Michael is available for hire
Hire MichaelMichael Mertens
Verified Expert in Finance
Management Consulting Expert
Location
Brussels, Belgium
Toptal Member Since
July 7, 2022
Michael led the pricing department of a €4 billion Belgian group, defending over €50 million in EBIT yearly. He has multicultural experience in corporate sectors and strategic consulting. Michael has successfully managed various positions and demonstrated competencies in pricing strategies, tactics, operational excellence, strategic thinking, and change management.
Career Highlights
Associate Director
Deloitte
Education Highlights
Master's Degree
Solvay Brussels School Economics and Management
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
CASS Business School
Certification Highlights
ADKAR
PROSCI
Certified Pricing Manager
European Pricing Platform
Process Engineer
Michael Hammer and Company
Case Studies
Expertise
Work Experience
Associate Director
2022 - PRESENT
Deloitte
- Planned strategic pricing and commercial excellence assignments at various clients.
- Developed an economic value estimation training, combining theory and practice, for delivery to pricing experts.
- Implemented value-based pricing programs for international companies wanting to develop their pricing practices and optimize their value capture.
Focus areas: Pricing, Strategy, Consulting, Microsoft, Pricing Models, Value-based Pricing, Price Governance, Management Consulting, Large-scale Projects, Subscription Pricing, Cost Control
Project Manager
2020 - 2021
Landmark Global
- Integrated the operations of a large Chinese client, set up the data exchange, negotiated the contractual terms with the legal department for €12+ million, and contributed to the pricing definition.
- Implemented the new EU value-added tax regulation in eCommerce for all the non-EU customers of Landmark Global. Clarified the context and implications and ran numerous webinars and customer sessions across Asia, the UK, and Europe to explain it.
- Supported the correct and systematic implementation of the electronic data provision requirements in international goods, transport EAD, and ITMATT, bringing compliance up to 90%+.
Focus areas: Change Management, Microsoft, Finance, Pricing, Strategy, Consulting, Business Law, Pricing RFQ, Pricing Models, Project Management, Large-scale Projects, Cost Control
Corporate Commercial Excellence & Pricing Manager
2019 - 2020
VINCOTTE
- Managed the definition and implementation of a corporate commercial excellence program, focused on value-based pricing and commercial mindset development for €100 million turnovers and bridging the gaps.
- Participated in commercial negotiations, from preparation to defining the price offer, the value selling argumentations, and drilling the teams to restore positive margins €3 million multi-year contracts.
- Contributed to the company's overall transformation to a more commercially oriented one, defining the long-term strategic orientation.
Focus areas: Pricing, Value-based Pricing, Microsoft, Pricing Models, Change Management, Price Governance, Analysis, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Business Cases
Head of Mail and Retail Pricing
2013 - 2018
BPOST
- Managed E2E pricing strategy definition, its approval, implementation, and monitoring for all mail products €2.5 billion.
- Defined the future product and pricing offerings and implemented a five-year concession with the Belgian State for €5 million. This included developing relationships with the state, managing external audits, and restoring sane collaboration bases.
- Organized, negotiated, and implemented a value-based pricing policy and strategy for bids and customized solutions on a €100 million sales scope.
- Planned a strategic program defining long-term product and pricing strategy to protect €100 million EBIT and developed tactics to react to potential market and regulatory evolutions.
- Supervised pricing tracks of the long-term budget plans €50 million EBIT and restore positive relationships with others.
Focus areas: Pricing, RFP Pricing, Pricing Models, Microsoft, Controlling, Strategy, Value-based Pricing, Business Law, Change Management, Price Governance, Business Planning, Analysis, Business Analysis, Forecasting, Business Cases, Subscription Pricing, Cost Control
Business Unit Director
2011 - 2013
BPOST
- Built the vision, mission, and strategy definition and managed a commercial business unit of ten colleagues, serving 250 postal intermediaries accounts and representing more than €300 million in turnover.
- Restored constructive customer relationships and reopened the direct relationships with the operational services of the Belgian Post Group.
- Negotiated the settlements of long-lasting legal cases and directly negotiated a financial settlement with the involved customers.
Focus areas: Sales, Customer Support, Microsoft, Finance, Controlling, Pricing, Strategy, Value-based Pricing, Business Law, Business Planning, Analysis, Business Analysis, Forecasting, Business Cases, Subscription Pricing, Restructuring, Cost Control
Director Process Office
2007 - 2011
Belgian Post Group
- Managed the customer-centric process and management initiative, installed and drove the corporate process governance, advocated transversal process management, and animated two forums of ten C-level and operational members.
- Conducted strategic restructuring, redefining core business and reducing the workforce, physical movement, and reselling selected business lines of a bpost subsidiary.
- Developed and implemented the E2E customer-centric process management program and made it an embedded corporate function, integrating it with the lean program in manufacturing.
Focus areas: Change Management, Business Process Management (BPM), Microsoft, Finance, Controlling, Strategy, Kaizen, Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma, Process Improvement, Large-scale Projects, Business Cases, Restructuring, Cost Control
Global World Class Manufacturing Champion | Africa and Middle East
2001 - 2007
Tetra Pak
- Managed the deployment of kaizen and lean in five factories in the middle east and Africa for industrial and financial performance improvement. Developed a plan that reduced waste by 5%, claims by 14%, and increased asset utilization by 11%.
- Conceived a worldwide structure sharing and implementing the best operational practices and knowledge amongst 40+ factories and central functions.
- Designed, implemented, and delivered global executive learning programs for top management and hands-on training at lower hierarchical levels.
- Introduced process control to the packaging material factories, and re-engineered the product development process which caused on-time deliveries to increase from 20% to 78%.
- Led a team of 12 direct reports and more than 60 team members worldwide.
- Contributed to the definition and rollout of the process-oriented way of working.
Focus areas: Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Lean Six Sigma, Microsoft, Finance, Strategy, Quality Control (QC), Six Sigma, Business Process Management (BPM), Change Management, Process Improvement, Operations Improvement, Productivity Improvement, Performance Improvement, Analysis, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Forecasting, Business Cases, Cost Control
Quality Director - Six Sigma Champion
1999 - 2001
GE Healthcare
- Directed the quality compliance for the french and indian x-ray tube factories and the rollout of the Six Sigma program in these facilities. I was an active member of the division executive management team.
- Renewed the ISO certification successfully one year ahead of legal schedule and FDA certification after a full company closure year before.
- Supervised implementation of the Six Sigma program within the methodology and team coaching, leading asset owners to increase production from 93% to over 95% defects analysis and eradication.
Focus areas: Quality Management, Continuous Improvement, Manufacturing Productivity Improvement, Lean Six Sigma, Microsoft, Finance, Kaizen, Quality Control (QC), Six Sigma, Business Process Management (BPM), Business Planning, Analysis, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Business Cases, Cost Control
Senior Consultant
1995 - 1999
Oliver Wyman
- Managed customer relationships, delivering complete project modules across Europe.
- Defined and implemented a complete restructuring plan for the 350 employees of a Belgian state-owned bank.
- Defined HR management strategies for large multinational telecommunication and utility groups with over 250,000 employees.
- Contributed to practical bottom-line and growth-oriented solutions by gathering market research and analyzing structured data.
Focus areas: Process Redesign, Growth Strategy, Microsoft, Finance, Controlling, Strategy, Consulting, Business Process Management (BPM), Management Consulting, Analysis, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Business Cases, Restructuring, Cost Control
Education
1990 - 1995
Master's Degree in Business Administration: Finance
Solvay Brussels School Economics and Management - Brussels, Belgium
1994 - 1994
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in International Business
CASS Business School - London, UK
Certifications
SEPTEMBER 2015 - PRESENT
ADKAR
PROSCI
OCTOBER 2013 - PRESENT
Certified Pricing Manager
European Pricing Platform
JUNE 2008 - PRESENT
Process Engineer
Michael Hammer and Company
JUNE 2005 - PRESENT
Process Kaizen Engineer
EFESO Consulting
Skills
Industry Expertise
Macroeconomics
Finance
Pricing, Value-based Pricing, Forecasting, Microeconomics, International Finance
Other
Continuous Improvement, Business Process Management (BPM), Process Improvement, Productivity Improvement, Performance Improvement, Price Governance, Subscription Pricing, Microsoft, Management, Controlling, Pricing Models, Consulting, Change Management, Kaizen, Lean Six Sigma, Process Redesign, Growth Strategy, Restructuring, Cost Control, Management Consulting, Business Planning, Analysis, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Business Cases, Finance, Business Law, Marketing, International Commerce, Geography, Strategy, Quality Management, Quality Control (QC), Six Sigma, RFP Pricing, Process Mapping, Sales, Customer Support, Manufacturing Productivity Improvement, Pricing Plans, Conditional Discounts, Degressive Pricing, Pricing RFQ, Project Management, Operations Improvement, Mathematics
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