Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Highly experienced INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE. More than 25 years of operational experience spans from developing and managing over € 100 M greenfield projects through managing full scale operations of a group of plants across a few countries with sales above € 100 M. Exceptional leader, innovator, results driven, extremely cost control oriented, self-starter with hands-on approach. Passionate on developing and introducing organizational culture as a main leverage to drive productivity and high-quality in production. LEAN Culture passionate. Exited to work in multicultural environment. OPERATIONS & MULTICULTURE 🏭 Within 3 years transformed a group of 4 different, previously individually manged factories with total of 1,5 k employees in 3 countries (Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland), each with different and mixed culture, including one in Ukraine during war, into an effective culturally unified organisation, (during COVID and Ukraine war). 🏭 Within just 1,5 years since start-up elevated the greenfield IKEA factory in Russia to one of the TOP 5 IKEA factories worldwide (41 factories) on all performance parameters (operation, safety and business) and on some of them even to TOP 1 by consistently implementing own and unique operational culture and management based on effectiveness and LEAN. GREENFIELD & MULTICULTURE 🏭 Over 7 years built from scratch 3 different greenfield furniture factories, each of investment budget around € 100 M in 3 culturally completely different countries (China, Russia, Portugal), always below budget and ahead of deadline. Expecting unexpected, focusing on solutions, always learning and extreme budget control were the keys to success. INNOVATIVE LEADER 🏭 Enthusiastically undertook, powerfully lead and successfully completed a number of FIRST EVER innovative projects, like: first ever IKEA greenfield project in Russia, first ever IKEA plant in China, first ever IKEA plant in Portugal with first ever such a scale in IKEA greenfield history, being the first ever in IKEA history non Swedish Executive running investment project outside Sweden, being the first ever in IKEA history non Swedish Manager on an investment project outside Sweden.
As the Member of the Board and COO joined the Company with a mission to transform and unify all 4 furniture factories in 3 countries (Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland) into one organisation as well as develop and implement all required systems (LEAN, quality assurance, KPIs, etc.) to enable the company to reach ambitious sales development objectives. Responsible for all company production operations, which is the only company business with staff of 1,5 K people and turnover over € 100 M, with 4 Plant Directors as direct reports. ◼️ Removed the key barrier for company growth by transforming a group of 4 completely detached and unsynchronised factories into one unified production organisation. ◼️ Developed and successfully introduced effectiveness based LEAN production culture making it a sustainable change crucial for transformation into one unified group. ◼️ Created and implanted into the company culture KPI based incentive system focused on Salary and Competence Matrix. ◼️ Significantly increased company reliability in front of customers by implementing Quality Assurance System, previously not existent, making it a part of new company culture.
Overtook as a Plant Director the Novgorod furniture factory which has built earlier as Greenfield Development Director to ramp it up and then to manage it on a going basis with sales of € 100 M. ◼️ Placed Novgorod Plant among TOP 5 worldwide IKEA factories (41 factories ) within 1,5 years since start-up by implementing own and unique operational culture focused on performance and LEAN philosophy. ◼️ Achieved the highest possible level of 100% on the most important IKEA business performance factor On Time Delivery (OTD) by introducing a unique daily stock control system. Each month achieved 100% fulfilment securing 100% availability of manufactured goods for customers in IKEA stores. ◼️ Achieved constant 0 (zero) Lost Time Accident (LTA) index, the second most important IKEA factor, by creating and implementing outstanding EHS program. ◼️ Consistent implementation of unique operational management resulting in high efficiency rates allowed to start shipments to stores 2 months ahead of agreed deadline and in bigger volumes.
The FIRST EVER IKEA greenfield production plant in Russia (Novgorod), € 80 M investment budget, 60 K m2 , € 100 M sales capacity and additional brownfield extension project of € 20 M and 10 K m2. ◼️ Completed the first ever IKEA greenfield project in Russia € 4 M below the investment budget and ahead of deadline despite unclear Russian rules, while IKEA greenfield projects in general tend to go over the budget and behind the schedule. ◼️ Due to rapid market changes happening at 70% completion stage of the factory, successfully rebuilt the investment project by changing almost 50% of the machinery equipment and production processes to enable this plant to produce completely different range of products than planned. ◼️ On the go, overtook an additional € 20 M parallel brownfield project of extending existing plant by new production and storage halls and completed it on time and within a budget with no sacrifice on timing and budget of the main greenfield project.
The FIRST EVER IKEA furniture production plant in China, € 40 M investment budget, 57 K m2, € 100 M sales capacity. ◼️ As the FIRST EVER non-Swedish Greenfield Development Director overtook the total responsibility of building from scratch the FIRST EVER IKEA factory in China and completed it with success € 2,5 M below the budget and 2 months ahead of the deadline. ◼️ By strong personal leadership and finding solutions mentality turned around the Chinese Authorities withdrawal from the Investment Agreement and made the investment project a GO again. ◼️ Designed, developed and introduced a new technology of applying glue on furniture foil which was key for furniture manufacturing in Chinese high air humidity environment.
The first ever IKEA greenfield production plant in Russia, € 80 M investment budget, around 60 K m2, € 100 M sales capacity and additional brownfield extension project of € 20 M and 10K m2.