Umbrex

How to Manage Multiple Integrations Carsten Friedrichs shares key steps that can facilitate a successful parallel integration. "Waiting until the day after tomorrow “We're not starting the integration yet. There are more add-ons in the pipeline, and we'll know more in two months.” This — or something similar — is what many CEOs pursuing a buy-&-build strategy are currently saying. Although some add-ons have already been acquired, further takeovers are still pending. If you begin integration now, how will you handle the next acquisitions? The first integration isn’t even complete, and the next closing is already imminent. One option is to integrate the new acquisition alongside the ongoing process. Another is to put the company on hold for now. But if you start too early, you won’t be able to incorporate insights from future acquisitions into the process. “So it makes no sense to start now.” Right? In the end, you just keep waiting — until the day after tomorrow." Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/guVthWHh

The Power of Cross-functional Teams in Strategic Direction Amber Murayi shares a concise article on key practices that lead to strategic innovation and the benefits of cross-functional teams. "At Artisan Strategy Partners, we understand that innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it’s a collaborative effort that transcends traditional departmental boundaries. That’s why we champion the use of cross-functional teams to drive strategic innovation. Cross-functional teams bring together diverse perspectives, skills, and expertise, essential for tackling complex problems and uncovering unique solutions that a homogeneous group might miss. By integrating individuals from different departments—finance, marketing, operations, and more—these teams are equipped to view challenges through a multifaceted lens, leading to more comprehensive and robust strategic innovations." Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gRAqNRFi

How to Save Time and Money on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Zamir Akimbekov explains how AI-enabled services can provide solutions to reduce ERP project times and costs. "Imagine a fast-growing manufacturing company that scales from 100 to over 1,000 employees and invests in an ERP system like SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics to streamline its operations. At first, the ERP serves as the backbone for finance, procurement, supply chain, and inventory management. But as the company expands and its processes evolve, the system struggles to keep up. Consider these challenges: Outdated modules and inflexible processes (e.g., a production planning module that cannot support just-in-time inventory management or adapt to new product lines). Increasing complexity as operations expand (e.g., new production lines and global suppliers overwhelm the ERP with scheduling and logistics challenges). The need for continuous updates and maintenance (e.g., frequent patches and upgrades that cause production downtime during critical manufacturing cycles). This forces a critical choice:" Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gnd-qNQN

Rail Cybersecurity USA - AI in Railways Leo Melnikov shares a short post and link to a video that highlights key findings on rail cybersecurity in the U.S. "I had the pleasure presenting at the Rail Cybersecurity USA conference on Artificial Intelligence in Railways, based on our recent research with International Union of Railways (UIC). AI has significant potential in the sector, and we see that even existing AI use-cases can generate a 14% profit margin for a typical railway company (e.g., €700M for €5Bln revenue) in predictive maintenance, intelligent traffic management, customer interactions, GenAI in administrative tasks. Jamison Nesbitt - thanks for the invitation, it was a great event and opportunity to connect with technology leaders in the railway sector. Check out the video from the event here: https://lnkd.in/gB7BT2h3" Access the post: https://lnkd.in/gy9KCbym

Understanding China's Economy Markus Herrmann shares a downloadable CMG Primer (PDF) on China’s economy moving in 2025. "Understanding China's economy into 2025 - evolved development strategy, reform priorities and short-term macroeconomic management. January 2025 | CMG’s newest CMG Primer publication, titled “Understanding China’s economy into 2025 – evolved development strategy, reform priorities and short-term macroeconomic management”, wants to provide our clients, current and new readers with a holistic and coherent interpretation of what is going on strategically in China’s economy into 2025 from a foreign business perspective because of the crucial timing at the start of the year with a slow post-Covid economic recovery now coinciding with Donald Trump’s return to the White House for his second term as US President." Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e3KWShwX

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Carrie Thompson. Carrie spent 12 years at McKinsey & Company and 10 years as an operations and P&L leader at CBRE Group (Fortune #138), driving growth, transforming operations, and accelerating innovation on behalf of clients around the world. At CBRE, Carrie developed the company's growth strategy for the financial services vertical and led performance transformations for large, client-dedicated teams that delivered workplace solutions, technology projects, and capital projects globally. Her success as an operations-savvy strategist lies in her ability to understand external market and regulatory shifts, align senior stakeholders and clients around vision, and dive deeply to triage operational issues, build relationships, and motivate frontline teams. After leaving CBRE in 2024, Carrie launched her own consulting and program management firm (CT2 Solutions, LLC), where she helps clients drive growth and business transformation end-to-end. She is interested in collaborating on projects relating to growth strategy, business transformation (strategy and implementation support), regulatory strategy, and capital program delivery. Carrie lives in the New York City metro area, but is willing to support clients throughout the United States.

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Amber Murayi. Amber is a seasoned strategic growth advisor with extensive experience in corporate strategy, transformation, and executive coaching. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Artisan Strategy Partners, Amber specializes in driving strategic clarity and empowering leadership teams within Fortune 500 and private equity-backed companies, particularly in the consumer industry. Her background includes significant roles at The Hershey Company, Acosta Sales & Marketing, and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she led major strategic initiatives and transformations. She blends a rigorous analytical approach with creative problem-solving to deliver impactful results and sustainable growth. Amber is passionate about developing strategies that foster organizational success and leadership excellence. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two young boys. Amber is happy to collaborate, particularly on strategy projects focused in the consumer industry.

What Uzbekistan Taught Me about Pricing Pedro Girardi uses insights gleaned from a recent trip to Uzbekistan to guide pricing strategies. I recently spent two weeks in Uzbekistan. Before that trip, I knew very little about its economy. I had no concept of what prices were “normal.” At the beginning of the trip, I overpaid for meals, souvenirs, and guided tours. By the end of the trip, I was paying 25-75% less. Let’s look at the example of guided tours and explore three main factors that drive pricing: ??. ??????????: I am a history geek who will likely never travel back to Uzbekistan. I was easily willing to spend over $100 on each guided tour.? ??. ???????????? ???? ?????????????????????? ???????????? ??????????????: Very few Uzbek guides advertise online, resulting in low price transparency. If a customer can’t compare prices, you have room to increase prices while avoiding churn. Read the full post: https://lnkd.in/ghmj-3ra

Umbrex is pleased to welcome Humphrey Nartey. A summary of Humphrey's experience follows. "I’m a sustainability-driven consultant with a blend of engineering, strategy consulting, and product development experience. At McKinsey & Company, I advised government and private-sector clients on clean energy, supply chain optimization, and organizational transformations. Previously at The Duracell Company, I led a battery recycling pilot to advance sustainable manufacturing. At Mitra Chem, I led the commercial strategy and built a customer pipeline, securing $150M grant selection from federal and state agencies. I thrive on crafting data-driven, high-impact solutions that align economic and environmental objectives. I am happy to collaborate on a wide range of projects."

The Missing Link to an Integrated Europe Fran?ois Dorléans shares a post on a missing element from a recent talk at Le Collège des Bernardins on the future of an integrated Europe. Attending Christine Lagarde’s recent talk at Le Collège des Bernardins , where she emphasized the Draghi Report's vision for a more innovative, integrated Europe but sidestepped a key innovation: Bitcoin While highlighting the need for strategic investments and innovation, Lagarde shifted focus to CBDCs (Central Bank Digital Currencies) when asked about Bitcoin. This reflects Europe’s cautious stance, despite crypto's potential as a transformative force. https://lnkd.in/g6PWNtq4 1?? The Draghi Report urges bold actions: Europe must integrate capital markets and invest in strategic industries like defense to retain global competitiveness 2?? CBDCs over Bitcoin: Lagarde emphasized Central Bank Digital Currencies but skipped addressing Bitcoin or crypto-assets, missing an opportunity to discuss broader crypto innovation 3?? MiCA limits opportunities: restrictive policies hinder staking and stablecoin innovation, contradicting Europe’s call for tech leadership Read the full post: