Vera S.
Freelance Consultant and Leader
Experience
Freelance Consultant and Leader
Catar Consulting
I have been leading my freelance consultancy Catar Consulting since 2019. I offer more than 15 years of experience in marketing and strategy consulting for DAX30, Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized market leaders, and innovative startups. I support my clients based on a relationship-oriented and flexible consulting model.
As a project manager, interim director, and subject matter expert for clients in the UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, and the USA, I bring a unique global perspective to local challenges.
My clients describe me as a solution-focused, diplomatic, and adaptable expert with a structured methodology, a positive attitude, an eye for design, and a pragmatic, empathetic, hands-on approach.
Expertise:**
Marketing & Customer Experience Planning
Growth Strategies & Go-to-Market
Omnichannel Management
Market Analysis & Research
Business & Corporate Strategy
Innovation
Organizational Change & Transformation
Social Media Commerce
Services:**
Strategy: Corporate strategy, market entry, internationalization, business development, digital strategy, competitive strategy, branding & UX/UI
Marketing: Marketing strategy, digital marketing, customer experience, ROI & performance, lead generation, social media
Market Analysis: Market research, target acquisition & technology scouting, trend analysis, qualitative & quantitative research methods
Innovation: Corporate innovation, startup scouting & technology scouting, design thinking, innovation vehicles (e.g., incubators, accelerators, venture capital)
Change & Transformation: Change management communication, digitization, restructuring, organizational development & PMI, cultural change
Corporate Development
Bertelsmann AG
Role in the Corporate Development team at Bertelsmann AG.
Consultant / Strategy Consultant
Deloitte
Worked at Deloitte Digital and Monitor Deloitte strategy consulting, including the Deloitte Garage, Deloitte’s innovation incubator.
Expertise in innovation management and corporate entrepreneurship. As a project manager, I built an excellent trust-based relationship with the team, proactively sought feedback, and integrated it into my work. The analysis was carried out very well.
Interim Marketing Director
GSK
A global pharma company (GSK) asked me to serve as interim marketing director for the rapid launch of a new therapy in the German market. This was marked by the urgency of navigating a highly volatile market, plus the added complexity of uncertain therapy approval timing. My mandate included implementing innovative marketing initiatives and advising on optimizing internal marketing processes.
As omnichannel marketing director, I developed and executed a go-to-market marketing strategy. Central to this strategy were designing and running Customer Journey and Customer Experience workshops for Health Care Professionals (HCPs) and patients. My marketing plan, which included strategy and execution, covered a layered approach integrating:
- Offline channels (print, radio, outdoor)
- Virtual events (webinars)
- Digital channels (social media, SEA, native, website development and SEO)
My role involved close collaboration with the commercial director and product lead while also working with stakeholders in medical, product development, IT, legal, compliance, PR, communications, events, government affairs, and orchestrating external marketing agencies. I also conducted an optimization analysis and identified internal marketing areas for process improvements.
We successfully executed the fast launch, created the desired awareness, and treatment rates increased. The country CEO of this Fortune 500 company highlighted the product launch as an example of speed and agility within the company and made the project a global showcase within the company.
Project Manager
Aviation Group (Client)
A leading aviation group struggled with internal conflicts across hierarchy levels, especially at the top management level, including the board and subsidiary leaders. These conflicts negatively impacted morale and overall performance. The CEO aimed to establish a new, cohesive group culture to tackle challenges collaboratively across the company and its subsidiaries. A boutique firm founded by McKinsey and Jung von Matt alumni was hired for this project and asked me to lead the project team and introduce new project management methods.
I led a team of consultants and we developed a comprehensive co-creation process that involved employees across all hierarchy levels, from ground staff to senior management executives. We segmented the project into four workstreams, each using a different method:
- Focus groups
- Leadership workshop
- Interviews with top managers
- A group-wide survey
Through in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis of the collected data, we formulated a corporate culture framework consisting of visions, missions, and values derived from the entire group. In a final board workshop, we refined and selected the final elements to align the group in a unified direction.
The CEO mentioned the new vision at a subsequent press conference, marking the start of a significant transformation of the corporate culture affecting over 110,000 employees. The newly developed vision, mission, and set of values formed the foundation for this transformation and served as cornerstones for the aviation group’s journey toward a more cohesive and effective corporate culture.
Subject Matter Expert / Consultant
Migros Industries
My client, the head of internal consulting at a multinational conglomerate based in Switzerland (Migros Industries), sought my support for an initiative targeting growth opportunities and cost reduction strategies in the e-commerce sector. Additionally, I was brought in as a subject matter expert to provide insights into emerging consumer and technology trends, such as the impact of social commerce on the client’s diverse portfolio and business models.
I conducted thorough market research and deep analysis of future trends, which enabled me to prepare and co-lead workshops with category leaders. These workshops, applying design thinking methods, covered topics like:
- Customer experience
- E-commerce strategies
- Emerging trends
- Growth outlook
- New revenue streams
As a team, we further dug into future trends, covering key themes like social commerce, automation, and concepts such as ghost kitchens and food delivery. We systematically created a list of potential initiatives to drive growth and realize cost efficiencies. In collaborative workshops with top management, we rigorously assessed the feasibility and profitability of each initiative, ultimately culminating in a comprehensive estimation process for the final presentation.
The board received actionable insights on growth opportunities and cost-reduction options to make informed decisions impacting the organization’s profitability. This project served as a launchpad for expanding e-commerce initiatives across the group.
Interim CMO, COO, Consultant
Various Startups
Served as interim CMO, COO, and consultant for startups, including a blockchain-focused company based in Stanford, USA.
Summary
I have been running my freelance consultancy Catar Consulting for four years. I offer you over 15 years of experience in marketing and strategy consulting for DAX30, Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized market leaders, and innovative startups. In 2019 I started my consultancy to support my clients based on a relationship-oriented and flexible consulting model.
My clients describe me as a solution-focused, diplomatic, and adaptable expert with a structured methodology, a positive attitude, an eye for design, and a pragmatic, empathetic, hands-on approach.
Languages
Education
Tilburg University
Research Master · Netherlands
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