Marek Zahálka

Senior Manager @ Philips | Strategy & Business Operations | Turning business insights into sustainable growth strategies

Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

About

Strategic and data-driven professional with 6+ years of experience in management consulting, strategy, and finance across global organisations, including Royal Philips and EY. Skilled in synthesising complex data into actionable insights, devising long-term strategic plans, and managing cross-functional initiatives to drive change in dynamic, fast-paced environments. Proven ability to influence executive-level decision-making through effective business communication and consultative stakeholder collaboration. At Philips, I support the global strategy development for the consumer electronics division, helping leadership teams define where to play, how to win, and how to execute at scale. I also act as a link between corporate and business strategy, partnering with the C-suite and other senior executives to drive business-level strategic initiatives and ensure alignment with broader organisational goals. Previously at EY, I advised on both buy-side and sell-side M&A deals, building financial models and conducting valuations that shaped transactions for clients across industries. I am always looking for new challenges, opportunities to learn, and ways to leverage my experience to make positive impact. Happy to connect!

Experience

  • Philips (Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands · Hybrid)
    • Senior Manager | Strategy & Business Operations | Global HQ
      Jan 2025 - Present · 1 yr 6 mos

      Owned global strategy formulation and value creation agenda across 4 business units within the consumer electronics division, translating market, financial, and operating insights into clear strategic choices. Partnered with senior leadership to define priorities, shape investment decisions, and drive high-impact initiatives. • Developed a 3-year strategic plan for a multi-billion euro business, resulting in a projected above market revenue growth and an improvement in operating margin • Led cross-business strategic initiatives that identified cost-optimisation and revenue growth opportunities with a third of benefits realised within the first 12 months • Managed and successfully delivered 5+ global strategic projects with end-to-end ownership, prioritising and overseeing workstreams across multiple simultaneous projects/programs • Collaborated directly with 30+ senior executives, including C-level officers, Executive Committee members, and Business Leadership Teams to ensure buy-in and alignment among key decision-makers

    • Manager | Strategy – Market Analysis | Global HQ
      Apr 2023 - Dec 2024 · 1 yr 9 mos

      Supported the development of strategic and operating plans by providing insights into the company's external environment. Assessed industry trends, consumer behaviour, and competitive landscape to advise leadership on market specific positioning and strategies. • Forecasted market growth across 68 countries and 4 business units to identify growth opportunities and their underlying drivers. Consistently met forecast accuracy targets. • Led 10+ strategic deep dives to help businesses refine market sizing, customer segmentation, product-market fit, marketing campaigns, and go-to-market strategies • Directed market intelligence programs that enabled data-driven decisions, reduced time-to-insight by 30%, and supported 2 major portfolio pivots • Pioneered the adoption of AI-powered tools across team workflows to streamline reporting, research, and communication processes, reducing turnaround time on key deliverables by 20%

    • Senior Analyst | Strategy – Market Analysis | Global HQ
      Jan 2022 - Mar 2023 · 1 yr 3 mos

      Analysed complex datasets in MS Excel to monitor and report on key market and organisational metrics, ensuring clarity and accuracy in performance tracking. Delivered timely, data-driven insights to improve time-to-market and strengthen organisational agility in response to shifting market trends. • Built and improved market sizing and forecasting models by integrating 5+ additional sales data sources into an existing database, resulting in higher accuracy and a 15% increase in global sales data coverage • Administered and leveraged market intelligence dashboards to deliver insights to senior leadership through monthly reports, executive-level presentations, and business performance reviews

  • Analyst | Valuations & Financial Modeling | Strategy & Transactions at EY
    Jul 2018 - Aug 2020 · 2 yrs 2 mos

    Advised companies across a wide range of industries on M&A transactions by delivering robust business valuations and financial models. Collaborated closely with stakeholders as part of a client-facing advisory team. Visited company sites to assess business needs and present deliverables to senior leadership. • Contributed to 10+ sell-side and buy-side M&A deals by building standalone operating models, performing discounted cash flow valuations, and preparing client deliverables • Streamlined and standardised financial model templates, reducing model turnaround time by 30% and improving consistency, transparency, and auditability across deal teams

  • Intern | Digital Strategy Consulting at Deloitte Digital
    Jun 2017 - Sep 2017 · 4 mos

    Conducted market research on digital trends in the banking sector and assessed the digital maturity of the largest banks in the Czech market. • Contributed to 5 client proposals and influenced 3 key design decisions for clients' digital product • Participated in a team that won a Deloitte CEE region-wide student case competition