Thu D.

Righthand Partner to Leaders | Helping leaders with execution so they can focus on strategic priorities | ex Cofounder & CCO | Climate & Sustainability

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

About

I help leaders and teams who are winning in passion and product, but are facing operational cracks: ⚠️ A leader/founder working unsustainably hard? ⚠️ Critical projects and tasks without an owner? ⚠️ Losing momentum: Team conflict? Too many priorities? ⚠️ Actions stall when key leader/founder is distracted? If this sounds familiar, let's talk. In English, Spanish or both. HOW WE WORK TOGETHER. I team up with you to shape support that meets you where you and your team are, and flexes with changing needs. While we may start with plugging gaps or herding cats, my intention for our time together is that you and your team gain the day-to-day business rhythm, workflows and habits that will make operations your friend, instead of your enemy. 🔑 Bandwidth unlock for Leader/Founder 📋 Project management, Special initiatives 🗺️ Business planning, tracking, cadence 🎯 Key priorities <-> North star sync 🤝 Board & investor relations ✈️ Team relations WHY I DO THIS. I have spent most of two decades partnering with CEOs and leadership teams at startups and multinationals as tech cofounder, business consultant or the CEO/COO righthand. Over that time, I have lived and seen the operational stress in business transitions whether going from 0 to 1, driving growth spurts, or looking for new owners. Overworked leaders rush between managing stakeholders, back-to-back meetings, piles of email, team issues, client sales pitches... which tends to melt into chaos when business rhythm, workflows and team habits are not intentional. While the cost of chaos may look like leadership stress today, untended, it will show up in financial results tomorrow. I like to help tame this operational chaos, so leaders get back time for strategic decisions and teams stay on track and work together better. 💚 A Terra.Do fellow with personal focus on sustainability and climate. 💪 A Translator first, equally Systems Thinker & Connector second (bit.ly/generalist-archetype) ✨ Also a parent, ex athlete, and friend of the outdoors especially water activity

Experience

  • Business operations & Strategy - Climate, Sustainability, Technology at Independent Consultant
    2024 - Present · 2 yrs 6 mos

  • Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Excedo
    2017 - 2019 · 2 yrs

    Language learning edtech venture backed by Financial Times and Nikkei Inc. Built and ran B2B sales and marketing function across Asia, Europe, Latin America.

  • VP Strategy - Pearson English at Pearson
    2014 - 2016 · 2 yrs

    Led strategy and development agenda for $650M worldwide language learning division made up of SaaS-based corporate training, publishing, assessment, private language schools. Advised and supported business unit CEOs and their teams on strategic planning, growth strategy and portfolio strategy.

  • Director and Consultant, Strategy & Business Development at Kedora Limited
    2011 - 2014 · 3 yrs

    Strategy & business development support and advisory for businesses in digital, media and technology. Clients: - Pearson - BBC Worldwide - RTL - Rightster (now Brave Bison) - Globe Telecom Specialties: - Strategy Development - Business Case Development - Evaluation Business Opportunities - Business Planning - Deal Structuring/Negotiation - Fundraising/Pitch Development

  • Associate at Prospero Strategy LLP
    2011 - 2013 · 2 yrs

    Prospero is a strategic advisory firm advising clients in the media, sport, digital and tech sectors internationally.