Designing organizations to create synergies

Core competencies

• Organizational strategy

• Operating model design

• Business analysis

• Organizational transformation

• ITIL methodology

• Value chain analysis

• Strategic assessment

• Cybersecurity

• Governance

• Workshop facilitation

• Stakeholder management

Context

As Western Europe Delivery Enablement Manager within a global IT services organization, I contributed to strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening Delivery capabilities across Europe, primarily in the areas of Cloud and Cybersecurity.

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My role provided a cross-functional view of multiple European countries, working closely with Country Leaders, Business Unit Directors, and Delivery teams to identify opportunities for growth, capability sharing, and operating model optimization.

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One of the most strategic initiatives focused on designing a common operating model for the cybersecurity activities of two European countries. The objective was not simply to align two organizations, but to build a regional cybersecurity capability capable of supporting future business growth.

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The challenge

The two organizations had evolved independently for several years.

Each had developed its own cybersecurity portfolio, technology partnerships, certifications, delivery capabilities, operating processes, and ways of working.

Before defining a future operating model, we first needed to answer several strategic questions:

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• What capabilities do we currently have?

• Which areas of expertise are complementary?

• Which cybersecurity services should be aligned?

• What operating model would improve performance without impacting customer experience?

The challenge was to design an organization that could create synergies while preserving local expertise, service quality, and trusted customer relationships.

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My approach

I joined the initiative to support the strategic assessment and contribute to the design of the future operating model.

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Early in the project, I proposed structuring our work around the ITIL continual improvement model, using a common framework to answer three fundamental questions: Where are we today? Where do we want to be? What capabilities do we need to get there?

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This approach established a shared methodology and ensured that all stakeholders worked from the same understanding of the current situation.

Over several weeks, we assessed both organizations using a common analytical framework covering:

• cybersecurity service portfolios;

• delivery capabilities;

• technical expertise;

• strategic technology partners;

• certifications;

• operating processes;

• governance;

• organizational structure;

• target markets and key customers.

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Beyond the internal assessment, I ensured that customer impact remained central to every recommendation. The future operating model had to strengthen collaboration between teams while providing customers with seamless access to the combined cybersecurity expertise of both countries.

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Results

The project delivered a shared strategic assessment together with a structured operating model proposal for the European leadership team.

The initiative enabled us to:

• align stakeholders around a common strategic vision;

• identify complementary capabilities across both organizations;

• develop a transformation roadmap based on objective analysis;

• define an operating model covering governance, service portfolio management, capability development, and knowledge sharing.

Beyond the deliverables, this initiative reinforced a key principle: successful organizational transformation requires aligning business strategy, operational capabilities, and customer value—not simply redesigning an organizational structure.

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What this experience enables me to bring to organizations today

This experience reinforced my conviction that high-performing organizations are not built around organizational charts, but around a deep understanding of their value chain, capabilities, markets, customers, and strategic ambitions.

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Today, I begin every transformation initiative by building a shared diagnosis before designing a target operating model. This approach helps organizations identify synergies, make evidence-based decisions, and develop operating models that support sustainable growth while maintaining operational excellence.