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Human Resources Director, Europe

Work Experience

ALCOA EUROPE 1996-2003

Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of aluminium. It is active in all major aspects of the industry. The corporation employs 127 000 people in 39 countries and its turnover amounts to 20+B$.
Alcoa Europe manages Alcoa’s aluminium business in Europe. Its turnover is 3.5B$ and its employment level 12 000. It is present in 8 European countries and counts 35 manufacturing sites. It has maintained a rapid acquisition pace over the last 7 years, integrating 5 major companies into its operations.

European Human Resources Director (Geneva) 2000-2003

Responsible for the development and execution of a Human Resources strategy supporting the swift integration of the acquired companies and the deployment of Alcoa’s values and processes. Reporting to the President of Alcoa Europe and functionally to the Vice-President, Human Resources. Member of Alcoa Europe’s Executive Committee and of the Global HR Lead Team.

• Designed and implemented an HR structure able to add value and optimise costs. Costs per HR employee and number of HR employees per total number of employees are at benchmark levels;
• Lead a pan-European effort to leverage the HR function across all the Alcoa divisions operational in Europe. This resulted in a project costing 15M$, saving 4M$ per year and expected to increase dramatically the quality performance of the Human Resources function;
• Developed and implemented HR policies and processes ensuring a consistent and high level of practices throughout the organization. 8 key processes and 24 sub-processes are now deployed;
• Increased the number of high potential employees by 50% and reduced to a few percent the number of employees under review;
• Focused the Employee Relations strategies on non-monetary reward and recognition resulting in enhanced engagement and commitment of the workforce despite significant rightsizing activities (from 15000 to 12000);
• Managed the European Works Council to minimize potential barriers to the company’s restructuring decisions and optimise the unions’ goodwill;
• Aligned compensation and benefits programs with newly defined competitive objectives;
• Designed and launched the Alcoa Europe Knowledge centre as the focal point for managerial and executive development;
• Instrumental in relocating Alcoa Europe HQ and all divisions HQs to Geneva.

Human Resources Director, Extrusions Business Unit (Milano, Geneva) 1996-2000

The “Extrusions” Business Unit was created in January 1997. Headquartered in Milano, it
employed about 4000 people in 10 key locations in the Netherlands, the UK, Hungary, Spain, Italy and Germany. Turnover was around 1B$. It became part of the Alcoa Europe’s structure in 1999. Reporting to the President of the Business Unit and member of the Executive Committee.

• Developed a leadership model promoting a non-hierarchical, flexible, cost-conscious and customer oriented organization (vision, mission, competency model….);
• Re-aligned or terminated those Managers not in tune with the competency model Replaced them by top class managers through internal transfers and recruitment;
• Designed and implemented training and development activities supporting leadership, supervision and language skills;
• Designed and deployed pay for performance in all locations;
• Deployed suggestion and recognition practices;
• Defined common HR practices and established an HR function in line with Alcoa’s standard of performance;
• Designed and negotiated the creation of the Alcoa Europe works council ;
• Relocated the Business Unit’s HQ from Milano to Geneva.


SYLVANIA LIGHTING INTERNATIONAL (SLI) 1994-1996

SLI was a privately owned company that acquired the international lighting business of GTE in January 2003. It employed 5000 people in more than 40 countries, operated 14 plants worldwide and generated revenues of $600 million.

Director of Human Resources (Geneva)

Based in SLI’s worldwide Headquarters, responsible for the Human resources function on a European basis and for a number of projects at group level. Reported to the Executive Vice-President, Human Resources.


R.J REYNOLDS TOBACCO INTERNATIONAL (RJRTI) 1984-1994

RJR Nabisco’s international tobacco division employing 11700 people in 38 countries with total sales of 3.1B$.

Director, International Human Resources (Winston-Salem, NC, USA) 1992-1994

Based at RJRTI’s worldwide headquarters, reported to the Vice-President Human Resources. Provided strategic guidance, advice and service to the overseas HR departments.

• Developed new world-wide policies in the areas of compensation and expatriate administration
• Carried out a comprehensive feasibility study into the introduction of a global stock purchase program that lead to the alternative implementation of local plans in France and Malaysia
• Initiated, designed and conducted a recruitment campaign to create an RJRTI organization in the former Soviet Union by tapping the Ukrainian and Russian communities in the USA and Canada. Over a 2 month period, one thousand applications were received, 60 candidates interviewed and 12 hired.


Vice-President Human Resources (Geneva) 1989-1992

Responsible for the Human resources in one of RJRTI’s four region covering tax-free Europe, East/Central Europe, the Middle-East and Africa. Reported to the Regional President and member of the Region’s Executive Committee.

• Initiated the strategic change in the role of the Geneva Headquarters, from an operational centre to a regional coordination centre
• Structured, staffed and directed a regional HR function to support the company’s rapid growth in the East and Central European countries and in Turkey
• Developed and implemented a training and development strategy to rally the region’s highly diversified and inexperienced workforce under a common vision, within uniform standards and consistent development plans
• Prepared the labour relations aspects of the closure of RJRTI’s factory in Belgium and supervised negotiations with the local unions. The factory closed on time and under budget, with minimal disruption, quality production and no adverse PR.

Human Resources Director (Brussels) 1984-1989

Responsible for the HR Direction of one of RJRTI’s areas consisting of Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Switzerland, France, Italy and Greece. Reported to the area Vice-President (sales: 250 million$ and 850 employees)

• Established sound working climate and modernized company management in the recently acquired Belgian organization
• Started up local organizations in the UK, Italy and Greece.


EXXON CHEMICALS BELGIUM 1976-1984

Labour Relations Group Head (Brussels) 1982-1984
Coordinated and advised all Belgian organizations on labour relations and policies

Employee Relations Manager (Meerhout) 1980-1982
Responsible for all Human and Industrial relations matters in this union-free plant of 300 employees

Employee Relations Assistant, later Coordinator (Brussels) 1976-1980
Responsible for recruitment, expatriate administration and all Human Resources matters of a division of the Belgian affiliate


SOCIETE GENERALE ALSACIENNE DE BANQUE (Brussels) 1975-1976

Education

Postgraduate degree in Business Administration, Leuven, Belgium (1973)
BA, Applied Economics, with Distinction, Brussels (1972)

Skills

Seasoned results-oriented Human Resources Executive with unique international background and experience. Almost 30 years of career progression at national, regional and worldwide levels. Possesses significant analytical, communication and leadership skills and the proven ability to operate successfully within complex multicultural organizations.

Languages

Fluent in French (Mothertongue), English and very good command of Dutch

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