SSON's Advisory Board – Q&A with LafargeHolcim's Jean-Claude de Vera

SSON's Global Advisory Board guides both our online and our event agendas to ensure we are meeting the needs of our members around the world, no matter what stage of SSO evolution you are at. This month, we introduce our new European Board Members...

Who are you and what is your role?

I am a leader passionate about Business Services and all its transformation enablers – starting with Governance, Human Capital Development, Data and Processes Standardization, Technologies for Automation, Continuous Improvements ...  and ending with Valued Outcomes such as Entreprise Profitable Growth or Working Capital.

What has been the defining moment in your shared services career so far?

I have two defining moments. The first one was when I delivered tangible results in improving Order-to-Cash through data reliability and process efficiency; and the second one was when I contributed to creating European Shared Services at Intel, and Global Business Services at BP Amoco.

Where do you see the industry going in the next 5 years?

I am anticipating new Service Delivery Models leveraging Human Capital and Technologies to combine economies of scales with skills close to operations. 

What is your key objective in the medium term?

To extend GBS scope of service to better contribute to overall Transformation Journey.

What’s your favorite SSO metric/measure and why?

Cycle times, because service level, costs and cash are correlated to the reduction of overall cycle times from decision to execution.

What is one tip that you’d share on driving SSO success?

Build on Continuous Process Improvement tools based on Lean 6 Sigma to empower teams and innovate at the workplace – where the job is done!

Note: Jean-Claude provided valuable input to the 2017 SSO Week Europe agenda – details below.

[inlinead]