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Verified Expert in Finance
Management Consulting Expert
Location
Princeton, NJ, United States
Toptal Member Since
August 4, 2022
As a former KPMG and PwC consultant and Fortune 1000 executive, Barbara has collaborated with CXOs in diverse industries for 20+ years. She has diversified industry expertise across consumer and industrial products and services, manufacturing, logistics, eCommerce, retail, and technology, which gives her a multi-dimensional approach to problem-solving. Functionally, her work has spanned core operations and front- and back-office processes. Barbara is a mechanical engineer and Kellogg MBA.
Career Highlights
Principal Consultant
StrategyScape
Education Highlights
Master’s Degree
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Bachelor's Degree
University of Washington
Expertise
Work Experience
Principal Consultant
2008 - PRESENT
StrategyScape
- Led commercial due diligence projects where I amplified value drivers and competitive challenges for private equity and corporate acquisitions ranging from $5 to $500 million in value in diverse industries.
- Modeled financials and mapped operations to validate growth and value. Defined markets, competitors, and demand trends to expose opportunities and white space.
- Informed and facilitated shareholder and management decision-making by benchmarking workflows and costs, optimizing prices, and recommending process efficiencies based on industry best practices.
- Developed long-term contractual relationships with multiple global consultancies to provide fractional expertise on strategy and due diligence engagements as part of their consulting teams.
- Executed primary and secondary market research and interview programs to understand customer needs, industry trends, and market intelligence.
- Modeled strategic growth opportunities by creating spreadsheet models of existing or contemplated business operations and developing multiple future scenarios to determine potential value and critical risks.
- Uncovered operational issues, including excess or hidden costs, sliding revenue from underperforming products, ineffective marketing tactics, product or service defects, process bottlenecks, and customer experience weaknesses.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Growth, Operations, Manufacturing, Excel Expert, Supply Chain, Quality Control (QC), Market Fit, Research, Fundraising, Cross-border M&A, Financial Services, Banking & Finance, Strategy, Brand Marketing, Finance, Modeling, DCF Valuation, StatsModels, Mechanical Engineering, DCF Modeling, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Forecasting, Forex Analysis, Target Operating Models, Operating Models, Go-to-market Strategy, Business Process Modeling, Business Model Canvas, Business Modeling, Business Models, Financial Modeling, Business Strategy, M&A Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Pricing, Revenue & Expense Projections, United States, Market Research, Performance Improvement, Process Mapping, Logistics, Supply Chain Optimization, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Go-to-market Plans, Sales Strategy
Advisory Director
2022 - 2023
KPMG
- Delivered a 7-figure strategy transformation project for a $8 billion global leader in food ingredients. Enabled executive leadership team and 100+ international business and functional managers to make decisions affecting global market strategy.
- Quantified cost savings and cash flow improvements for a $100 million PE-owned document printer. Leveraged rapid diagnostic approach to identify EBITDA improvements of $14 million relative to a $2 million target achievable within one year.
- Led procure-to-pay turnaround effort for a $1.5 billion global chemical producer in crisis. Diagnosed critical process weaknesses within a week and implemented immediate revisions to payment, procurement, and inventory management functions.
Focus areas: Business Models, Operating Models, Process Mapping, Manufacturing, M&A Strategy, Strategy, Performance Analysis, Supply Chain, Go-to-market Plans, Sales Strategy
Operational Excellence Consultant (via StrategyScape)
2013 - 2019
Versa Products Company
- Reduced defects and customer complaints by 30% annually for four years by uncovering root causes and redesigning manufacturing processes. Turnaround time for complaints shrunk from months to hours, and shop morale improved.
- Led a 3-day offsite that generated 90+ strategic growth projects presented to the leadership team. Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop a 5-year growth plan, tactical approach and priorities, and team structure required to execute.
- Created a digital marketing role and playbook and led a marketing modernization initiative. Results included a redesigned responsive website with global eCommerce capabilities projected to add 20% in sales to the existing distributor sales model.
- Managed a team of inspectors and a team of senior industrial engineers running Lean projects, which improved morale and sustained efficiencies across multiple quality and production processes, including ISO audits and upgrades.
Focus areas: Lean Manufacturing, Quality Control (QC), Production, Process Design, Operations, Strategy, Brand Marketing, Finance, Modeling, StatsModels, Mechanical Engineering, Growth, Manufacturing, Excel Expert, Supply Chain, Market Fit, Research, Forecasting, Target Operating Models, Operating Models, Go-to-market Strategy, Business Process Modeling, Business Model Canvas, Business Modeling, Business Models, Financial Modeling, Business Strategy, M&A Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Pricing, Revenue & Expense Projections, United States, Market Research, Performance Improvement, Process Mapping, Logistics, Supply Chain Optimization, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Go-to-market Plans, Sales Strategy
Strategy & Operations Consultant (via StrategyScape)
2008 - 2015
Nike
- Increased customer order accuracy and on-time delivery to 100% while reducing labor requirements for the recycled footwear distribution business. Developed processes and standards for product recycling, packaging, and distribution.
- Improving the quality of recycled materials by developing and implementing SOPs across factory operations in the US, EU, and Asia. Doubled yield and enabled ISO standard validation and standardized reporting dashboards across all partner sites.
- Developed a monthly reporting system, measurement method, and website counter to promote the success of the used shoe collection program, which was used in corporate promotions and global sustainability reports.
- Facilitated seamless transition-team onboarding to support a corporate reorganization by developing an operational playbook and team training documentation.
Focus areas: Operations, New Products, Quality Control (QC), Sustainable Development, Sustainable Advisory, Strategy, Brand Marketing, Finance, Modeling, DCF Valuation, Mechanical Engineering, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Growth, Manufacturing, Excel Expert, Supply Chain, Market Fit, Research, DCF Modeling, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Forecasting, Forex Analysis, Target Operating Models, Operating Models, Go-to-market Strategy, Business Process Modeling, Business Model Canvas, Business Modeling, Business Models, Financial Modeling, Business Strategy, M&A Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Pricing, Revenue & Expense Projections, United States, Market Research, Performance Improvement, Process Mapping, Logistics, Supply Chain Optimization, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Go-to-market Plans, Sales Strategy
Global Director Mergers & Acquisitions
2007 - 2007
Tyco
- Built the functional capabilities required to pursue M&A, including target search and screening, internal due diligence, proforma financial modeling, and management negotiations (supporting eight business units).
- Cultivated 10+ attractive acquisition candidates (within six months) valued from $6 to $200 million in safety and security technologies, access control, personal protective equipment, and fire detection.
- Promoted the targeted M&A transactions to the C-suite by guiding business unit executives through negotiations, internal deal reviews, strategy, and transaction execution.
- Standardized financial and valuation models and pitch decks across business units, leading to consistent assessment metrics and more efficient deal reveals with the executive team.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Corporate Strategy, Due Diligence, Operational Risk, Growth Strategy, Cross-border M&A, Banking & Finance, Strategy, Finance, Modeling, DCF Valuation, StatsModels, Mechanical Engineering, Growth, Manufacturing, Operations, Excel Expert, Supply Chain, Market Fit, Research, DCF Modeling, Discounted Cash Flow (DCF), Forecasting, Forex Analysis, Target Operating Models, Operating Models, Go-to-market Strategy, Business Model Canvas, Business Modeling, Business Models, Financial Modeling, Business Strategy, M&A Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Pricing, Revenue & Expense Projections, United States, Market Research, Performance Improvement, Process Mapping, Logistics, Supply Chain Optimization, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Director, Transaction Services and Strategy
2006 - 2007
PwC
- Headed commercial due diligence teams for targets valued at $50 million to $1+ billion for PE and corporate clients in retail, industrial, aerospace, CPG, hospitality, business services, IT, and telecom. Project values ranged from $100,000-$600,000.
- Created a training program for partners and directors covering new practice capabilities in due diligence and growth strategy; presented it to hundreds of colleagues during an annual global management meeting.
- Led teams of 5-8 junior associates and managers to deliver the highest-quality results under demanding timelines, including Excel analyses, PowerPoint reports, and qualitative summaries.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Due Diligence, Due Diligence Consultant, Manufacturing, Consumer Services, Retail, Comparable Company Analysis, Market Sizing, Competitive Analysis, Growth, Cross-border M&A, Financial Services, Banking & Finance, Strategy, Finance, Modeling, DCF Valuation, StatsModels, Mechanical Engineering, Operations, Excel Expert, Market Fit, Research, DCF Modeling, Forecasting, Forex Analysis, Target Operating Models, Operating Models, Go-to-market Strategy, Business Model Canvas, Business Modeling, Business Models, Financial Modeling, Business Strategy, M&A Strategy, Pricing, Revenue & Expense Projections, United States, Market Research, Performance Improvement, Process Mapping, Logistics, Supply Chain Optimization, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Sales Strategy
Education
1997 - 1999
Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA)
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University - Evanston, IL, USA
1983 - 1986
Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering
University of Washington - Seattle, WA, USA
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