Gaelle Leon
Innovation project manager and 6 sigma Black belt, Henkel
Business in Occident is getting tougher and tougher because profitability needs to increase no matter what in our economic model even if the drive is going the opposite direction ie: that our fixed cost increases over time. The challenge is everyday tougher both in the profitability point of view and in the globalization of regional team and processes.
As i have a very technical background being in research and development since the beginning of my career holding a master of science in polymer science and technology, 1996, i have been looking for new challenges since my diploma in management studies,2002, which has been concretised in studying & applying 6 sigma process, 2007, with a hidden goal of more external contacts (in the company and customers) than my R&D position allowed.
I believe that six sigma is a great tool to determine what needs to be changed (or not to be changed) to maximise profitability in a business in the long term and hence overcome the challenge of globalization. The idea of measuring, analyse and only then proposing solution(s)/ improvements, implementing it and then controlling the efficiency of the solution seems to me the only way to manage change efficiently and optimize the output. It could help changing the “we fix it now” the “doer” culture of many companies.
I would like to be part of a team that can maximise this output for a business. Furthermore there are the people skills. What a 6 sigma project and team can get from me are my organisational skills, my methodological thinking as well as my drive for results and communication/team player skills that have already been demonstrate through completion of very challenging and diverse projects. contact me for further details.
26 contactsI Project manage / lead 3 Main technology change projects (Full innovation, potential over 10M€ to be considered) Multi regionally based across all department (Research, Development, sales, and manufacturing) from the business side. Accountable for timeline,organizational, sales projection and returns. manage 2 six sigma black belt in the background at customer (DFSS) and internal (manufacturing).
6 sigma black belt: Currently in charge of a Henkel customer 6 sigma Project (Adhesive Industry) . this is a production type 6 sigma project. This customer is 1.5 Million €.
Project management: Currently in charge of 2 main Industrial adhesive Innovation project that have a potential of 8 million € turnover
Deaprtment: Process Solutions Customer Technical Service
As National Adhesives have been bought by main competitor Henkel the 1st of April 2008 my focus has been on integration highly confidential projects
First on manufacturing systems where I helped plant managers to calculate which sites will close in EU. This developed understanding of finance in production and developed even further drive for results and deal with ambiguity. The second project is managing from the business perspective SAP and IT integration of both companies in France. High management strategy, communication skills and people management have been further developed as I have 158 contacts for this project.
Principlechemist & Black belt project manager 6 sigma, National Starch and Chemical, National Adhesive
2007 - 2008From March 2007 in addition of my current R&D responsibilities, I became project manager 6 sigma after internal training as a black belt, this first project involving stability issues of a new technology platform has been highly successful in terms of money and time management. The second project was looking at optimizing output of a hotmelt line for one part and freight cost between 2 manufacturing sites on the other part. Project, time and people management, drive for results and deals with ambiguity have been demonstrated
2002 - 2007Senior chemist to principle chemist (June 2005).
I am in charge of the non woven private label market which includes North Africa and Middle East as an R&D perspective. The scope includes: a minimum of 3 significant development project at a time under minimum supervision; Manufacturing, QC and customer support over 50 formulations made in France, Italy, Sweden and Saudi; Patent research and competitor updates; Maintenance of the ISO 9001; internal and external to customers and suppliers support.
2001 - 2002Assistant research scientist, employed through an agency for ICI strategic research group, I have been in charge of the technical part of the aromatic PUMA project consisting of developing a match to a waterbased resin latex of Zeneca in order to replace it in wood varnish applications in order to save the business £ 500,000. In a year time, the project evolved from 100% flocculation to the first industrial scale up. Drive for results and organisational skills have been developed.
