Laure Descotes, Project Manager in London, United Kingdom
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Laure Descotes

Verified Expert  in Project Management

Project Manager

Location
London, United Kingdom
Toptal Member Since
July 19, 2019

Laure has been a project manager for more than 15 years, mostly in IT services companies. She has significant experience in management and project direction by leading IT projects for major industrial companies, and more recently for startups. She can manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders and knows how to work under pressure and stay focused on her objectives. She likes facing new challenges with creativity and efficiency.

Work Experience

Chief Operations Officer

2020 - PRESENT
MyResonance
  • Joined the founder team to develop the product and business.
  • Managed customer relationship: from prospection and bid to contract management and project lead.
  • Defined the business strategy and plan for the next three years: go-to-market, competitor analysis, business model.
  • Developed the product roadmap of a digital platform that allows users to collectively engage in positive activities for society and the planet, invest in charity and impact projects, and build a unique type of universal online identity for good.

Co-founder/Project Manager

2018 - PRESENT
StartMadeSimple
  • Led the ISO certification process for industrial and IT companies.
  • Led operations for a startup (Tech for Good) in the development of their first projects.
  • Managed marketing and website projects for industrial and IT companies.
  • Helped startups with their project and business plans in various domains, such as medical portals, breweries, and fintech.
  • Managed the website design and creation for startups and created their marketing strategy.

International Development Director

2017 - 2019
B-CAM, Ltd.
  • Led national and international tender projects (France, Australia, Poland, Canada, UK) for public and private sectors.
  • Developed the international marketing strategy through main security trade shows, presentations, networking, and social media.
  • Managed the website development from design to deployment.
  • Managed the achievement of quality certifications: ISO 27001 and 9001 achieved in January 2018 and renewed in 2019, and GDPR in April 2018.
  • Supported the development and the support team for organization and priorities (three engineers).

Program Director

2015 - 2016
CGI
  • Led programs to build and maintain major industrial companies (Schneider Electric, STMicroelectronics).
  • Managed multiple teams at the same time, up to 35 people. Led the project's sourcing, recruitment, and career management.
  • Built strong customer relationships, responsible for the customer satisfaction and escalation process.
  • Handled financial engagement, including budget and profit, as well as risk management.
  • Managed contractual commitments: contract and scope of work.
  • Managed teams and project managers on Agile and Waterfall methodologies.

Senior Project Director

2012 - 2015
CGI
  • Led a support and development team (up to 25 people) dedicated to automation for the 24/7 production in a cleanroom factory for the semiconductor industry.
  • Led business intelligence projects (more than 2,000 man-days and 12 people) delivered on time and on budget with an increase in sales of more than 30% for the client.
  • Oversaw the global commitment and delivery quality of projects for the division (200 people, about 30 projects) including risk management, monthly reporting to CGI board, and coaching and animation of project managers.
  • Created and animated training dedicated to junior project managers: how to improve communication and negotiation skills and behavior. Trained 150 managers and created an active network.
  • Animated big teams (up to 35 people) and managed careers and evolution.
  • Led projects to build and maintain products for major industrial companies (Schneider Electric, STMicroelectronics, Soitec).

Project Director

2008 - 2012
Logica
  • Led a team in charge of innovative projects on Solar development and automation. It was a complex project with short key milestones, important financial stakes, and an extended team (France and Philippines).
  • Managed a strategic project to support production growth for a semiconductor company. Managed to deliver a complex new software core application in a short time without disturbing the 24/7 production.
  • Led teams on Agile and Waterfall methodologies from five to 20 people.
  • Managed the bid response team and delivered on two major industrial accounts. Managed and coordinated the different stakeholders’ commitments.
  • Oversaw local recruitment in partnership with the HR manager, including candidate selection and interviews, propositions, and feedback to the board, as well as integration sessions.

Project Manager

2005 - 2008
Logica
  • Managed a maintenance team (up to 15 people) dedicated to marketing, logistics, and sales applications for an industrial company.
  • Managed the IT transition for an industrial company and achieved the transition within schedule and targets.
  • Ran an innovative project to build a new transport system for the cleanroom factory for a semiconductor company.
  • Worked as a consultant on an innovative project for a semiconductor company to secure the project plan and reported directly to the CEO.
  • Led a testing campaign for a sensitive project on an industrial property for a research institute.
  • Led projects to build and maintain products for major industrial companies (Schneider Electric, Orange, CEA, Soitec).

Project Manager

2000 - 2005
Unilog
  • Developed new mobile offers in partnership with marketing and sales for a major telecom company.
  • Managed a development team of up to 12 people on build projects.
  • Built processes and team organization for a maintenance project to an industrial company.
  • Worked on the recruitment and junior integration processes for the company.

Quality Certification Management

Led the implementation of business processes and the ISO 9001 certification for an IT consulting company.

The project was to ensure the ISO 9001 certification in a short delay for a new division of an IT consulting company. The project was a success, with the implementation of processes for the entire scope of action, from sales to delivery and HR management, and the successful certification.

Website and Design for a New Product (NDA)

Led the marketing product launch for a new product developed by a startup.

Management of the product marketing development. Design, website development, social media strategy.

International Bid Project for a Security Tender (NDA)

Led a bid project between the UK and French teams.

The project was time-constrained with a very short deadline and the strict conditions of a public tender. The bid needed to be built between two partners, new to each other, with a lot of stakeholders to coordinate and some language issues. We succeeded in delivering a high-level proposal, ranked in the top three.

Strategic Marketing BI Application for an Industrial Leader in Energy Management

Led three business intelligence projects to improve sales process efficiency.

In coordination with the marketing and sales departments, we built strategic marketing BI applications to help business units improve their sales. It was an international context with the customer’s units based in France, the US, Singapore, and Ireland.

The projects represented more than 2,000 man-days (up to 12 people) and we delivered on time and within the budget following Agile Methodology. It was a success with an increase in sales of more than 30%.

Application Management Project for a Major Semiconductor Company

Led a team dedicated to strategic IT applications.

Led a support and development team (up to 25 people) dedicated to automation project for the 24/7 production in a clean room factory. We achieved a high standard of quality and ensured reactivity based on challenging KPIs and helped the company answer their production increase challenge.

Strategic Software Development Project for a Major Semiconductor Company

Led a major software development project to support production growth.

Strategic project management to support production growth. We had to build a complex new application in a short time without disturbing the 24/7 production line. We succeeded in delivering 2,500 man-days of work in eight months with my team (up to 20 people in the peak period) and answered the production growth needs. In the meantime, I successfully led automation projects to ensure current production.

Automated IT System for a Semiconductor Company

Innovative project to build a new transport system for the clean room factory.

The project was to build a new transport system for the clean room factory (material transport operated by robots in the clean room). I was acting as a consultant (reporting to Soitec CEO) and as a project manager for the team in charge of IT development. The project was a success and significantly improved factory production.

IT Transition Management for an Industrial Leader in Energy Management

Led the transition for application management in an outsourcing context.

Responsible for the transition management when the IT department of an industrial company was outsourced to an IT company. The scope covered six different applications and a team of 25 people. We achieved the transition within schedule and targets.
1995 - 1997

Master's Degree in Engineering

ESIGEC - Chambery, France

1993 - 1994

Bachelor's Degree in Biology

Sciences and Technologies University - Lyon, France

APRIL 2004 - PRESENT

Project Management

LOGICA University

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