning process by about 50 percent
- Ensured revenue and traffic stability through a data-driven control model across marketing, CRM, and category management
Project Lead
Confidential Client
- Developed a data-driven growth model based on comprehensive customer and product group analyses to identify profitable core and target segments
- Created a prioritized growth roadmap covering marketing, assortment, and category management to unlock revenue and margin potential in the beauty market
PMO Lead
Confidential Client
- Realignment of sales and HR structures as part of a nationwide efficiency initiative to unlock operational and organizational synergies
- Achieved mid double-digit million savings and sustainably simplified organizational structures
Interim Project Lead
Confidential Client
- Developed a segmentation and growth system to expand target reach while strengthening the core customer base in a restructuring program
- Created a cross-functional roadmap across marketing, assortment and category management to tap into profitable customer segments
Senior Expert
Confidential Client
- Analyzed a fragmented product portfolio and harmonized redundant brands to sharpen strategic positioning
- Reduced brand count by about 25% and boosted efficiency and procurement synergies
Project Lead
Confidential Client
- Designed a new premium lifestyle retail concept from ideation to market launch, including business model, brand and location strategy
- Launched two pilot sites and built a scalable business model with revenue potential in the high nine-figure range
- Strengthened the group's premium positioning
Expert
Confidential Client
- Designed and implemented a group-wide CDP and a new loyalty program to integrate customer and transaction data during an overarching restructuring
- Increased customer loyalty and significantly improved data-driven marketing and sales management
Senior Consultant
Confidential Client
- Assessment of organizational, brand, and cost structures to identify relevant synergies and risks
- Definition of the future brand management model
- Creation of a solid decision-making basis for acquisition, integration design, and brand continuation
Senior Consultant
Confidential Client
- Standardization and restructuring of central marketing and CRM processes in a post-merger context, including a comprehensive bottom-up synergy analysis
- Realization of tens of millions of euros in synergy effects from efficiency measures and retail media levers despite challenging COVID conditions
PMO Lead
Confidential Client
- Harmonization of different loyalty systems and preparation for migration to a unified, data-driven customer loyalty model during a critical PMI phase
- Ensuring stable revenue and building a scalable, long-term sustainable CRM foundation
PMO Lead
Confidential Client
- Management of a group-wide turnaround program across sales, logistics, procurement, HR, IT, finance, and e-commerce to stabilize a financially distressed portfolio
- Addressing a turnaround need of around €150M through significant revenue boosts and major structural cost reduction measures
Senior Consultant
Confidential Client
- Analysis of regional market potentials and operational requirements to develop a prioritized expansion strategy
- Definition of focused location clusters to tap into high-growth regions
Senior Consultant
Confidential Client
- Assessing economic and structural location factors to optimize the branch portfolio before a potential transaction
- Deriving prioritized recommendations for location consolidation and investment focus
Expert
Confidential Client
- Analyzing future market, consumer, and technology trends in food retail to identify long-term growth opportunities
- Supporting the board in shaping new business and innovation strategies as part of the Future Retail 2030 initiative
Expert
Confidential Client
- Optimizing core sales, marketing, and production processes, including Salesforce implementation
- Improving process quality and strengthening customer focus through a modern CRM foundation
Industries Experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.
Experienced in Retail (8 years), Professional Services (2 years), Food and Beverage (2 years), and Cosmetics (1 year).
Business Areas Experience
The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.
Experienced in Marketing (8 years), Project Management (7 years), Strategy (6 years), Business Intelligence (5 years), Operations (3 years), and Sales (3 years).
Summary
Over 10 years of experience developing and implementing growth, transformation, and innovation strategies for leading companies, strategy consultancies, startups, and private equity firms. My clients value my analytical strategist mindset and entrepreneurial focus on practical solutions to successfully execute complex growth and innovation projects. My key areas include post-merger integration, restructuring, and growth strategy, backed by a proven track record in managing demanding change management initiatives and increasing operational efficiency, for example through implementing AI-first processes. I connect strategic vision with operational excellence to drive sustainable innovation, growth, and transformation.
Skills
Project Tools: Ms Project, Jira, Confluence, Monday, Visio
Data & Bi: Tableau, Looker, Power Bi, Sap, Salesforce
Productivity: Microsoft Office, G Suite, Ai Tools
Languages
Education
RSM Erasmus Universiteit
Master of Science, Strategic Entrepreneurship · Strategic Entrepreneurship · Rotterdam, Netherlands
Université Panthéon Sorbonne (Paris I)
Exchange Semester, Business · Business · Paris, France
Universiteit Maastricht
Bachelor of Science, International Business - Major Strategy · International Business · Maastricht, Netherlands
Certifications & licenses
Certified AI Manager & AI Models Representative
ZFU certified
Profile
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