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Selected work

Case studies from culture, leadership and workforce transformation.

A small selection of engagements from twenty years inside global FMCG and consumer organisations, and the fractional work now running through Boardroom Alchemy. Specifics available on request.

The Coca-Cola Company · Europe

Turning global leadership behaviours into daily practice

Challenge

Europe's leadership team needed to translate a global leadership framework into something specific enough to actually change behaviour on the ground, across 23 markets.

Approach

Grounded the work in engagement, leadership-impact and talent data plus 30+ interviews; designed a Europe-specific 3-behaviour culture framework; embedded it into everyday people processes and a Culture Champions network running 50+ activations in 6 months.

Result

70% employee adoption across Europe within six months.

Coca-Cola HBC · Romania

Redesigning a 600-person sales organisation for growth

Challenge

As HR Business Partner for the Commercial function, asked to make a 600-person sales organisation leaner and more capable, without losing the talent the business needed.

Approach

Restructured from 7 management layers to 5, merging Area and Regional Sales Manager layers while protecting frontline roles; redesigned the full sales-region structure; built an Assessment Centre to surface hidden potential, turning cost reduction into a talent upgrade.

Result

20% reduction in people costs, with 11% NSR growth the following year.

Coca-Cola HBC · Supply Chain

Building the company's first pay-for-skills programme

Challenge

Inherited a failing cost-cutting mandate across an 800-person Supply Chain workforce (3 plants, 10 warehouses), driven by rising overtime from a shortage of multi-skilled, seniority-paid operators.

Approach

Traced the root cause to seniority-based rather than skill-based pay; designed and piloted the company's first Pay for Skills programme with a 2-year roadmap, co-built training and exams with plant teams, and positioned it with Union leaders as fairer and more democratic.

Result

Launched in nine months and continued scaling for years afterward.

FTSE-100 IT Services · In process, 2026–2027

Turning ER policy into consistent manager behaviour

Challenge

This FTSE-100 IT services company has strong ER infrastructure: policies, legal training, manager-fundamentals workshops. But manager behaviour is not consistent, with several compliance risks, especially after multiple rounds of restructuring.

Approach

A four-phase, cross-level programme spanning 260 Directors and Line Leaders: diagnose current behaviour via interviews and focus groups; build early advocacy; practise via scenario-based and gamified sessions; embed via Talent Review, Performance Management and "just-in-time" resources.

Scope

Fractional engagement running through the 2026–2027 cycle, scaled via communication campaign and workshops delivered across the UK.

What clients say

Feedback from the leaders behind the work.

Maria brings a strong combination of strategic thinking and practical, hands-on execution. I have really enjoyed working with her and have always valued the clarity, energy and insight she brings to complex culture and leadership challenges. She has a real ability to make culture tangible and measurable, connecting data and insight to business priorities and turning ideas into meaningful action and lasting results.

Drew Fernandez SVP People & Culture Europe, The Coca-Cola Company

It has been a real privilege to work with Maria. Beyond her expertise and leadership, what always stood out to me was her ability to bring people together, create positive energy and genuinely care about those around her.

Sam Waeytens Director Workflows, The Coca-Cola Company
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Based in London, United Kingdom