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Could you walk us through your career journey from your CEMS graduation to your current role?
In 2013, I graduated and wanted to start in a role that was focused on strategy and transformation. My first job was at Goetzpartners Management Consultants, focused on exactly these two areas - and my CEMS experience came in handy in the job, as I was working for an international project spanning the US, the UK, Finland, and Indonesia for almost two years.
After a couple of years in consulting, I wanted to put my experience to the test in a corporate environment, taking on operational responsibility not just in projects, but in the long term. So, I took on roles in the German media industry at ProSiebenSat.1 and then at Bosch Building Technologies, where I was responsible for New Solution Business Development in the video software and AI sector.
At some point, I realized I wanted more ownership, more impact, and more entrepreneurial freedom. So I co-founded SIVENTUS Consulting together with my husband Marc. We're a boutique consultancy focused on transformation around post-merger integration, organizational development, process improvement, and smart cost reduction - focused on large and mid-sized companies in the technology, industrial, and software sector. We generate "Impact by Experience", as all of us have a strong operational background from corporate and mid-sized companies. Also, what's stuck with me ever since becoming a CEMSie is to help others - so 1% of our revenues goes to the charitable "The Rocket Foundation" in Switzerland, and I'm also active in five different honorary/voluntary posts.
How does Siventus Consulting help companies succeed in today's fast-paced environment? Can you provide a concrete example?
Our job is to help companies build up dynamic capabilities to adapt faster than the environment changes. That means combining organizational design, process excellence, and people development into one integrated approach. For example: We recently worked with a global industrial player on optimizing their technical sales planning process. Eight regional teams had completely different ways of working, they felt they worked inefficiently, the official “target process” was outdated, and KPIs were unclear. Together with the organization, we developed a fully integrated approach with a standardized E2E process, clarified roles of sales planners and adjacent roles, developed a KPI and steering system that is integrated into the E2E process, came up with a new organizational concept, and prepared the change management roadmap. Now, they work more efficiently and with less friction between the different roles, providing better outcomes for their customers. We've also made sure to implement mechanisms to support peer networking and knowledge exchange, increase AI usage, and lessons learned.
Looking back, what elements of the CEMS curriculum or community do you feel were most instrumental in sparking your entrepreneurial spirit?
It wasn't just one thing that sparked it, it was the combination of a couple of factors: CEMS is highly focused on providing students with extensive practical experience, from skill seminars with high-quality companies to real-life business projects and internships. That also implies - it's not just about hard skills and knowledge, it's just as much about soft skills - something you REALLY need as a founder! All of this is paired with a community of people who share a certain spark: they're always out to explore, to understand, and to make things better.
For me, all of this planted the seed of entrepreneurship: realizing that I don’t have to follow a predefined path, but that I can build something on my own if I surround myself with the right people.
How has the CEMS alumni network helped you in your career or personal life since graduation?
I cannot pin this down on one specific event - it's been more like a constant "source of connection". I've connected with people in many industries through it, and it's really a lot about a sense of belonging - if you meet and it turns out we're both CEMS alumni, you feel an instant connection - even if we studied at entirely different schools. That's rare, and incredibly powerful. Basically, everywhere I go, there's a CEMSie there that I can contact!
For a student hoping to work in transformation and change at a company like Siventus Consulting, what key skills should they focus on developing?
From my point of view, these are four things, all of them rather meta skills as opposed to very narrow skills:
- Entrepreneurial mindset: learn how to be comfortable with ambiguity, take ownership, and move fast with imperfect information. We're a small company, so this is key!
- People skills: Learn how to really listen to people, to empathize with and help them, to gain and keep their trust.
- Being able to see the big picture: you need to quickly understand complex organizations, see patterns, connect strategy, business model, and operating model to identify the real levers for improvement.
- Structure and analytical skills: learn how to break down complex problems into manageable parts, structure your thinking clearly, and use data and logic to drive sound recommendations.
