Philippe Schmid · Operations, Transformation & Supply Chain

About

Three decades of industrial leadership

I am a senior operations and transformation leader with thirty years of international experience at Nestlé, across Switzerland, Ukraine, France, Germany and the United States. I have led supply chain and logistics organisations, a group digital-transformation portfolio, and programme management offices, always with full accountability for delivery, cost and performance.

Since 2025 I work as an independent advisor and interim manager. I am a Lean Leader Champion (EPFL), completing an EPFL Master in Sustainable & Resilient Supply Chains, and I work fluently in French, German and English.

Services

How I can help

Interim leadership and advisory mandates, hands-on when needed and strategic throughout.

Operations & Operational Excellence

Running and optimising operations, embedding Lean and continuous improvement, and delivering measurable cost and efficiency gains.

Digital Transformation & Change

Governing digital-transformation portfolios and roadmaps, modernising ERP/SAP and processes, and leading change so new ways of working actually stick.

Supply Chain & Logistics

Network and distribution design, planning and S&OP, flow optimisation and debottlenecking, 3PL and cost-to-serve optimisation across multi-site, multi-country operations.

PMO & Portfolio Governance

Setting up PMOs, governing project and investment portfolios, and delivering complex programmes on time and on budget.

M&A & Post-Merger Integration

Planning and running post-merger and bolt-on integrations, harmonising operations, systems and teams with minimal disruption.

Project & Programme Recovery

Bringing structure, governance and momentum to complex, high-risk or troubled programmes to get them back on track.

Change Management & Coaching

Leading people through change so new ways of working actually stick: aligning teams, coaching managers and building capable, high-performing organisations.

Cost & Performance Improvement

Improving margins and cost-to-serve: network and footprint cost, procurement and 3PL, working capital and inventory, with clear KPIs and results that last.

Impact

Selected results

CHF 150M+

Digital transformation

Governed the group digital-transformation portfolio and led a 2,500-user SAP GLOBE rollout with 100% adoption and no disruption.

USD 30M

Process optimisation & debottlenecking

Standardised and debottlenecked processes across 30+ markets, embedding Lean continuous improvement that delivered 22% efficiency gains.

−16%

Cost & service performance

Redesigned networks and cost-to-serve to cut logistics cost by 16% and supply-chain cost by 10%, while improving service and safety.

Expertise

Modern expertise, continuously updated

Alongside thirty years of practice, I keep my toolkit current through EPFL advanced studies (MAS + CAS).

Digital & Data

Data-driven value chains, digital transformation and analytics.

CAS Value Chains Data Technologies · EPFL

Resilience

Building robust, resilient supply chains and operations.

CAS Building Resilient Supply Chains · EPFL

Risk Management

Governing risks, dependencies and priorities across complex portfolios.

MoR Certified · Resilience CAS

Sustainability

Leading sustainable, resource-efficient operations.

CAS Lead Sustainable Operations · MAS · EPFL

Approach

My method: Go · See · Think · Do

A Lean mindset applied to programme and project management. Rather than steer from status reports alone, I start where the work actually happens.

Go

Go to the ground. I start at the Gemba, with the teams and the reality of the operation, not only the reports.

See

See the facts. I map the processes, data, bottlenecks and dependencies objectively, so decisions rest on evidence.

Think

Think it through. I structure the problem, set clear priorities and governance, and design solutions with the people who do the work.

Do

Do with discipline. I execute against clear KPIs, remove waste, standardise what works and improve continuously.

Executive perspective, hands-on delivery, and a people-first style that makes change stick.

Testimonials

What colleagues say

A few words from people I have worked with and led over the years, from their LinkedIn recommendations.

When Philippe took over, he quickly saw that our team was working in silos. He led us on a remarkable journey to becoming a high-performing team, growing together like never before. He was one of my most inspiring managers and a genuine coach in every situation.

Lorenz Schneeweiss-Schuetz · Regional Manager, Supply Chain & Procurement Technology · Nestlé

Philippe is a strategic and thoughtful leader who consistently aligns initiatives with business objectives, ensuring maximum value from every investment. With a genuinely user-focused mindset, he excels at balancing risk, innovation and operational needs.

Angela Willows · CFO, Macphie (ex-Nestlé) · Scottish Female CFO of the Year 2026

When Philippe ran our global portfolio, it was organised as meticulously as a Swiss watch. He gave clear visibility on status and trends, and always made sure, patiently, that open actions were followed up. He also shared his knowledge generously to get our whole project team on the same page.

Pete Becker · IT Solutions Lead, Procurement · Nestlé