Michael Mihai Diaconescu

Led impactful business growth and operational streamlining through strategic digital transformation and process optimization across diverse industries (finance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and food). Consulted clients on cloud migration strategies to achieve higher scalability, versatility, security, and reliability levels. Devised transformation strategies by validating change ideas via POCs and MVPs. Championed cutting-edge solutions with cloud computing, AI, eCommerce, process automation, data management, and dynamic applications, via Azure, AWS, Microsoft Dynamics ERP/Business Central, CRM, Copilot, Power Platform, and Office365. Built foundations for reliable service delivery by designing and optimizing processes and systems for managing SLAs, high availability, backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity in public-private cloud architectures. Designed and helped clients implement and optimize SDLC, Agile, DevOps, CI/CD, and quality assurance by integrating on-prem, cloud, and hybrid operations, production support, and operating models. Managed budgets across multiple projects, programs, and portfolios. Helped clients optimize financial processes and implement OKR-aligned performance metrics and earned value analysis.

Drove the design and development of an integrated dashboard for client and agency-facing digital marketing and direct mail services. Facilitated discovery, defined objectives and requirements, defined roadmap, identified skills, and confirmed budget. Effectively deployed and managed Agile methodology and Jira to a diverse team, establishing daily stand-ups, iterative sprints, and continuous feedback loops, fostering collaboration, accountability, and rapid adaptation to evolving project needs. Led the definition of requirements and documentation of user stories into a structured and prioritized product backlog aligned with the client's timeline. Consistently led scrum ceremonies and managed deliverables, risks, issues, and change requests. Delivered a state-of-the-art, scalable, flexible platform on time and within budget, leveraging team expertise, digital marketing dashboards, ArcGIS, and Placer.ai, and providing real-time campaign insights, interactive maps, and advanced analytics.

Led the process optimization and automation initiatives at a mental health clinic, collaborating with software engineers, therapists, clinicians, nurses, and operations staff to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across the process landscape. Adopted Agile delivery framework and Asana by guiding the team through sprints, daily stand-ups, and regular reviews, creating a collaborative workflow that improved focus, adaptability, and delivery speed, cutting time/cost by 4 weeks. Designed target operating model and implemented automated workflows across the intake and triage team, therapists, clinicians, nurses, and operations support to reduce processing time by up to 40% and enhance overall service delivery. Agile development of AI tools for mental health triage, client session summarization, and documentation, reducing admin time by 40% while ensuring GDPR compliance and clinical accuracy through iterative expert feedback and robust risk controls. Redesigned the website and mobile apps to optimize therapy processes, increase client engagement, and reduce administrative workload, leading to more accurate patient data and improvements in appointment scheduling efficiency.

Managed the scope definition and product roadmap for an innovative data visualization tool at a pioneering startup, from concept definition, discovery workshops, and user consultation to A/B testing and prototype validation. Oversaw the creation of prototypes and storyboards, fostering iterative development and continuous improvement. Navigated the project towards success through strategic MVP creation and user validation, leveraging feedback loops for refinement. Orchestrated product stage research and development, managing project timelines, budgets, and resources. Ensured efficient execution by balancing critical dependencies and risks. Prepared the business case for securing investor funding.

Streamlined the program plan effectively for integrating user-facing websites, mobile apps, streaming set-top boxes, and smart TVs with back-end media asset management (MAM) systems at Allen Media, a prominent US online streaming company. Optimized the delivery of satellite and digital cable channels, offering clients a diverse array of original programming, syndicated content, television premieres, weather updates, motion pictures, and streaming services. Led the discovery phase for an AI-driven personalized content recommendation engine aimed at boosting user engagement. Delivered the MVP ahead of schedule through agile collaboration, iterative feedback, and client-validated A/B testing. Implemented the customized Agile Scrum plan in Jira development, facilitating backlog management, sprint planning, progress tracking, testing, and effective issue resolution. Managed budgets, financial and expense forecasts, and actuals

Streamlined due diligence and day-one operations integration at Reward Gateway for a recent corporate acquisition across business, operations, and technology (Salesforce, Oracle NetSuite, custom platforms). Achieved 30% faster project delivery through strategic agility, optimizing requirements, dependencies, risks, and roles. Led a high-performing 30+ team, streamlined workstreams, and pioneered agile PMO practices. Implemented procedures and tools for capturing lessons learned and integrating those in the continual improvement process. Created blueprints for anticipated future initiatives. Created training materials and trained and coached teams on project management best practices for Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid methodologies. Worked with vendors to implement Jira BigPicture and Deep Clone and roll them out to the teams. Managed the financial planning, budgeting, and resource allocation blueprints for high-impact mergers and acquisitions, ensuring seamless integration of systems, teams, and processes.

Drove 35% efficiency and expedited a 2-year-old backlog delivery via digital transformation and a new operating model for Business Insights after a corporate merger, including E2E demand management, ITSM, Agile, and Jira. Managed the vendor selection process for a new ERP system for finance, procurement and inventory, offices and associates, HR, payroll, and workflow management (MS D365, SAP S/4HANA, Sage X3, Oracle NetSuite, Epicor). Drove the company-wide development of governance, procedures, and tools for quality assurance, data strategy, and the single source of truth for data to enable fast and reliable access to information and cut risk for ill-informed decisions.

Led and directed digital content delivery initiatives at Culture Trip, boosting time to market by 270%, overseeing end-to-end development of a multimillion digital asset management platform, and fostering strategic partnerships. Completed the company-wide business discovery and defined the roadmap for digital transformation. Led the creation of the AWS cloud-based OpenText Media Management DAM and IPV Curator online video editing platform. Secured the CXO support and generated 30% operational efficiencies by automating workflows and integrating eCommerce, CMS, DAM, video editing, stock photography websites, Monday.com, contractor management, finance, CRM, and global content distribution. Boosted requirements and development efficiency and quality by successfully coaching the user community and development team on Agile Scrum and behavior-driven development (BDD) principles and methodology in the UK, US, Israel, and China offices. Planned the £2.3 million budget, contracted vendors and consultancies, and managed contracts and expenses. Saved 45% across multiple license contracts and support services by optimizing features and options for the service catalog.

Headhunted to remodel and digitize service management processes, achieving corporate IT&O efficiencies 30%+ and 99% service availability via global Agile, DevOps, ITSM transformation via ServiceNow, and novel risk mitigation AI platform. Worked as an agile scrum master for the successful development of an artificial intelligence platform integrated with ServiceNow for ITSM automation that boosted service availability to the 99% expected threshold. Managed cross-functional teams, vendors, and consultancies. Chaired executive meetings and troubleshot issues and progress reports. Reported to COO and SVP levels.

Spearheaded the £6.5 million project for digital transformation, centralizing £3+ million in assets from 20+ legacy systems in nine countries (acquisition integrations) and successfully rolling out efficiencies to 1,000+ offices and stores. Revamped E2E process workflows and operating models, integrating SAP BS HANA, Riversand PIM, OpenText DAM, Adobe Commerce web eCommerce platform, suppliers, and digital media agencies, achieving seamless integration and optimization. Created and managed Agile and hybrid plans integrating all workstreams. Implemented and coached Agile, behavior-driven development (BDD), QA, and DevOps frameworks across a global team. Influenced and negotiated with stakeholders, CXO, and MD. Managed a multi-million budget, forecasts, actuals, expenses, accruals, earned value. Conducted vendor assessments, bidding, selection, contract negotiation (achieved a 35% discount on the largest deal), managed the end-to-end contract lifecycle.

Orchestrated the dynamic launch of a startup wellness venture, crafting a robust business model, efficient management structure, impactful financial, legal, HR, and marketing plans, and strong online presence. Led the hands-on design and agile development of a responsive web eCommerce platform and mobile application with complex booking and account management, coupons, loyalty tiers, API integration with SMS, address mapping, and geolocation. Created 40% efficiencies by employing lean startup techniques like behavior-driven development (BDD), creating incremental MVPs, split-testing, and validated learning to expedite the process and minimize costs. Selected proficiently, hired, and managed local and off-shore vendors and partners. Created business and operations strategy. Designed and implemented the target operating model (TOM).

Achieved 12% savings on the £180 million global markets IT&O budget via new PMO, SDLC, ITSM governance, roles, organization, and tools for a global digital process transformation deployed to 1,500+ users across the company's EU, US, and Asia offices. Collaborated with stakeholders and optimized processes for Agile Hybrid project and product management, architecture, development, release, change, incident, problem, service management, procurement, vendors, asset, and resource management. Monitored a portfolio of strategic multi-million programs for regulatory initiatives, FI, derivatives, P&L, credit, risk, F2B, and e-markets to pilot the adoption and early feedback of the new processes and tools. Implemented PMO best practices for project, portfolio, and operations finance management, including planning, forecasting, approvals, actuals vs. estimates analysis, and expenses. Provided oversight for the budget management of £180 million in global markets.

Restructured a failing $22 million fixed-income acquisition program at BMO Financial Group that was already 110% over budget, with web-based front-to-back STP integration, complex business intelligence analytics, and live reporting to regulators. Delivered early and saved the bank $150,000 on a multi-million program, enabling corporate lending to seize the opportunity and enter the US car dealership financing business following the automotive financing disarray in 2009. Reduced operational risk by 27% and operational cost by 12% by automating the back-office processes for deal routing between bookings for FX options deals, monitored positions, P&L, and risk with bookings for FX hedge deals in the US and Canada. Decreased operational risk by 18% and drove 11% cost savings via digitization and automation of the straight-through-processing (STP) capabilities for back-office processes for wholesale banking product operations. Managed 17 project managers and functional managers responsible for teams of more than 60 internal resources, two consulting firms (including Big Four), and more than 10 vendors in New York, Chicago, and Toronto.

Led a top critical initiative at Toyota Motors for addressing hidden issues and fault trends in the car manufacturing process via business intelligence and data analytics following a series of dramatic car failures under US federal investigations. Developed a complex business intelligence platform based on a centralized data warehouse and custom ETL processes for importing data from manufacturing, dealerships, and service centers across the globe. Successfully fast-tracked the project and delivered the key benefits by leveraging Toyota's signature Kaizen methodology to generate and manage agile plans with a multitude of cross-divisional teams.

Rescued and delivered a struggling $17 million global asset management web portal program by restructuring scope, adopting new development methodologies, reorganizing and integrating 10+ teams, seven vendors, and three consultancies (Big Four). Boosted software delivery by 25% by implementing and optimizing agile and ITIL processes, project management, business analysis, QA, and change management. United a cross-divisional team across corporate cultures in Canada and Luxembourg. Created and negotiated strategic plans and chaired steering committees. Manged the multi-million budget, created financial efficiencies, and monitored spending across all program workstreams, providing up-to-date reporting to SVP, CIO, COO levels.

Generated $240,000 savings for a $3.7 million business intelligence ITSM platform for reporting, analysis, and dashboard capabilities on project and program management, ITIL processes, service desk, and ATM's. Created a collaborative culture based on meritocracy principles across 11 cross-functional teams of 40+ people, six vendors, and two Big Four consultancies. Accelerated delivery time whilst reducing risk by coaching teams and deploying agile practices for solution development and software release in a CMMI level 4 framework (ISO9001).

Saved $750,000 in a $12 million industry-first loyalty rewards web-based platform for the Amex Travel Business, allowing flight and hotel bookings, managing 17 teams of 140+ people, 15+ vendors, and three consultancies in North America and Europe. Met regulatory mandates and avoided major penalties for the bank by delivering an aggressive timeline for a $9 million program for implementing user access management processes and technologies required by Sarbanes-Oxley regulations in 30+ countries. Presented to, negotiated, and influenced stakeholders and executive committee members, including SVP, CIO, COO, and MD.

Led the hands-on design and development of a web-based flagship business intelligence suite positioned as a niche market leader against competitive platforms like Cognos, Microstrategy, and Business Objects. Gained a competitive advantage over rival platforms, driving $2.5 million in revenue in 2004. Managed a team of nine consisting of designers, developers, and testers, overseeing scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, and change throughout the project.

Crafted the winning business plan, landing 1st place in Microsoft's top sales in Romania in 2001. Championed the open system license program nationwide, achieving 37% market share and growing revenues by 320%. Involved directly in the end-to-end sales lifecycle, successfully securing large corporate and government accounts. Managed a team of six, devising business development and sales strategies. Created an environment of a winning attitude and continual improvement, developing individual skills and strengthening team collaboration.

Managed a sales team of four and was responsible for the development and implementation of various sales and marketing strategies. Developed and managed large customer accounts, expanding the solutions portfolio and introducing new technologies. Managed the Y2K campaign and increased revenue by 270% in the years 1999-200