Interim & Independent Critical Mandates Lead
I take ownership of complex and critical mandates that require clear decisions, decisive action and reliable delivery.
I am brought in when critical initiatives need to be set up from scratch, have become stuck, or are held back by structures, processes or execution that do not work.
I establish a clear view of the current situation, objectives and required action, develop concrete measures and lead implementation through to a robust outcome.
My focus is on functionally and organisationally demanding situations involving multiple dependencies and functions. I combine analysis, structuring and execution, taking ownership from the initial assessment through to stabilisation.
This helps avoid poor decisions and unnecessary follow-on costs, reduces risk, and stabilises critical initiatives or brings them successfully into operation.
Typical Assignment Situations
My work begins where
the real issue is obscured by numerous symptoms, individual problems or conflicting assessments
unclear objectives and requirements, pending decisions or difficult-to-manage dependencies are blocking an initiative,
critical delivery has stalled, is at risk or is not reaching completion despite pressure on outcomes and timelines.
I analyse and structure the situation, develop concrete measures and, depending on the assignment, lead the issue through to a decision, stabilisation, implementation or completion.
Areas of Engagement
Industries: Banking, financial services and insurance
Business and functional areas: Corporate Banking, Product Management, IT, Finance, Risk, Operations and Governance
Organisational settings: Corporations, corporate groups and larger mid-sized companies
Collaboration & leadership: Direct engagement with executive management, divisional heads and assignment sponsors; leadership of international cross-functional teams and external partners.
Selected Assignments in Analysis, Stabilisation and Delivery
International Managing General Agent | Structural Assessment of a Fragmented Finance Organisation
Situation: Following rapid growth and the consolidation of numerous entities, the organisation, processes and systems were not sufficiently integrated.
Assignment: Establish transparency on the key issues and the most urgent need for action.
Approach: Assessed the German finance organisation under a direct mandate from the Group CFO, structured the issues, and developed and prioritised concrete stabilisation measures as a basis for the organisation’s further development.
Outcome: Delivered a management-level view of the overall situation and a concrete package of measures for short-term stabilisation and further integration.
International Automotive Manufacturer | Stabilisation of a High-Risk Digital Project
Situation: An international web project for a key client was close to termination. Project status, scope and remaining effort could no longer be assessed reliably.
Assignment: Stabilise the project and secure continued delivery.
Approach: Conducted a current-state versus target-state analysis and reset planning, governance and collaboration.
Outcome: Stabilised the project and restored the client’s confidence.
International Bank | Development and Delivery of a Complex Financial Product
Situation: A functionally, technically and regulatorily complex product had not been implemented despite several previous attempts.
Assignment: Restructure the initiative and lead it through to production use.
Approach: Clarified functional requirements, dependencies and priorities, and led delivery across the functions involved.
Outcome: Launched the product, transitioned it into stable operations and significantly expanded the addressable investor base.
Education & Certifications
Education: Diploma in Physics (University of Tübingen & Arizona State University)
Certifications: PMI Project Management Professional (PMP), SAFe Product Owner / Product Manager (POPM)
Languages & Tools
Languages: German and English – full professional proficiency; Spanish – advanced
Tools: Microsoft 365, including Office, Teams and Project; Jira, Confluence and other widely used collaboration and tracking tools; generative AI
CONTACT
Is a critical initiative stuck, at risk or difficult to assess?
Let us discuss the situation and determine whether a focused mandate would help.sonja.thunnessen[at]thunnessen-consulting.com