Consultant · CEO advisor
AlexanderShein
Large and medium-sized businesses consultant, CEO advisor on production and managerial topics, capital productivity, operations and scaling of manufacturing companies. Expert in operational excellence in mining, assembly manufacturing, heavy industry, and capital construction acceleration
Worked with
- ПАО «Евраз»
- McKinsey & Company
- МХК «Еврохим»
- СУЭК
- Partners in Performance
- NordGold
- ОАО «РусАл»
- LG Electronics
01 · Implemented projects
More than 40 projects in more than 16 years in the operational improvements area
Lean production implementation and staff training
Organization of training on lean production for one of the largest banks in Russia
- Conducting a series of trainings for bank employees. Conducting evaluation and modification of training programs
- 130 people were trained. Established 20-25 trainers who train bank employees on new tools
- Lean Academy was set up. 60 employees were trained, including supervisors (in petrochemistry)
- A system of personnel skills evaluation was developed. The system is transferred to the HR company
- Optimization of repair activities Increased efficiency of equipment bypasses Implementation of practices of generation of small ideas for technical improvements
- A system for planning, diagnostics, adjustment and monitoring of repair plans (based on MS Project) was introduced
- 6 repair standards and 4 equipment bypass standards were created for one of the boiler and turbine shops.
- Process of generation, assessment and implementation of improvement ideas at the plant was implemented.
- KPIs by areas are built into the motivation structure of the corresponding managers
- Implementation of 5 lean production areas in one of the bank's divisions
- Lean management practices implemented
- 5С procedures established
- Flexible model of employees' departure for desks in accordance with clients' arrival
- Money transfer and online banking processes were simplified Picture boards and a performance management meeting system were introduced
- Processes of granting loans to small and medium-sized enterprises were optimized
- Pressing area productivity increased by 6%. Work standards for the 4 most critical operations are implemented.
- The system of meetings and reporting at the plant was redesigned, a standard schedule for the foreman's and supervisors' workday was implemented
- Personnel involvement and understanding of the factors influencing it was evaluated
Reducing the cost of production and developing financial solutions for business
Decrease in the cost of iron ore concentrate
- Reduction of the cost of the ore enrichment division by $1.8 per ton
- 11 persons in subordination. A series of seminars involving about 40 people from the process stage and contributing to the generation of ideas
- Generated 180-190 ideas, some of which (about 12) were launched into implementation at the project stage. The total amount of generated ideas allows to reach economy of more than 2,5 $/ton
- Total result in annual terms: more than 700 thousand Euros per year
- Reduced CAPEX by $4.5 million per year at three facilities. Reduced cost of production by 2.5% through optimization of repairs
- The cost of increasing each percentage point of AR for mining equipment was analyzed
- Acceptable level of TCO was substantiated. TCO (total cost of ownership of equipment) model was created
- Usage of 6sigma for analyzing a measurement system. Finding sources of losses and tracking projects to reduce them
- Mill recovery increased by 6 p.p. (from 68% to 74%). Direct monetary result - about $6 million USD
- Analyzed variability in extraction parameters, created tools to reduce variability, and statistically significant causes of this variability eliminated
- A comprehensive diagnostic was carried out of all factors affecting the cost of uranium mining and processing, including operational processes, commercial and pricing levers, as well as an analysis of increasing production volumes as a way to reduce fixed costs
- A cost reduction potential of 15% was identified; a pool of initiatives was formed, some of which have already been launched
- Further steps were developed, including digitalization of the enterprise and setting up an operational improvement function to increase efficiency and ensure sustainable development of the company.
Improvement of product quality
Improvement of product quality at one of the company's petrochemical plants
- The main quality indicator reached CpK=1.0 (project target) and sustained at this level for three months
- Product quality stabilized and gained new markets
- Total effect of the project: more than $15 million a year
- Analysis of customer requirements (Voice of the customer), standardization and unification of all requirements. Conversion of customer specifications into production requirements
- Dividing manufacturing requirements into individual site requirements. Setting up control charts, reducing variability and rearranging the process to meet new product requirements
- As a result: reduction of production costs by 11% due to unification of specifications and reduction of production losses due to overestimated quality. The annual equivalent effect was more than $16 million per year
Scaling the business. De-bottlenecking the production
Reduced production costs through increased bottleneck productivity
- Improved bottleneck productivity by more than 15%, a direct impact on company profits (OCF increased by more than $45 million per year)
- Created bottleneck model, built analyses showing causes of lost productivity
- Conducted a series of idea generation workshop sessions to generate >45 initiatives to reduce productivity losses
- New performance target levels built into business plan
- Project Role: project sponsor (16 people reporting, 4.5 month project)
- 20-25% increase of the drying shop productivity. Part of the effect was achieved at the expense of debottlenecking, part of the effect - at the expense of unnecessary equipment parking. The total effect is about $6-8 million per year.
- Using TOP methodology about 90 specialists were trained and interviewed at the plant.
- A pool of 80 initiatives was formed; approximately 50 initiatives yielded results in the first two months of the project.
- Head of department (4 persons in charge)
- Productivity of the smelting furnaces increased by 17% in three months.
- A digital assistant (basic version) was proposed and implemented; it serves as a prototype for a full-scale neural network that gives operators prompts on running smelting modes.
- Short-interval control of process modes and charge feeding was implemented, which stabilized the process.
- The sludge processing shop was optimized separately, which increased recovery by 4 percentage points.
Development of marketing strategy and production portfolio
Promoting the drug in the bronchial asthma market
- Creation of value stories and staff training
- Three value stories were created. Trained 12 employees
- Developed sales channels; evaluated risks and benefits of each channel
- Several promotion scenarios for a year ahead were developed
- Estimated the margin of each product
- Synchronized sales and production. Priority system for maximization of production load and maximum efficiency of the company production is created
- Priority system for the company products was developed
- More than 20 idea generation sessions and interviews were held to understand the market potential
- An automated AI chatbot was created to sell the products of several companies.
- More than 40 SMM specialists and marketers were trained in working with neural networks.
- A solution was developed for integration with a CRM system to analyze the call quality of call center operators based on OpenAI Whisper AI
Changing organizational structures and incentive systems
Implementation of a target operating model for a company with 40,000+ employees
- Identification of functional verticals (repair, technical, operational)
- Setting KPIs for each vertical
- Development and implementation of the main cross-functional processes
- Alignment of organizational structures, processes and KPIs
- Creation of procedures and tools that track the sustainability of the transformation
- Optimization of organizational structure. Introduction of root cause search practices. Implementation of KPI system and personnel motivation.
- Revised organizational structure for companies with 600-1000 employees
- Skills requirements and staff grades were developed
- Total headcount reduced by 14%
- Incentive system revised based on KPI structure for production
- Project management (3 directors of 3 plants reporting to them (approximately 900 people)
- Labor productivity increased by 22% in 1.5 years. Reduction of one level of management. Increased involvement of employees
Acceleration of capital projects construction
Operational readiness project implementation in the construction of a new gold mine
- Creation of the Readiness Plan - speeding up the startup of the mine and reaching design capacity by 4 months at the expense of:
- 1️⃣A precise mobilization of resources
- 2️⃣The early involvement of production services in the acceptance and construction of the enterprise
- 3️⃣Continuous monitoring of the critical path of the project by implementing short-interval control
- Creation of SLAs (service contracts) between construction and production. Reconciliation of requirements between the involved departments (HR, finance, procurement, construction, project office). Synchronization of all services and their tasks through the established system of meetings and reporting
- Diagnosing the current state of construction. Creation of the network schedule and the critical path of the project
- Creation of the project office organizational structure, description of its functions and responsibilities
- Creation of the risk register and ways to mitigate risks.
- As a result: the date of commissioning of the workshop was brought forward (-4.5 months)
- Detailed list of equipment from the list of capital packages that make up the cost of the entire plant
- Matching requirements from the project side with possible characteristics provided by the market
- Prioritization of equipment types and alternatives, highlighting critical equipment
- Creation of an alternative filling the list of capital projects with new value
- As a result, total capital expenditures for plant construction decreased by 19%, which brought about $29 million in reductions
Digitalization and automation of business. Introduction of new technologies in production
Development and Implementation of OptimusAI - a Digital Tool for Optimizing a Metallurgical Enterprise
- Development and adaptation of the solution.
- Assessment of the implementation potential, setting target levels for operational metrics after the solution is deployed.
- Expert support of the team.
- Ensuring the tool is used (training, audits, etc.).
- A structure has been created that regularly gathers new technologies from outside the company and generates new ideas.
- Structure composition: over 60 people with two levels of subordination.
- Increased compliance with mining plans from 48-50% to 84-88%. The transformation is sustainable and operates without external consultants' presence.
- Developed an underground mining planning model, successfully deployed at two company sites.
- Role: Project Manager (supervising 10 people).
- Analysis of the current structure of digital solutions and infrastructure. Creation of a landscape-space of potential digital solutions and methods (criteria) for selecting various digital cases applicable to the specific conditions of the enterprise.
- Assessment of the skills of IT and related services.
- As a result: a digitalization roadmap for the enterprise was created, the potential for implementing digital projects and their impact on the NPV of the enterprise was assessed.
- Created a target vision for the enterprise, detailing the implementation plan and resource requirements.
- An AI-based digital expert for haul truck repairs was developed; it allows service specialists to identify the cause of a failure and suggest ways to fix it.
- An AI digital advisor was created for optimal control of the flotation process.
- A set of optimization models was developed for "Mine to Mill" processes, setting optimal modes for several process stages at the enterprise.
- A neural network for product quality analysis was created; it uses a video stream to detect contaminating inclusions in the ore flow.
02 · Managerial and professional expertise
Professional manager and consultant of top-tier companies
PJSC EVRAZ - Head of the target operating model transformation office
- Leading the target operating model transformation office, translating the company's strategy into a practical target operating model in terms of structure, processes and management system
- Running the end-to-end transformation roadmap: from diagnostics and design to pilots, scaling and embedding solutions into day-to-day operations
- Coordinating a portfolio of cross-functional initiatives with clear accountability, transparent decision rights and measurable value creation
- Building the transformation management system: a regular management cycle, KPI monitoring and focus on the impact on safety, productivity, costs and customer service quality
- Change management and capability building so that managers and production teams adopt and sustainably embed new ways of working
External expert in heavy industry optimization for consulting and industrial companies
- Development of the operations practice in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and neighboring countries
- Building the operations practice and supporting local teams and the business in running and shaping operational and operations-related projects
- Providing expertise and supporting partners in discussing content topics (preparation of cooperation proposals for more than 10 companies on operational strategy development, transformations, development of technical policies, etc.)
McKinsey and Company - project manager and expert in the mining sector and operational transformations (2 years)
- Business Development in the Mining Sector in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Neighboring Countries
- Managing project teams (delivery of 6 projects in operational efficiency and sales growth in the mining and oil and gas sectors)
- Providing expertise and supporting partners in discussing content topics (preparation of cooperation proposals for more than 10 companies on operational strategy development, transformations, development of technical policies, etc.)
- Leading a group collecting and systematizing global trends in copper production and consumption in 2024, preparing strategic reports for the company and clients
EuroChem - Head of Operational Excellence in Mining (2.5 years)
Managed 4 teams of navigators at 4 plants
Total impact of the projects is approximately $30 million in 2020 (equivalent to 300,000 tons of KCl - finished product), over $60 million in 2021
Key initiatives include
- Expansion of bottlenecks (mine + plant) - reduction in unscheduled and scheduled repairs, improvement in the productivity of enrichment sections, etc.
- Cost reduction (launching cost dialogues, delegating budgets to shop floor managers, setting controls)
- Infrastructure projects (structuring of reports and meetings, launch of visual centers, alignment of the motivation system and setting of KPIs for employees)
Culture transformation (engagement project, launch of the idea factory, training program)
Acting Head of SUEK-Ugol Coal Division Business System (6 months)
- Organized 3 teams for 2 pilot projects to accelerate sinking at mines in Kuzbass (hiring employees, setting targets)
- Supervised on-site diagnostics (along with external consultants), coordination with operations, setting targets
- Converted two projects from diagnostics to implementation phase. Organized regular cascade of meetings and reporting on the project
- Increased sinking rate by 15-22% on mines in first 4 weeks of implementation, but remains unreliable
- Extends EuroChem business system tools to SUEK projects
Partners in Performance - management consulting - project manager (4 years)
- Creating and launching projects
- Supervising teams
- Development of methodology and staff training
- Industries: Assembly, mining, timber industry
NordGold Management Company - Deputy Executive Director of the group of companies (4 years)
- Managed two businesses in Russia and one in Kazakhstan (direct reports to the CEOs of the businesses) with a focus on achieving business plan goals (financial, safety goals, production and design targets). In 1Q 2015, one more enterprise came under control. Total: 2,500 people. Creates and implements projects to optimize production, reduce costs and improve process efficiency in manufacturing, HR, purchasing, finance. Sponsored cross-functional projects in his geographical sector (e.g. creation of financially efficient repair system, SAP implementation).
- Formed stable management teams at facilities (turnover less than 7% per year on a rotational basis), two years after start-up, all facilities started generating stable cash flow for the company (+2 ... +$54 million), with facilities in the first quartile on benchmarking costs (approximately $98/oz less than industry average costs). Staff productivity has improved by 22% since inception (new incentive system, flattened, three-tiered management structure). The launched cost reduction initiative was subsequently complemented by initiatives on the part of the workers in the plants. Production optimization tools (such as the Liner Production Process, Total Production Optimization, and 6 Sigma) additionally involved the bulk of the workers in achieving the company's goals. The saved budget allowed the company to build a new plant without external investments (construction started in 2015 to be completed in 4Q 2017) as well as to extend the life of existing plants.
- Acted temporarily (8 months) as Executive Director of the entire company (9 assets with 9,000 employees)
- Successfully created and implemented a project to close one of the company's businesses (resolving claims of tax and other regulatory agencies) retaining the best people within the company through a project to evaluate and transfer high potential employees
- Developed and launched a tracking plan to prepare production for the launch of a new facility as part of an Operational Readiness and Assurance project. Methodology and tools were adapted from the construction and petrochemical industries
In addition, manages the analytics and production reporting department (3 people). Projects of this department include building a system of meetings and production reporting, as well as the integration of SAP tools and other MES systems into the routine management reporting
McKinsey and Company - expert consultant in the operations practice (4 years)
Started as a Production Analyst (with a focus on operational efficiency processes) and went through 8 projects (2 as an analyst, 5 as a specialist, 1 as a manager). Projects included:
- Iron Ore - cost reduction initiative (based on TOP methodology). Managed a team of 8 employees. More than 20% cost reduction at the site.
- Energy Generation - implementation of lean manufacturing. Developed and implemented a system of planned repairs, which reduced repair costs by 20%, increased equipment reliability (18% reduction in unplanned failures in 5 months). Applied elements of 6 Sigma methodology to ensure sustainability of changes
- Improved product quality through implementation of a 6 sigma project at a petrochemical production facility. Process stability improved (Cpk decreased by approximately 16%). To ensure the stability of the transformation, technical changes complemented organizational ones, e.g. implementation of a new motivation system with prioritization of production quality indicators
- Banking industry - two projects of implementing lean production. More than 150 employees were trained to implement change agents in the organization. On one of the projects created a perfect "lin laboratories" with the implementation of best practices (managed 6 employees on the project). As a result, the bank branch generated 30% less cost, the number of staff employed was reduced as 12-15% of customers were redirected to remote channels
- Plywood Manufacturing - implementation of lean manufacturing. The project focused on changing the mindset and behavior of employees. Conducting interviews, finding out the value system of different groups of employees + tools to ensure the stability of the changes were used in the project
As part of the European operating practice, I developed two projects to create internal company knowledge. As a result, an installation/training was created in one of the company's training centers to teach customers new ways of working (Frankfurt)
JSC RusAl - aluminum production - project manager for optimization of repair activities (2.5 years)
- Started working as a team member in a project involving foreign consultants. The main task is to increase equipment reliability. Achieved results (small kaizen group +2 workers): average time between repairs doubled (~211%) with more than 12% reduction in repair time. After successful project was promoted to similar project manager (June 2007) I drove change in repairs using lean manufacturing methodology. Managed 4 groups in 4 factories of the company (total number of subordinates: 14). Main tasks covered areas of cost reduction, identification of critical defects, development of technical and organizational ideas to eliminate root causes of failures
LG Electronics RUS (Changwon, South Korea) - Head of production area, engineer for development of new models of refrigerators
Joined the company as an engineer on a project to develop a refrigerator for the Russian market (development was done at a factory in South Korea). Developed the mechanical joints of the device (the refrigerator model was sold in 2007-2010 in Russia) Simultaneously acted as a trainer for more than 90 assembly line workers, training them in Oriental quality assurance systems. After the end of the project focused on lean production systems and organizational activities of the future plant
On my return to Russia (Feb 2006) I organized RnD department and trained LG manufacturing system
03 · Education and publications
Education, publications and speeches
Education & Skills
- 2024: Knowledge update (McKinsey training) on new technologies for improving operational efficiency (technology enabled operational excellence) and the use of AI in large businesses
- 2016: Australian institute of company directors. Company director course
- 2015: Darden school of Business. The executive program: strategic leadership at the TOP
- 2009-2011: Economist, majoring in Finance and Credit (First Professional University, Moscow, Russia)
- 2008: training in implementation of operational projects (McKinsey)
- 2006: Training in Production Optimization Tools (McKinsey)
- 2006: Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma (Green Belt) training (LG Innovation School)
- 1998-2004: Engineer of electronic technologies (Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Russia)
Publications and speeches
- 2025 - information partner of the Enterprise Modernization '25 conference
- 2024 - speaker at the Leanthusiasts club with the topic "After Lean: new technologies for improving operational efficiency"
- 2024 - moderator at the GoDigital 2024 conference, section "PROCESS ROBOTIZATION AND AUTOMATION", and speaker with the topic "Practical cases of GenAI application in industry"
- 2024 - presentation at the gold miners' forum (as part of the Mining and Metallurgical Congress) with the topic "Global trends in gold mining"
- From September 2022 to February 2023 - member of the Academic Council of the Production Systems and Operational Efficiency Master's Program at the Higher School of Business (Moscow).
- 2022 - Master in Management Analytics | SKOLKOVO MMA. Report on "Increasing Profitability with Analytics
- 2022 - Smart Manufacturing Systems Summit. Report on "Expert Initiatives: Additional Source of Improvement Ideas and Synergy with Operational Efficiency
- 2021 - InnoWave Conference - Problem Solving Techniques in Production. New technologies. Report
- 2017 - Lin Forum (Udmurtia): presenter of the round table with the topic "Peculiarities of implementation of motivation systems, why western copies do not work".
- 2016 - Autumn Forum of construction companies (Moscow. Expocenter) - presenter of the topic "Methodology of preparation of operations to the end of construction"
- 2014 - Lin-Forum (Moscow). Topic: "Implementing lean manufacturing in low-skill environments"
- 2014 - HR Forum Moscow (RSPP). Topic: Involvement of expats in Russian companies
- 2013 - Technical Universities Development Initiative. Topic: Sustainability of Operations Transformation
- 2012 - McKinsey functional practices championship (practice Olympics) - the work took first place in the Moscow office
04 · Contact
Contact
Write, call, I will be glad to hear from you. I prefer asynchronous communication (messengers, email)