ABOUT ME
A digital transformation leader with a deep belief that amazing products and platforms, are delivered by motivated and engaged people. Continuous learner, growth mindset and passionate about technology applied to solve problem in everyday life and achieve more in our society.
With more than 20 years of international experience in delivering digital transformations across Finance, Human Resources, Marketing and Operations in global, cross-functional and matrix organisations in manufacturing industry.
Entrepreneurial and agile spirit applied to large organisations to dream, design & deliver successful digital transformation journeys that challenge the status quo and bring innovative ideas to solve problems.
With a passion for people, technologies and data and a strong interest in identifying and implementing meaningful use cases for the adoption at scale of Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, IoT, Advanced Analytics and for shifting business strategies from products to platforms.
If you’re interested in learning more about me, keep reading or get in touch.
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. "
Steve Jobs
Background & Expertise
GROUP VICE PRESIDENT,
Global Information Management lead for People Analytics, ZÜRICH
February 2018 - Present
In this role I advice HR senior managers in shaping the strategic people analytics vision and prioritizing the multi-year roadmap.
I also orchestrate the different IT stakeholders for the implementation and operations delivery and lead the HRIS analytics product management team. While in this role I have had the opportunity to successfully deliver within a challenging environment and with a very talented team of professionals, the first global people analytics dashboard.
GROUP VICE PRESIDENT,
Head of ABB Information Management (AIM) Product Management and IS Business Engagement, ZÜRICH
November 2016 - Present
MY EXPERIENCE
Background & Expertise
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, Authena AG, ZUG
Mar 2021 - Present
In this role I'm responsible for growing the company’s base of users/customers across different verticals (Pharma, Agrochemical, Mechanical OEM, Food& Beverages, Fragrances&Cosmetics), co-leading generation and sales enablement with the head of sales and business development team, increasing revenue and profits; driving engagement and retention; and leading creative, brand, and communications strategies.
FINANCE INNOVATION MANAGER, Schindler Group, EBIKON
Dec 2019 - Feb 2021
In this role I led initiatives to achieve Schindler's new Reporting vision: a user-friendly, mobile, reporting platform that offers state of the art visualisation and multi-currency functionalities.
Finalised a harmonised steering concept in close cooperation with the Business and our internal IT services.
Defined and Implemented Managed Self Service approach, Data Strategy and Governance Framework with support of internal and external experts.
Implemented digital reporting functionalities and touchless reporting based on single source of truth
Defined initial set up for the Center of Excellence for Reporting
BOARD MEMBER, AUTHENA AG
Dec 2019 - Present
Authena AG is the first provider of a highly innovative technology solution for brand product security and product tracing. We created an end-to-end tracing system allowing brands and enterprises to implement cost-efficient global end-to-end and safe sales solutions. We are the inventors of this innovative smart end-to-end mobile marketing system (European and US Patent Pending) – a technology for the future.
I'm helping the executive team to prioritise and execute. Building strong relationships with other board members, stakeholders and key investors. Supporting the executive team in shaping the startup growth and scale-up strategy and accessing funding opportunities.
GROUP VICE PRESIDENT, ABB
Global Information Management lead for People Analytics, ZÜRICH
February 2018 - Nov 2019
In this role I advised HR senior managers in shaping the strategic people analytics vision and prioritising the multi-year roadmap.
I also orchestrated the different IT stakeholders for the implementation and operations delivery and led the HRIS analytics product management team. While in this role I had the opportunity to successfully deliver within a challenging environment and with a very talented team of professionals, the first global people analytics dashboard.
GROUP VICE PRESIDENT,
Head of ABB Information Management (AIM) Product Management and IS Business Engagement, ZÜRICH
Nov 2016 - Nov 2019
With my global team of senior product managers transitioning into the IS Business Engagement Organization, we managed the Group Business Information (BI) applications as well as Group Reporting, Treasury and Corporate Tax applications. I was responsible for the overall budget of more than 50 MUSD and for the professional leadership of 25 employees. The biggest challenge was to align stakeholders' expectations with the real authorised IT budget. I was also been tasked to build up the worldwide IS BEM organization for Finance and to start gaining visibility over the local IS finance portfolio and spend.
GROUP VICE PRESIDENT,
Head of ABB Information Management (AIM) Product Management, ZÜRICH
July 2016 - Nov 2016
In this role I was responsible of critical mission finance digital products portfolio and these products' stakeholders needs to further simplify and automation this digital portfolio. In charge of the overall budget of more than 10 MUSD and the professional leadership of 20 employees (15 near shore).
My team's goal was to integrate people, data, processes and business systems and actively manage the planning and delivery of these finance digital products globally and at all stages of their lifecycle.
GROUP VICE PRESIDENT, ABB
Several management positions in the Global Digital Finance applications and part of the Global Finance Management team, ZÜRICH
March 2014 - June 2016
In this 2 years period I rotated in different areas of the Digital Finance organization and I held progressively responsibilities in highly mission critical applications. I started managing the digital product portfolio in the governance risk and control area where I was tasked to merge different groups in one performing team and I achieved it by shifting our team to Agile/Scrum. I role modelled in the Digital Finance Department the Product Ownership for our main application (GRCM) and introduced a cross-functional governance structure to manage GRCM as a true enterprise risk management platform beyond only Finance and Controlling. Then I moved managing the Finance Applications Managers of Group Finance & Controlling, Group Treasury and Corporate Tax where we started to shift the application management more toward a comprehensive product management framework across all lifecycle stages and in alignment with the business processes needs and vision.
Finally I led the Global Business Intelligence Applications where the biggest achievement with my team was to successfully migrate with no unplanned disruptions, the entire Global BI landscape (SAP BW, BO, EP) to new in-sourced data center, new hardware and new database technology (HANA) realizing a cost saving of more than 400KUSD p.a. (hosting and operations).
Head of ABB Group HR Information Systems, ZÜRICH
June 2011 - March 2014
In this role I was responsible of developing the HRIS team across the internal 8 ABB Regions, while shaping the HRIS role itself. Together with my HRIS team we were in charge of assuring a technological adequate and cost-effective information system in use at ABB’s global Human Resources management. We actively supported the development and cross-country leverage of suitable tools and systems. I developed the first HRIS strategy ever in ABB and managed its first three years execution, including a practical hybrid approach to cloud solutions (just emerging at that time) to build internal knowledge and balance the “on premises” investments. At the same time I was for those 3 years the platform manager of the HR group tools (group global SAP Talent Management and Acquisition platform) 12MUSD yearly budget
Group IS ERP Competence Center One Simple ABB Implementation Support Manager, ZÜRICH
Jan 2007 - June 2011
In this role I was responsible of Group Project quality assurance and country support for India Middle East and Africa; Mediterranean and South Americas regions during their country/regional SAP implementation. I supported countries in their SAP consolidation projects, as a group quality assurance assessor and as a rescue project manager for projects in trouble. I was based in Dubai for 3 months for securing the last phase of the country project roll in into the cross-regional SAP system. My main role was to set the basic PMO processes to gain visibility over the real project status, to assess project risk and provide quality information to the cross-regional and country senior management team.
I was at the same time the SAP Business Process Expert for the Finance Domain, I authored several Group position paper for the practical Implementation in SAP (ie for Intra-company sales implementation, for Credit management country policy, for production Over/under absorption postings, etc) and co-authored the first SAP Group Segregation of Duties template. I defined the first Group strategy and roadmap implementation of SAP Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) for managing real time Segregation of Duties controls and harmonizing the SAP User Access provisioning. I was also Group IFRS ERP Stream lead, defining SAP implementation guidelines for the transition from USGAAP to IFRS.
SAP expert, IT Project Manager and IT Finance/Controlling team Lead, ABB MILAN
Oct 1999 - Sept 2008
More than 8 years of work experience in SAP R/3 system implementations within ABB Italy, both in ordinary and special maintenance (e.g. company merger, spin off, release upgrades).
I started in ABB with 6 months of Internship in the ABB Italy Automation Segment during their first SAP R/3 system implementation. Focusing during the first 3 months in Production Planning SAP module and then for remaining in Project System SAP Module. The first assignment in ABB in my permanent position was the role of SAP CO module Consultant and after 1 year of training on the job with an external consultant, I became the only Senior CO consultant of ABB SACE (at that time representing the Automation Product in Italy with 18 plants, 2580 employees and 1.300 SAP users). The process complexity was such to cover most of the business processes: Trading of products, Production -ETO/MTO/ATO/MTS-, Project business, Service. I led the IT Finance/Controlling Team of ABB SACE . In the role of leading IT Project Manager Finance and Controlling (from 2001 to 2006) I was part of several ABB projects either in Italy (SAP new implementations and activation of new functionalities) or internationally (as Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, Margin Transparency, International SAP implementation in ABB Argentina and ABB Dubai). I was based in Buenos Aires for 3 months for the SAP Country implementation in ABB Argentina as ABB SACE Implementation manager, team leader for FI-CO modules and CO module senior consultant.
MY CORE COMPETENCIES
What I Do
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Strategic Planning, roadmapping and execution
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Business Process re-design and digitalisation
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Executive and Senior Management advisory
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Digital Product Management
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Customer and User Experience simplification
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Change Management
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Stakeholders engagement
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Profit & Loss Management and Budget optimisation
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Vendor management
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Team building and People development
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SAP Implementations
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Portfolio and Program Management
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Professional Project Management (Waterfall, Agile and hybrid)
Contact me directly to learn more specifics about my core competencies
EDUCATION
What I’ve Learned
Blockchain
SAP Leonardo - an Introduction to Blockchain
Oct 2018
Oxford - Blockchain Strategy Programme
Mar 2019
ai-iOT-BIG DATA-
platforms
Digital Transformation: Platform Strategies for Success
Feb 2019
Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy Program
Oct 2018
Internet of Things: roadmap to a connected world
May 2016
Tackling the challenge of Big Data
Dec 2014
Leadership-Management-Industrial Engineering
Politecnico di Milano, MSc Industrial and Mngt Engineering
Dec 1999
Harvard Business School, Leading with Impact Program
July 2012
IMD, ABB Finance Leadership Program
May 2016
SDA Bocconi, Management Program
Sept 2004
Program/Project Management - agile and more
Agile Alliance,
Scrum Master and Scrum Product Owner
Dec 2015
Project Management Institute (PMI),
PMP®
Jan 2010
American Society of Quality (ASQ),
Six Sigma Green Belt
June 2011
Squared online/Google
Digital Marketing Program
Mar 2015
“She was our program manager in one of the biggest software transformation programs in recruitment area (..) which was delivered with high quality and on time, (...) while providing considerable improvements to user experience.
I really liked working with her and appreciated her dynamist, desire for perfection and future vision.
She sets the targets high and brings the team along to reach them.
Her nice personal touch and sense of humor helps her achieving that.
Her technology savviness is outstanding. Her strategic thinking sets the right path.”
— Anita Vincze, Head of Global Talent Acquisition and Competency Management
“I had the pleasure to work with Rossana on a special Cloud Project she was leading at ABB. As back then Enterprise Cloud was still in its infancy for large Enterprises, Rossana handled the initiative brilliantly. She played a Key role working with multiple stakeholders to reach a unified vision and drove the project to success. Working with Rossana is a joyful experience! ”
— Arash Said, EVP, Corporate Development
“ Rossana was my manager, (…) During the one year we worked closely together, she was always very helpful, setting clear targets and supporting me wherever and whenever needed; she is a true "people manager". Even in adverse circumstances, she always stays positive and is able to transfer that attitude towards her employees, helping them to achieve better results. She helped greatly in pushing a major project to success (…) This was greatly due to her excellent communication skills. Without her, the project would never have succeeded.
Also, she is able to quickly understand the origin of problems, be they technical or personal, and is happy to advise on potential solutions and share her experience and knowledge. I was happy to work with her and am thankful for the many things I learnt from her.”
— Daniel Baumgartner, Data Analytics
“Rossana makes optimum use of her wide-ranging knowledge, experience and always applies her strategic thinking and action in the interest of the company. Rossana promotes positive collaboration in a team situation, fosters a trusting relationship with her team and a positive feedback culture. (…). She is a good listener and is capable of adopting a different perspective and presenting objective arguments. She recognizes her staff's achievements and potential, encourages and develops them successfully according to their capabilities, and points out specific development options. Rossana is able to adapt quickly to new situations and considers changes and challenges as opportunities. She demonstrates a high degree of motivation and willingness to systematically further develop her extensive knowledge, personally and professionally. This very much helped me and the team to calibrate our overall direction and drive change in a committed way in the face of much active and passive resistance within our stakeholder community.”
— Patrick Jung,Group VP, Head Information Management
TESTIMONIALS
What people I worked with, say about our collaboration
"Do not go where the path may lead. Instead, go where there is no path and leave a trail"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
LET’S CONNECT
