Project Team Leader

Experience

• Organisation, under the auspices of an EU-Lebanese Industrial Modernisation Programme (EU funded), of four international study visits (to over 6 EU Member states & Pre-accession Countries) for VIPs and Directors of Chambers of Commerce and senior BSI Officials.

Aug-Sept 06 EQUATORIAL GUINEA / EU EDF

• Team leader for of preparation of logframe (including ulterior evaluation criteria and KPIs, components, contents and financial proposal for the 9^th EDF in E.Guinea. Fields of intervention aimed at Civil Society, Regional integration / trade and APE, support to Parliamentary institutions, justice and judiciary, constitutional law, social (health and education) statistics.

Apr-May ’06 AFGHANISTAN / Universal Postal Union (Berne, Switzerland)

• To prepare a complete organisational restructuring, productivity analysis and a general evaluation of the Afghan Post Office’s present marketing, HR, organisational, commercial and regulatory situation, and definition of a number of possible and realistic strategies for the rehabilitation of its postal services and the development of new services (EMS, money transfer, micro-credit, insurance, voting facilitation, etc)

Jan – Feb ’06 EGYPT / USAID

• Project performance Evaluation of the major USAID Agribusiness support programme, dedicated to poverty alleviation and employment for horticulture and livestock small farmers in Upper Egypt. Study of needed modifications to all contractors’ methodologies and procedures, basic numerical evaluation of claimed achievements, local and macro economic. Impact assessment, analysis of effectiveness and sustainability (Legacy) of results.

April – Nov. ‘05 SYRIA / HIBA (Higher Institute for Business Administration)

• Series of Management training courses and simultaneous training of trainers in the framework of a national MBA diploma. Disciplines : enterprise development and business processes, HRM leadership, change management.
  

Feb- October ’05 ALL MEDA COUNTRIES / European Union

• Project identification and design for 20 M€ multilateral programme on legal & regulatory alignment concerning all trade and commerce issues for 9 MEDA countries (South-South and North-South), based on existing EU Strategies : Euro-Mediterranean free trade area, Neighbourhood Policy and negotiated “Action plans”.

• The scope of work included

  • Market issues :

Free Circulation of People, Goods & Services, Public Procurement & Contracts, Capital investment & repatriation of profits, Intellectual and industrial Propriety Rights, Competition law, Customs, Tax, Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary, Consumer Protection, Industrial Policies, Transport, Energy, Electronic Communication, Environment

• Continuation of Euro-Mediterranean Free-Trade Area :

Customs (Legislation & Procedures, ICT usage, Administrative simplification & reform, ASYCUDA, SAD, Rules of Origin), Trade Facilitation (Legislation and procedures, Administrative Cooperation, Standardization & Lab Accreditation, Conformity assessment), Free Trade (capital & services, including agricultural)

Jan-Feb ’05 EGYPT / Private Client :International Consultancy Firm

• For the launch of a commercial diplomacy and export / trade enhancement programme, preparation and organisation of a large workshop for programme stakeholders, (work based on collective reflection on the Logframe and other planning and monitoring tools). Significant effort into implementing ‘culture change’ at the level of the project management team.

Oct – Nov ’05 BRUSSELS / DG ECHO

• Administrative Evaluation of 170 NGO ECHO partners, based on a case-by-case study of administrative capacity and compliance with EC requirements for Procurement, Legal and Accounting Procedures and Practices, Fund allocation and other issues. Design and application of a complete evaluation methodology, using a data base and an integrated statistical analysis tool, along with suggestions of organisational and administrative changes to several procedures and processes.

Oct-Nov ’04 SYRIA / European Union

• Set-up and organisation of a two day strategy-building workshop and negotiation round table, aimed at reconciliation between the EU Delegation and relevant Ministries about an EU co-funded Project to establish a higher education and MBA Institute. Tasks included mediation between the parties and moderation during the workshop, as well as suggested re-organisation of some basic administrative workflows and processes.

Sept-Oct ’04 YEMEN / European Union

• Team member, dedicated to administrative improvement, Organisational Development and HRD issues on a Capacity-building and productivity-enhancement project for the national Social Development Fund organisation. Specific tasks: develop mission methodology for Capacity evaluation, identify Training Needs to lay out a training policy, design templates and interview formats, conduct organisational workflow management and capacity analysis through head office work and field visits to most Branch offices.

May-June ’04 SYRIA / European Union

• Design of a number of strategic options and macro-economic policies to develop the efficiency and scope of the Business Support Institutions (public sector) and the Business Support providers (private sector).

• Task included intensive survey of businesses and critical analysis of the mandate and internal administration of existing organisations, as well as study of best practices from existing IMC and PSD projects.

Feb-Mar. ’04 EGYPT / Government of Egypt

• Establishing options for the future network structure of BSPs and BAS throughout the country. Design of the legal and administrative structure of the apex organisation, as well as its mandate. TORs included defining the scope and nature of its advisory services and the voucher system for subsidy allocation, as well as a strong element of administrative reorganisation and organisational culture change

Aug.-Oct. ’03 EGYPT / European Union / Government of Egypt

• Re-engineering and definition of a strategy for one of the four departments of a large project (450 M€), dedicated to Industrial modernisation and productivity improvement.

• Mission objective : audit the organisation, study flows of information and workload management, identify and layout possible strategic orientations for the coming years, pending the end of EU financing, design and propose new component project structure.

• Tasks included : data analysis of the organisation’s activities and its internal organisation , search for “market” competences and capacity, identification of potential local and international partners, complete structural re-organisation.

March.- Aug 03 ALGERIA / USAID / Hewlet Packard

• Design phase for a “digital business village” network linking the local University, business centre for SMEs and a number of public administration organisations.

• Tasks included meeting with potential business and political partners both in Europe and in Algeria, design of structure and methodology for the project management, selection of recipient municipality and local NGOs.

Feb. –July ’03 MOROCCO / UNICEF / Générale des eaux (Veolia)

• Setup and project management and monitoring for a “school rehabilitation” programme in the Rif region around Tangiers.

• The project is funded by Veolia, UNICEF Maroc, UNICEF France, private funds from Regions and municipalities in Europe. Responsibilities covered : project management for the main group of donors, design of monitoring methods and tools, search for additional donors and negotiating of the legal and contractual multilateral agreements

Dec. ‘02 JORDAN / SYRIA / Private client

• Brief evaluation and fact-finding mission, with European and Lebanese experts, to study the business parameters and logistical constraints for the export of semi-processed industrial materials to the EU.

March-Sept 2002 LEBANON / EU MEDA

• Over thirty general process and productivity audits (average of one-week each) of food & packaging industry SMEs applying for EU-funded TA (ELCIM).

• Design of diagnostics & evaluation tools and procedures for TA project : diagnostics of industrial companies applying for EU-funded TA. Evaluation report and TOR writting for all TA generated (over 150 TORs)

• Objectives : identify and prioritise any possible TA needs, to allow firm to become more competitive prior to EU-MEDA free-trade agreement.

• Main focus on : productivity, workflow & process engineering, strategy, marketing, export, HACCP, ISO 9000, GMPs

Nov-Dec. 2001 LEBANON / FRANCE / EU DG1 / Lebanese Ministry of foreign affairs

• Administrative reorganisation of diplomatic representations in France. Study of the management structure, MIS, Communication and Productivity of the various overseas posts of the Ministry in France.

• Analysis and re-design of administrative tools, systems and procedures, rationalisation & standardisation of work methods, report to the Ministry and the EU OMSAR project

Aug. 2001 SRI LANKA / USAID

• Strategic study for the entire tea industry sector of the island. Search for strategic business partners

• Responsibilities focused on the long-term commercial and marketing strategies, investment and human capital policies. Work included negotiations with different sub-sectors (growers, brokers, exporters) to promote improved cooperation and research of “cluster models” in other countries.

May-01 SERBIA / MONTENEGRO / Private client

• Feasability study for a hydrology project involving market study, logistical analysis, and export potential for a geothermal water supply. Evaluation of business potential and exploration of revenue generation for business partners and the local municipality.

July ‘99 / Aug. ’01 ARUBA / E.U. DG8

• Managementcapacity improvement Project for the Public service and the private sector.

• 14 missions Objective : increasing capacity and national self-sufficiency in Management by high-level training & consultancy. Responsibilities : designing training seminars , conferences and courses, marketing the Institute and its services, carrying out training and consultancy (internal & external), using media to expand public coverage, preparing ISO 9000.

Sept. ’00 SPAIN / E.U. DG1 MEDA

• Project on-site study and complete evaluation of previous rehabilitation strategy for a Euro-Arab Business Management training Institute. Design of modifications to Financing Agreement and TAP for vote by Member states. Cultural change and new administrative processes suggested toward a more business-oriented approach.

July. ‘00 EX-YUGOSLAVIA / French NGO

• Brief fact-finding trip. Objective : explore the field for possibilities of relief operations, identify need for T.A. , seek reliable and capable potential local partners

1999 (April) VENEZUELA / Private Client

• Marketing and logistics study for export of high value-added fresh tropical fruit to European, Japanese and US markets

• Two man-month mission to establish possible development strategies to help re-build the production and export capacity of SMEs and SMIs in Lebanon. Defining macro-economic and political objectives and designing approach methodology and evaluation procedures.

1998 (July / Aug.) MADAGASCAR / USAID : Training project impact evaluation

• Evaluation of impact, both macro-economic and on recipient financial institutions (Central Bank of Madagascar), of 5 yr. training program funded by USAID, Swiss Aid and World Bank.

1998 (Mar. / Apr.) ARUBA / E.U. DG1 : Inception phase for SME / SMI capacity building project

• Conception and design of a five year project to set up a management improvement and training center.

1996-7 (Nov./ Mar.) TUNISIA / EC DG 1 MEDA : "Appui au Fond d'Insertion Professionnelle"

• Exploratory, Monitoring & Evaluation : support to national SME training

• 2 missions institution to develop their capacity to raise production and reach export-level product quality / reliability. Special emphasis put on SMEs with high-value export capacity

1996 (July-Aug.) DJIBOUTI / World Bank / IDA. Private Sector Development Reconnaissance

• Mission : Identify constraints to SME growth, determine needs for services, regional possibilities, potential for capacity building, ie. Chamber of Commerce, Review regulatory Environment. Recommendations for IDA “next steps”

1996 / 97 ZAMBIA / EU DG 8, (BAS) Zambia Export Growers Assoc.(ZEGA)

• Mgmt. training needs analysis for Individual member enterprises; design, organisation and conduct of training of trainers programme.

• 6 missions Business Advisory Services to individual exporters & associations : included

  • re-engineering transit & storage enterprise in Lusaka airport

  • quality control and process flow in floriculture

  • analysis of individual farms to evaluate coffee exporter’s weaknesses

  • examine the effectiveness of tobacco farmer’s operations and Association

  • study of the export bottlenecks an the commodities’ production environment

1995 / 96 LITHUANIA / EU PHARE, Agriculture and Fisheries sector rehabilitation project.

• Responsible for setup of training school and cursus design and training of trainers in a series of ongoing short term missions. Throughput: 2000 trainees p.a.

1995 MAURITIUS / World Bank: Project Identification study,

• In the framework of a co-financing agreement for consultancy inputs, study of the Island’s major consultancy needs : restructuring textile, sugar,distillery and tourism industries. Special focus on process-improvement, re-organisation, productivity improvement for FDI-generating and exporting industries

1994 – 95 MALDIVES / World Bank IDA / UNDP: pre-privatisation programme

• For national tuna fisheries industry, logistics and management skills and training project coordination for 1.5 man / year project. four-week missions over 2 yrs.

• 6 missions

4 missions SPAIN / EC / CEDRE / DG16: Series of short M&E audit missions of PACTE

• Audit and impact assessment of the PEE projects funded in Spanish regions. Member of evaluation committee (technical expert).

• 4 missions

1994 VENEZUELA / Private client

• Study of export potential for Europe of high-value added tropical agriculure products. Production capacity and logistics analysis

1994 HUNGARY / France (Aquitaine Region) (bi-lateral) funded Hungarian SME

• Hungarian SME public/private sector development seminars. Project leader, 300 hour training cursus for public/private sector senior executives and entrepreneurs in management related disciplines, sponsor co-financing from (Volkswagen, Bull, Credit Lyonnais, France Télécom.........).

• 2 missions

1993-1994 BELGIUM / FRANCE / Managing Partner: SOBIC (Société Belge d'Ingénieurs Conseil)

• ISO9000/TQM quality control conformity. For both SME and major industrial clients: preparation; monitoring and evaluation of manufacturing productivity.

• Systems analysis; re-engineering; management systems implementation (MIS), productivity and cost-cutting. Organisation of seminars. For small and medium manufacturing enterprises, specialised in questions of redeployment training, job loss compensation, after-cost cutting, redundancy generating, stream lining of enterprises.

After 1994 : foreign correspondent FRANCE / Enjeux de l'Europe, Paris

• Communications & Marketing Manager for a quarterly lobbying journal in French, German, English. Major European issues of political, economic, regional development. Audience of European parliamentary, administration and political figures.

• Since 1994 : foreign correspondent & contributor to articles and interviews

1991 VIETNAM / UNHCR-EEC Refugee Resettlement Programme

• Conducted in-house management audit, operations flow-chart and designed an internal training programme for local line managers. 2 missions

1993 – 94 VIETNAM / International Swiss food Conglomerate

• Joint Venture investment, Swiss Food Processing Company contact with administrations, firms and universities, participation in preliminary export market study and feasibility studies

1991 ROMANIA / Council of Europe funding, SME development

• 1991 – 1994: Travelling with several dozen potential investors & business partners throughout Romania and particularly in Moldavia

• 3 missions: Transylvania. Desk research at OECD, World Bank.

• Goals : create linkages between local Government and/or industry and potential investment partners from France with special emphasis on:

  • Import / export develoment.

  • joint ventures, barter trade

  • upgrading, restructuring, privatisation, closing of municipal services.

• Consolidated macro economic data on Romanian economy into an 80-page report, lecture to an international forum, funded by the Council of Europe, in Paris; with participation of Romanian Government.

1990 SRI LANKA / ELF/CERADA (NGO)

• Design study of an agricultural training center and experimental farm.

• 3 missions Establishing of budgets (1.5 million US-$), administration structures and linkages with Sri Lankan government.

1990 CONGO / ELF-Agricongo

• Feasibility study for an agricultural project, small holder rural development and intensive mixed cash crop farming. Emphasis on project administration and training.

1987 to 1989 EUROPE / Alexander PROUDFOOT Intl.

• Management Trainer: Alexander PROUDFOOT Intl.

• 1987 to 1989 (Management Consultancy andSystems, 1500 staff worldwide).

• Clients included: BarclaysBank, BritishAero-space, United Biscuits, Marks and Spencer, Rowntree Mackintosh - entirely responsible to clients for design, time scale budget (10,000 - 25,000 GB£) of management training package, as a member of 4-10 person team. - methodology : analysis, systems design and testing

• Principal client objectives :

  • profit enhancement, effective use of all resources

  • improved control of work flow and better response to off-norm conditions

  • assistance through training, assist employees made redundant

  • installation and instructions in structural controls for a pragmatic approach to effective management

1985 to 1986 TANZANIA / (COGEFAR) World Bank funded. Assistant Admin. Manager.

• Assistant Admin. manager

• Responsibilities included :

  • supervisory duties: hiring, training, supervising, mediating work relations

  • administrative duties coordinating relations with Tanzanian government offices

  • organising company security, travel and transport logistics planning. Operating

  • controlling 12 vehicle motor pool & 2 company planes.

1980 ITALY / French Ministry of foreign affairs

• Aide de Camp to Admiral leading the French military mission to NATO (CINCSOUTH) in Bagnoli, Naples.