Mobile: +48 605 191 036, E-mail: [email protected] E mail:
CEO/ COO/ CFO/ CMO/ Engineer *****
- Led, motivated and developed international teams comprised of more than 6,000 employees and managed operations and finance for businesses up to EUR 25 bn of revenue.
- Key spike in practical business judgement and people leadership. Overdelivered business results and development of organization. Successful year-after-year in exceeding EBITDA, cash and efficiency targets in 30+ occasions across industries and continents (Europe, Asia and Latin America).
- Industry spike: diverse with most experience in Refining and Chemicals, Financial Institutions (Insurance and Banking), Consumer Goods, Health Care, Energy and High Tech.
- Functional spike: ambitious growth and performance improvement/ turnaround (ORLEN Ops, Cersanit, Allianz), Operations (all assignments and projects), Strategy (ORLEN, Cersanit, McKinsey), Finance (ORLEN, Cersanit), Sales (Cersanit, ORLEN, Benzina, Allianz, Banking, Procter&Gamble), cross functional issues (all assignments) and IT (Allianz).
- Geographical spike: CEE (Poland, CR, SR, Ukraine, Romania), Iberic (for 30 years a member of the Spanish business community in Poland and in Czechia), Germany (leading business development in DACH for Cersanit), UK.
Performance Improvement * Private Equity * Consumer Goods * Financial Institutions * Health Care * Refining and Chemicals * Strategy * Operations * Supply Chain Management * Mergers and Acquisitions * Unmatched Business Results * Organization Development * Finance and Accounting * Strategic Planning * Sales and Marketing * Change Management
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS HIGHLIGHTS
- mn (home-improvement business, family owned, revenue of EUR 600 mn) despite a construction market crisis, dramatic raw materials price increases and closure of most profitable subsidiary (Russia, due to the war). Achievements included improving pricing, reducing value leakage, implementing direct distribution, and upgrading organization capability and satisfaction. Established ORLEN Group Operations division from scratch (refining and petrochemicals, revenues of approx. EUR 25 bn annually) resulting in a EUR 50-100 mn annual margin improvement for the Group. Led the business
- integration of the largest M&A in CEE in 2004, delivering EUR +40 mn in annual synergies.
- Turned around Allianz Poland's underperforming Operations Division (insurance premiums of approximately EUR 700 mn) by streamlining Ops business units: claims, IT, customer care, and admin/procurement. This led to substantial service and cost improvements, including a -7% reduction in average motor claims, a fourfold improvement in service levels, and +10-25% efficiency gains.
- Repeatedly formed high-performing teams by setting high aspirations, coaching, and hands-on collaboration with subordinates and peers, typically with limited personnel changes. Notable successes include Cersanit Board, Allianz Ops Team and Cersanit Ops Team members advancing to BoD and senior management positions, and the ORLEN Ops Team achieving 100% continuity and further growth.
- Supported Polish Healthcare system, with focus on oncology and anti-Covid. Efforts included: Polish cancer plan implementation, cancer prevention plan pilot, publications/ guide-book supporting family members of oncological national best practices to address health- and business-related issues to Ministry of Health. Business Advisory function in innovative drugs VC fund (Orphinic Scientific) Cersanit is privately owned and a largest tiles and sanitary-ware manufacturer in Central Europe. With strong presence in businesses. Revenues are at approx. EUR 600 mn and staffing at 6,000 FTEs (excluding Russia subsidiary sold in Feb 22).
- Consistently developed innovative approaches and frameworks (KPIs, dashboards, routines) to ensure state-ofthe-art performance management, including ORLEN's daily gross margin tracking, Cersanit's pricing leakage and margin/efficiency tracking, and Allianz's claims settlement performance.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CERSANIT (Activist Investor/ Private Equity, Home Improvement/ Durable Consumer Goods)
Warsaw/ Poland, 2021/06-2024/05, 2012/ 01-2013/12,
Europe (80% of margin outside Poland). Major product, market, channel complexity with unique full-scale tiles and sanitaryware
-Executive Board of Cersanit, 2021/06-2024/05,
Context:
- o This was a full-time yet nonfor developing and delivering the strategic business and people agendas.
- o I was re-hired by the owner eight years after I had left Cersanit. My objective was to drive profit growth after eight years of poor company performance. In 2021 the company planned to focus on increasing capacity in the most profitable Eastern markets (Russia and Ukraine).
- o Three quarters after my return, the war in Ukraine began, and the post-COVID boom shifted into an unforeseen crisis:
- The most profitable subsidiary, Russia, was immediately sold at a fraction of its value.
- The critical Ukrainian market experienced a dramatic drop in demand.
- Remaining markets also suffered from declining demand.
- Major capacity increase investments in the East were canceled or became unviable.
- Low-cost Asian competition surged due to the global demand decline and reduced freight costs.
- Raw materials and energy costs spiked due to supply shortages and political factors.
- One of our sanitary plants was closed following a fire.
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Main achievements:
- o Despite facing strong headwinds, Cersanit experienced three consecutive years of record profitability and increased its value by +120% (equivalent to EUR *350 mn). The key improvement levers were identified by me personally and successfully implemented throughout the organization, e.g.:
- Dramatically improved pricing strategy and reduction of value leakage in tiles:
- Cersanit had historically been focused solely on revenue, unaware of the significant value being given away (due to poor market understanding, lack of pricing transparency, and inconsistent pricing logic). Unaware of being a predominantly "non-branded" player (95% of tiles volume), the company had little understanding of competitive prices in this segment. resulting in substantially lower prices compared to major European competitors.
- Upon joining, I initiated a price unification project to address the most obvious leakage different prices for the same product. Subsequently, I personally mapped out the structure of the branded/non-branded businesses, relevant competitors and their pricing (by technology, format, finishing), benchmarked Cersanit against the competition, and aligned recommendations with the new Tile BU Head, despite initial organizational skepticism.
- Together with the new Tile BU Head, we launched an aggressive price increases and implemented rigorous monitoring. The most significant increase occurred immediately after c benchmark) and a benchmark monitoring process.
- As a result, within 12 months of my joining, the average tile price increased by +70% (with a stable product mix), and the tiles EBITDA margin improved by +7 percentage points.
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- Cersanit production and overhead efficiency was strong compared to local competitors but still far behind world-class players.
- India, and China), which highlighted gaps in multiple dimensions: labor, production KPIs, infrastructure, production processes, and portfolio complexity.
- In collaboration with the CEO and COO, I developed short- and mid-term efficiency targets for labor (production and SG&A) and production efficiency. We launched several costreduction projects: (a) Overhead and Commercial Team reduction by approximately -40% (partly supported by process improvement), (b) indirect labor cost reduction/delayering in production (approximately -40% reduction in indirect labor costs), (c) transformation of direct production costs (including labor, energy efficiency, scrap, and throughput), (d) procurement cost reductions, and (e) smart plant debottlenecking.
- The combined incremental recurring value of these initiatives is approximately EUR +40 mn annually, most of which had already been realized by May 2024, with the remaining benefits well underway.
- Re-focused product sales listing priorities and portfolio development on the most profitable mass formats and shapes ("Blue Sky"):
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-focused approach resulted in a high share of low-profit products (e.g., small-size tile formats or compact bowls in sanitaryware) and a marginal share in highervalue products (e.g., mass large size tile format, wall-hung bowls). In alignment with the Tile BU, portfolio development was refocused exclusively on the mass large size 60x120 format and derivatives, listings were reprioritized, and a dedicated Blue Sky review process was established. As a result, the share of Blue Sky products within our sales increased by approximately +10 percentage points and continues to grow.
- Streamlined product portfolio:
- Conducted a series of dedicated workshops with combined Commercial and Production teams to streamline the product portfolio and improve the structured development of product innovation, especially in the sanitary segment (focusing on the bathroom zone and key selection factors rather than technology).
- Implemented a world-class innovations in home improvement market:
- Launched a unique direct distribution to Traditional Trade in the Polish market to meet increased service expectations (e-commerce) and ensure control of the value chain (preventing margin leakage). This required debottlenecking internal processes and building capabilities (overcoming significant internal and external resistance). By 2023, nearly 100% of the Traditional Trade business had shifted to this model.
- o Upgraded organization capability.
- I upgraded by hiring and intensive onboarding of critical Board and N-1 positions, including Commercial VP, COO, BU Heads, CFO, Plant Managers, Sanitary Product Manager, SCM Head.
- Much of my work involved on-the-job coaching at various levels (including juniors, if their area was for some reason important), like Head of Claims in Customer Service, Master Data Specialist, or Recruiting Specialist up to the CEO himself, and my contribution to their professional development is widely recognized.
- I also initiated an annual People Review (formal capability assessment process) and relaunched student recruiting at local campuses in Kielce
- My assignment ended in May 2024 due to differences with the owner on his/ mine roles, and the priorities going forward.
Deputy CEO/ COO/ VP of Operations Division (1/2012-12/2013)
- Context:
- o I was hired to turnaround the Operations, which was a pivotal part to increase EBITDA threefold by 2015.
- o Supervising two very experienced yet conservative BoD members, and several moderately experienced functional heads (Logistics, Purchasing, Planning). Involvement, buy-in, and capability development of critical importance.
- o Company results improving, mainly due to improvement in Operations. Improvement in Sales/ Marketing at a slower growth pace (partly due to crisis on key Eastern markets).
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Main achievements:
- o Production margin improvement: prepared and implemented restructuring plan to improve margin and by 7% (-25 mln E) via operating levers (production allocation, debottlenecking, technological and procurement levers). How: launching efficiency improvement (top down), reviewing internal/ historical achievements, rigorously reflecting all commitments in the budget, procurement (working capital and cost), specializing plants in technologies and formats.
- o changes, portfolio mix, FX, quotations of major commodities) from the efficiency improvements. Own work: concept, structure, methodology, development, and application.
- o Reduced inventory levels (raw materials and finished products) by -35% while increasing availability. Main improvements: increasing production flexibility and improving planning process, setting inventory targets, adjusting production to demand, tightening coordination, institutionalizing demand forecasting.
- o Turnaround of problematic logistic warehouses operations in all warehouses in PL: service levels from 92-95% to 99% while costs down -15%.
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o Successfully set up two new production plants in Russia, and three central warehouses: tiles in Russia, sanitary-ware in Russia and sanitary-ware in Poland. Prepared and launched Logistic infrastructure development strategy for Russia (given the distances superior logistics represent key competitive advantage).
- o Initiated, launched and successfully lead liquidity improvement plan resulting with +60 mln E cash
- o Ensured EU subsidy of approx. 10 mln E to an associated supply chain/ store management startboarder-
- o Recognized by Cersanit Operations and Sales organizations as impactful and careful for organization capability development.
- o Due to initial limited industry-specific knowledge used every opportunity for hands-on field visits at point-ofsale, competitive / supplier sites (including private trips, holidays, personal events, etc.).
As a result, developed cutting edge know-how about international industry best practices and used this know-how to
MCKINSEY TRANSFORMATION SERVICES (Interim, Turnaround), Senior Vice President
London 2016/02 2018/07, Warsaw 2018/08 2021/05
Turnaround/ from good to great across industries. Sizing improvement opportunity (due diligence), turnaround program design and implementation for distressed companies or companies looking rapid performance improvement.
MCKINSEY & COMPANY (Strategic Consulting)
Warsaw/ Poland, Buenos Aires/ Argentina 1999/01-2004/12
Provided business problem solving/ expertise and implementation leadership for the top management of largest regional corporations. Resolved critical operational issues, and realized step-change improvements in efficiency and financial results. Projects typically in the range of 1-2 bn E NPV, and in most cases achieved or exceeded.
Strong business expertise in Petroleum, Telecoms and Financial Institutions. Also assisted clients on operational issues in consumer goods, airlines, and public sector.
White goods
For one of the leading CEE white goods producers: operations, strategy and product management diagnostics. Mapping profit improvement opportunities based on gap to best practice and defining key projects in the areas of strategy, operations and product management.
Refining and Petrochemicals
For a Refining and Petrochemical regional leader. I lead several operational turnaround projects including: (a) set up of the divisional budgets, (c) resolving key divisional issues (e.g. production budgeting, new retail initiatives, etc.), (d) developing labor cost reduction program, (e) implementation procurement project. The implementation delivered approx. EUR +200 mn in improved EBITDA and -21 % of the compressible cost-base.
Financial Institutions
For the largest Central European insurer: step-change improvement of motor claims settlement via process re-design
and hands-on implementation of payout-efficient settlement processes. effective claim settlement methods, (b) design of optimal payout algorithm, fraud prevention techniques, and definition of changes in process workflow and responsibilities, (c) the qualification in the pilot (including hands-on leadership in the 80 FTE claims unit), and (d) effective national rollout.
The client reached approx. EUR 100 mn of annual savings. Also, this project revised the rules of the entire motor insurance and repair industries, and got extensive press and regulatory coverage. Finally, I led the design of the longterm organization, and related infrastructure (incl. IT).
- For the second largest Polish bank: For SME sales force: (a) define commercial strategy, (b) design of the organization, processes and tools, (c) hands-on pilot implementation, and (d) hands-on national launch. For Retail sales force: Defining retail product and branch network strategies, and set up of SME sales force. Also for retail: (a) definition retail budget target and initiative master plan, (b) definition of the new branch concept/ implementation plan. Projects contributed to 40% increase in retail and corporate revenues in the following year.
- For a leading Bank in Balcans (one of leading Balkans banks): (a) design of the SME sales processes and tools, (b) design pilot implementation.
- For Argentinean Tax Office. Transfer within McKinsey, for the most accomplished consultants. Topic: national tax fraud prevention strategy, and operations. Key challenge: green-field topic (no prior internal/ external knowledge). Key tasks: (a) codification of tax office operational business model, (b) fraud categories segmentation, (c) segmented strategy to pursue fraud, and (d) implementation plan design. The estimated long-term saving potential was -billion annually.
Telecom
- Network division of an incumbent in Poland (the largest Central European telco incumbent). Large project Capex scoping and optimization, based on fit to strategy and optimal financial effect. Key challenge: developing alternatives of detailed business cases for each investment. Key investments optimized: switch system upgrade, transmission upgrades, inventory and workflow IT system, and broadband equipment. Additionally, redefined role, structure, processes and decision tools of the Investment Office. As a result, the client has reduced its yearly spending by over -1 billion E (-60%), without hampering revenues.
- Operational turnaround and outsourcing strategy and set up for the entire maintenance field force. I.e. strategy development, preparation and launch of cost reduction program, and development and implementation of outsourcing strategy and implementation of the field force (6,000 FTEs). Key model/ efficiency targets, optimal workflow, controls, IT interface), and (b) national implementation. National implementation completed and was on track to deliver -50 mln E cost reduction annually (-40% of the compressible cost-base), and improved service level.
- For mobile telco. Setting up new venture for providing electronic procurements services to the entire market, including business model definition, staffing, pricing, set up, and pilot implementation for the mother company. Also defining procurement strategy and e-procurement implementation, including: (a) cross company diagnosis of savings, (b) implementation of e-procurement (first ever e-procurement auctions in Poland), that delivered -20 mln E annual savings.
Airline
For leading CEE airline: Company financial turnaround program design and implementation, including: (a) definition of the divisional saving targets, (b) definition of revenue improvement, and saving opportunities, (c) design of a labor launch and implementation, (e) launch of procurement and overhead excluding leasing and fuel).
Organization and personal development
Coach, preferred consultant and in multiple occasions a close friend for most of the client team leaders (typically at n-1 positions in the companies as above).
PKN ORLEN Holding (Operations/ Finance, Petroleum)
Warsaw, Plock/ Poland, Prague/ Czech Republic, 2005/ 01-2011/12
Built distinguished 8-year record of progressive achievement and advancement within producer and retailer of refining products and chemicals with revenues of 25 billion E, and approx. 22,000 of FTEs. PKN ORLEN is a public company with strong regional international presence: Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, and Baltics.
Head of Groups Value Chain and Operations
Plock, Warsaw/ Poland, 2008/ 09-2011/12
addressing major macroeconomic, demand shifts, production infrastructure and logistic complexities and uncertainties.
o First ever cross-country production/ margin optimization: Before my nomination ORLEN had been trying to optimize production and margin across its production plants for several years without any success. As a result of rigorous project management in four months after my nomination the Company started to optimize crosscountry components and products transfers. The optimization levers included yield optimization, crude oil
selection, transfers, make-or-buy decisions, volume and price targets and optimized logistics. The result was EUR +50-100 mn gross margin improvement annually.
- o Created world best-practice of performance monitoring in refining: developed from scratch operating KPIs related to gross margin performance: market quotations influence on optimal plant configuration, daily production yields and gross margin tracking, daily pricing tracking, etc.
- o Implemented optimized sales and distribution plans: leveraged new IT tools to optimize profitability of sales vs. distribution costs, and then extended tool to the entire holding (fuels PL, CR, LT, heavy oils/ asphalts, etc). As a result the holding has improved margin by approx. EUR 5-10 mln annually.
- o Significantly reduced leakage due to development of scenarios (commodity quotations, major uncertainties and risks). The results of the sensitivities were built into the plan allowing for fast response. Occasionally materialized within dedicated crisis-management projects (e.g. Hydrocracker breakdown, with impact on tens of EUR mn of margin).
- o plans to adjust the targets (improve or remove bottlenecks). Examples: blending specs for heavy oils/ fuels, bio-components specs for gasoline, sulphur emission, pricing/ discounts targets.
Plock, Warsaw/ Poland, 2008/ 02-2008/08
- o Despite a short assignment (7 months) and very unstable context (change of entire Company BoD): successfully lead key internal and external Corporate Controlling activities (budgeting, improved reporting, increased cost and margin challenge).
- o Challenged/ optimized scope of large production investments (EUR 20-60 mn) via in-depth understanding of business cases. Ensured on-budget/ on-time implementation of PX/ PTA petrochemical plant (Capex of EUR 1 bn).
Director of Operational transformation and integration at Unipetrol
Prague/ Czech Republic, 2005/01-2008/01
Unipetrol is a Czech refining and petrochemical company acquired by PKN Orlen in 2004 (largest transaction within CEE in 2004, investment of approx. 500 mln E), with revenues at approx. 5 billion Eur.
- o Designed and implemented a cross-country M&A Post Merger Management and Operation transformation program. Prepared the PMM project structure and approach.
- o Hence, set up, and lead the Value Creation part of the integration, i.e. large-scale turnaround program for revenues improvement and cost reduction that involved entire management and all key businesses (revenues above 500 mln E), functions and subsidiaries on both sides of the transaction. Within the program developed financial targets and prepared specific value levers for businesses and functions, and hence lead the entire process and key content topics.
- o Value Creation program contributed to +20% share price increase after its announcement. In FY 2006 the results of the program reached approx. EUR +150 mn in improved EBITDA, almost twice versus the original target for that year, and close to the expectations for the next year (2007).
- o Organization effectiveness: Recognized by acquiring company as the most impactful/ helpful newly appointed manager in the UNIPETROL holding. Key in on-boarding of mother company management.
BENZINA (retail network) BoD/ VP for marketing
Prague/ Czech Republic, 2005/01-2008/01
Benzina is a retail subsidiary of Unipetrol and the largest retail network of filling stations in Czech Republic.
- o -launch in 2006. The aim of the strategy is to regain market leadership and double the market share, after long period of business decline.
- o The strategy included: (a) approach to premium and value segments (Brand selection, value proposition), (b) tailoring Branding identity, and (c) preparing specific plans for key value creation attributes, (d) defining and launching marketing support, (e) supervising field implementation, (f) coordinating advertising development (research, segmentation, value proposition, etc.). The plan was announced and launched Oct 2006.
- o The share and volume at about +40% vs. 2005 base (this is a result of work of a large team, but with significant contribution from my side).
o For lubricants marketing (consumer business) and plastics marketing (B2B): structure the key marketing priorities and initiatives for 2007/ 2008. Coach and support of marketing managers in developing the plan/ analysis, conclusions, recommendations.
SYNTHOS (synthetic rubber, polystyrene, butadiene), BoD member
Kralupy/ Czech Republic, 2005/06-2007/06
Kaucuk was fully owned subsidiary of Unipetrol, producing SBR (synthetic rubber), and PS (polystyrenes). It was planned to be divested, as it did not fit ORLEN core portfolio, My role was to supervise operations and improve the performance in order to maximize value of company disposal.
o Prepared a very successful operational, Capex improvement and divestment plan resulting in 4x expected value of the disposal.
ALLIANZ POLAND (Financial Industry/ Insurance/ Non-Life and Life)
Warsaw/ Poland, 2014/ 01-2015/12
COO/ VP of Operations
Operation division an insurance company with approx. EUR 700 mn E premium, and 1400 FTEs (mostly in operations). Operations comprised of Claims, Customer Care/ Sales Back Office, IT, Ops Support (Procurement, Admin, Project Office).
- Context:
- o Allianz Poland for several consecutive years have been losing premium, market share and profitability.
- o I was hired based on prior insurance industry experience from several McKinsey projects to revert rapidly increasing claim payouts, growing costs, and poor service levels. Complemented my experience with internal best practice of Allianz Group and insights from efficient operational processes of other industries.
- o Supervising a mixed Team of newly hired directors and ones with many years Allianz Poland (no/ little external experience). Effective know how transfer very important.
- o Company Operating Profit improved in line with the ambitious plan, mainly due to reduction of operational costs (in 2014), and Sales and Product (tariff) and average claim improvement (in 2015).
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Main achievements.
- o Reduced average motor claim in individual channel by -7-8%. Approach: defined the size of and sources of leakage, launched specific projects to address leakage and innovative measures/ bridge system, rigorous monitoring.
- o lead antifraud activities doubling the amount of identified fraud y/y.
- o fold and internal costs by -25% (in 18 months).
- o Designed and lead company-wide efficiency improvement program that reduced total internal expense of the company by approx -10%, mainly via procurement savings (in the range of -10-60%) and real estate optimization (-25%).
- o Developed cutting-edge-convenient Sales front-end application. Development took a record-low time of 9 months and was done in an agile development process.
- o The front-end together with new tariff (from Product Division) has stopped the decline of premium (revenues) and allowed to regain growth +10% y/y in 3 months (after implementation).
- o significantly improved IT cost planning and monitoring.
- o Recognized by Allianz Ops organization (internal and Global) as role model for impact and own staff capability development: major step-
- o Recognized for both intensive hands-on contact with field Operations units and Sales/ Agents and excellent knowledge exchange with Allianz Global experts/ practitioners.
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As Sales Marketing Manager, responsible for implementation of all brand initiatives into the sales channels. Defined brands retail strategies, and prepared and deployed launch plans for individual product upgrades/ new product launches. Successfully lead s regional category (woman care) launch, (c) category in store efficiency and merchandising.
- The fastest-promoted Brand Manager in the P&G Poland (2 years 9 months since joining) and then after 9 months promoted to Sales Marketing Manager, responsible for 15 senior sales executives and professionals, all with 1-3 years higher seniority vs. mine. I EUR 20 mn annually.
- Supervisor and coach of very accomplished managers (including today CEE heads of multinationals, or country managers).
EDUCATION CREDENTIALS
| 1988 1993 |
Technical University of Wroclaw, M. Sc. in Applied Mathematics,
Graduated first in class, Magna cum Laude, |
| 1986 1991 |
Technical University of Wroclaw, M. Sc. in Civil Engineering,
Graduated first in class, Magna cum Laude, |
|
Three times Prize of the Minister of Education for the most accomplished Polish student |
| 1991 |
Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby/Copenhagen,
Applied Industrial Engineering studies (first ever scholarship for CEE students in WE countries) |
PERSONAL INFO
- Polish nationality.
- Fluent in Polish, English and Spanish and Czech. Moderate in Russian.
Supporting Polish Oncological Association and Ministry of health in improvement of oncological patient care. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Pursuant to art. 7 section 1 of GDPR, I declare that I agree to the processing by the data administrator, i.e. Kornblit & Partners Sp. z o.o., seated in Warsaw, (registered office: ul. Grzybowska 2, lok. 81, 00-131 Warszawa) registered at National Court Register (KRS), managed by Warsaw District Court, XIII Commercial Division of the National Court Register nr 0000096031 (hereinafter reffered to as the of my personal data provided in the job application documents aimed at conducting recruitment. I agree to the use of my CV in the future recruitment processes, and the disclosure of my personal data by the Administrator to third parties employers, directly involved in the recruitment process.