Themis Papanikolopoulos

Senior Director, Commercial Strategy & Ops | Ex-McKinsey | Commercial Transformation & Value Creation | Pricing, GTM, Sales Excellence | PE-Backed

Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Area

About

At McKinsey & Co, I contributed to the Marketing & Sales practice, leveraging extensive experience in strategic transformation and sales strategy. My role focused on enabling organizations to refine their commercial capabilities, optimize execution, and achieve measurable growth by implementing impactful strategies that align with business objectives. Previously, as Strategic Transformation Lead at FrieslandCampina, I spearheaded the ACE program, an initiative designed to enhance marketing and sales performance across 18 countries. This included conducting in-depth operational analyses, fostering cultural change, and delivering measurable growth in mature and competitive markets. My expertise lies in commercial strategy and driving organizational transformation with a focus on measurable performance outcomes.

Experience

  • Senior Director, Commercial Strategy & Ops at STADA Group
    Jun 2026 - Present · 1 mo

    Driving the development, alignment, and execution of the regional strategy across Western Europe markets. ·         Commercial Performance Management: in collaboration with the regional CFO, ensure clear tracking of performance across the countries within the region, evaluate key drivers of the P&L and corresponding guidance/challenge to the countries (e.g., pricing, gross-to-net/discounts, ROI on promotional investment). ·         Strategy Development & Execution: support the development of key elements of STADA Group strategy, as well as individual strategic plans across the key markets; establish clear process and KPIs for follow thru on both Group and country-level strategic initiatives. ·         Transformation & Change: drive change management for major regional transformations, identify structural issues and opportunities in the operating model and propose data‑driven strategic improvements. Coordinate localization and implementation of global transformation initiatives.

  • Engagement Manager - Marketing & Sales at McKinsey & Company
    Oct 2021 - Dec 2025 · 4 yrs 3 mos

    • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement brand strategies for CPG, Telco, and automotive sectors. • Led initiatives in route-to-market, growth and transformation, driving measurable impact in high-stakes environments. • Engaged with CxO stakeholders to align marketing strategies with business objectives, enhancing overall company performance.

  • Owner of company active in yacht charter at Gelo Papanikolopoulos Sailing
    Oct 2020 - Nov 2025 · 5 yrs 2 mos

    • Founded Gelo Papanikolopoulos Sailing, specializing in private yacht charters • Managed all aspects of boat maintenance and client relations, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and repeat business. • Co-developed marketing strategies that increase client acquisition.

  • Strategic Transformation Lead at FrieslandCampina
    Sep 2019 - Sep 2021 · 2 yrs 1 mo

    Leading the commercial branch of an in-house consulting team purposed to revamp the Marketing & Sales functions of the company's Consumer Dairy business in 18 countries around the world. The large-scale transformation program named ACE - Agile Commercial Execution - is aimed at improving focus, increasing execution speed & effectiveness, and generating an impact on overall performance and revenue growth. ACE is the real-life modeling of Byron Sharp's How Brands Grow doctrine. Successfull roll-outs of ACE's commercial model consist of intense deep-dives in each country's marketing & sales operations. Results are high-single to double-digit growth in mature or declining markets accompanied with a cultural & mindset shift in the way we do business as a whole.

  • Danone Early Life Nutrition (9 yrs 4 mos)
    • Global Sales Competencies Manager
      Sep 2017 - Sep 2019 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      Heading the global deployment of the new Sales Competencies Model in all CBUs. Responsible to develop the key functional capabilities for Commercial function. Map existing capabilities gaps and build action plan to close these gaps, improve skill level and eventually sales performance.

    • Global Sales Excellence & Distributor Manager
      Sep 2016 - Sep 2017 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Mission of the role: Lead the capabilities developing process for best-in-class distributors’ management & excellence in execution across channels for the Global Early Life Nutrition division of Danone. Main responsibilities & KPIs: • Benchmark distributor set-ups to come to a more efficient management of distributors with a better in-market performance • Develop tools for CBUs to improve their performance & compliance: Distributor management toolkit, engage the key sales teams in CBUs to implement it and I organize workshops to support them advance • Responsible of developing strong model and the necessary tools for ensuring excellence in execution in all channels and stores; capture the picture of success per channel, the optimum and most efficient RTM • Define the KPIs to monitor the sales execution in stores (PUMA methodology); engage the CBUs in deployment and evolution of the the local program.

    • Area Manager & Key Account Manager - Wholesalers
      Sep 2013 - Sep 2016 · 3 yrs 1 mo

      In charge of developing the Business in the channel of Pharmacies National Key Account Management - Wholesalers Leading a team of 15 people