Project Initiation and Planning
- Project and Budget: Developed a detailed project plan and budget with a target deadline of 18 months. The goal was to establish a fully operational development center with 60 personnel hired to handle design, product and project management, development, and code release.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinated across multiple business functions including real estate, legal, finance, marketing/PR, HR/Talent, and Product to ensure a cohesive and comprehensive approach.
- Location Search: Conducted a global search across Asia, Europe, and Central America. After evaluating potential markets like Ireland and Poland, Warsaw was selected due to its burgeoning tech scene, the presence of major companies like Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Samsara, Oracle and Amazon, and the availability of skilled talent from local universities.
- Daily Management: Maintained daily check-ins with project leads and conducted weekly Steering Committee (SteerCo) meetings with the CPO and regional leads to monitor progress and address any issues promptly.
- Office Establishment: Secured a modern office space in Warsaw, sourced furniture and other assets from local vendors
- Government Incentives: Leveraged government incentives and tax savings.
- Market Presence: Successfully established a significant market presence in Europe, aligning with strategic business objectives.
- While there were some delays in finalizing the corporate setup to fully realize government incentives and in hiring for certain roles, the overall project was deemed successful. The project moved into phase 2, which included further expansion of office space and additional hiring even before phase 1 was completed.
- Financial Impact - Cost Savings: Achieved impressive annual savings of $30 million, demonstrating the successful alignment of strategic vision with operational excellence.
- This project showcases exceptional project management skills emphasizing strategic planning, meticulous execution, and effective cross-functional collaboration to deliver significant cost savings and operational success.
