Lean Transformation & Operational Excellence

Better performance doesn't come from working harder.
It comes from improving the system.

I work with leaders and teams to expose, stabilise, and scale the performance already in their operations.

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Charlotte Cordier
Charlotte Cordier
Senior Transformation Consultant · Sydney, AU
Lean Six Sigma Hoshin Kanri Kaizen TPM DMAIC AI & Digital Operations
17+
Years Experience
APAC & USA
Geographies
56%
Lead Time Reduction (12 wks)
32%
OEE Uplift in 10 Weeks
56% lead time reduction in 12 weeks Mean time between failures: 20 min → 10 hours 32% OEE improvement in 10 weeks $3M+ cost savings identified 900-person safety culture transformation 70% output increase in 4 weeks 56% lead time reduction in 12 weeks Mean time between failures: 20 min → 10 hours 32% OEE improvement in 10 weeks $3M+ cost savings identified 900-person safety culture transformation 70% output increase in 4 weeks

I don't just recommend improvements. I work alongside your team until the results are real and the capability sticks.

Lean Expert MIT Negotiation Master of Industrial Engineering CPSI Certified French · English · Spanish

About

Hands-on, data-led,
people-first

With 17+ years transforming operations across manufacturing, defence, energy, and pharmaceuticals, I've developed one strong conviction: the best improvement tools in the world deliver nothing without people who believe in them.

I was professionally shaped within one of the world's leading Lean practitioner networks, working alongside globally published authors and recognised experts. My work spans enterprise diagnostics, strategy deployment, Kaizen programs, daily management systems, capability coaching, and AI-enabled workflow design, always grounded in data and always focused on results that last.

I'm based in Sydney and work across Australia and globally.

Master of Industrial Engineering, ECAM France
Negotiation & Influence for Executives, MIT Sloan
Creative Problem-Solving Leadership, CPSI Buffalo NY
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, SAI Global
NSW AME Committee Member

My Approach

A methodology built for
lasting results

Every engagement starts with deep diagnosis. No two organisations are the same, so I resist off-the-shelf solutions. What you get is a structured process tailored to your constraints, your people, and your ambition.

1

Diagnose

Performance data, process mapping, workflow analysis, cultural assessment, and stakeholder interviews. I get under the skin of your operation before prescribing anything.

→ Diagnostic report & prioritised improvement roadmap

2

Align

Collaborating with leadership to translate organisational strategy into aligned priorities, cascaded targets, and executable plans, using Hoshin Kanri and Strategy Deployment principles.

→ Strategy A3, aligned KPIs, and cadence design

3

Transform

Kaizen events, system redesigns, daily management implementation, rapid improvement workshops. We address variability, waste, and constraints, and measure every step.

→ Measurable improvements across output, quality, and lead time

4

Sustain

Structured coaching, Leader Standard Work, development workshops, and governance rhythms that transfer capability, so your team sustains and scales improvement independently.

→ Embedded capability, coaching plans, management systems

Case Studies

Results across
complex environments

01

Manufacturing · Pharmaceuticals

Production Line Reliability: From Chronic Stoppages to Sustained High Performance

A Kaizen program on a pharmaceutical production line delivered step-change reliability improvements within 12 weeks.

58→77%OEE
12 wksTimeline
+

Context

A pharmaceutical production line was stopping every 23 minutes on average, causing schedule pressure, rework cost, and operator frustration. OEE was running at 58%.

Approach

  • Daily performance review meetings to track losses and set problem-solving priorities
  • Systematic root cause resolution until failures were eliminated, not patched
  • Standardisation of winning solutions rolled out across all similar lines
  • Team upskilling alongside operational improvements

Results

OEE improved from 58% to 77% by week 12
Short stops reduced from every 23 min to every 3+ hours
12-hour continuous runs achieved multiple times — a first for the line
02

Manufacturing · Electronics

56% Lead Time Reduction in 12 Weeks

An electronics equipment manufacturer was struggling with long assembly lead times that were limiting output and responsiveness to demand.

56%Lead Time Reduction
12 wksTimeline
+

Context

An electronics equipment manufacturer was struggling with long assembly lead times that were limiting output and responsiveness to demand.

Approach

  • Current state process capture and analysis
  • Line rebalancing
  • Structured trials of new solutions
  • Improvement of assembly tools and jigs
  • Daily performance monitoring

Results

56% lead time reduction in 12 weeks
03

Mining Equipment Manufacturing · 4-Year Engagement

Building a Continuous Improvement Culture: Capability, Maintenance and Real Results

A four-year partnership with a mining equipment manufacturer that developed improvement capability at all levels and transformed the maintenance function from reactive to high-performing.

4 yrsEngagement
Multi-siteScope
+

Context

A large mining equipment manufacturer needed lasting improvement capability across the organisation — not just projects. The four-year engagement covered strategy deployment, problem solving, 5S, rapid changeover, and a full maintenance transformation.

Approach

  • Leader Standard Work and strategy cascade with the leadership team
  • 5S and visual management across sites
  • Rapid changeover workshops
  • Maintenance redesign including FMEA and performance systems
  • Structured problem-solving coaching on real, high-impact issues

Results

Example: Pin Line Blade Changeover

Before: Blade changes were reactive and unplanned. No standard process, downtime frequent and unpredictable.
After: Data-driven change intervals, defined changeover process, preventive triggers introduced.
Output increased from 116 to 170 bolts/hour
Blade changeover time reduced from 126 min to 15 min per shift (2 people)
Material cost reduced by $63,000
Leaders at all levels able to diagnose and drive improvement independently
Maintenance transformed from reactive to proactive — sustained over 4 years
04

Defence Manufacturing · Capacity Strategy

Production Capacity Analysis: Full Visibility Before a Major CAPEX Decision

A regulated defence manufacturer needed to understand exactly what they could produce at each growth step — before committing to equipment purchases and a site change.

5Scenarios Modelled
50%Metrology Savings
+

Context

A regulated defence manufacturer needed to understand their full production capacity before committing to major equipment purchases (CAPEX) and a site change. They needed a rigorous analysis of what they could produce at each growth step — without guessing.

Approach

  • End-to-end current-state capacity mapping
  • Constraint identification by machine at every growth step
  • Headcount modelling across multiple volume scenarios
  • Recruitment and training lead time analysis
  • Interactive simulation model built for ongoing leadership decision-making

Results

Full visibility of production capacity across the entire end-to-end process
Constraints identified by machine at every growth step
Interactive simulation model delivered — input any scenario to immediately see what will fail first, including labour, equipment, and support functions
50% reduction in metrology resource requirements identified through process redesign
05

Energy & Mining · Safety Culture

Safety Culture Transformation Across a 900-Person Site

Co-designing governance, co-delivering the program, and rolling out Kaizen boards to shift safety culture from compliance to team ownership.

900People Reached
+

Context

A major energy and mining site needed to shift from compliance-driven safety to team-owned proactive risk prevention across nearly 900 people.

Approach

  • Co-designed governance structure and rollout plan for a site-wide program
  • Co-delivered program content across teams and shifts
  • Designed and led the rollout of Kaizen boards as the visual management backbone
  • Trained frontline teams to identify, track, and resolve safety issues daily
  • Set up escalation pathways, review cadences, and accountability structures from frontline to leadership

Results

900 people engaged across the site
Safety culture shifted from compliance-driven to team-owned, embedded in daily routines
06

Fashion & E-Commerce · Digital Operations

End-to-End Operations Design for a Sustainable Fashion Start-Up

Co-founded PaletTheory in 2020. Every operational system designed, automated, and run from scratch alongside a live business.

0→1Full Ops Build
5 yrsOperating
+

Context

Co-founded PaletTheory in 2020 — a made-to-order sustainable fashion brand. No existing operations to inherit. Every process had to be built from scratch while running a live business.

Approach

  • End-to-end workflow design for a made-to-order model with zero excess inventory
  • E-commerce and fulfilment automation
  • AI and low-code tool implementation to reduce manual overhead
  • Supplier negotiation and contract management
  • Tracking and reporting systems across orders, production, and financials

Results

Zero excess inventory model sustained for 5 years
All operations designed, automated, and maintained by a small founding team
Practical proof of AI and digital workflow capability in a real commercial context

This experience is what makes the AI and digital work tangible. Built automated workflows, designed digital operations, and made commercial decisions under real constraints — as a founder responsible for the outcome.

Services

How I can help

Whether you need a focused diagnostic, a rapid improvement program, or someone to coach your team over the longer term, engagements are designed around your situation, not a standard package.

Operational Diagnostic

A rigorous assessment of your current operation: performance data, process analysis, waste mapping, and cultural review, resulting in a clear prioritised roadmap with quantified opportunity.

Typically includes

  • On-site observation and data collection
  • Stakeholder interviews (frontline to executive)
  • Process and value stream mapping
  • Prioritised improvement roadmap with ROI modelling

Rapid Improvement Programs

Focused 6 to 12 week programs that attack a specific constraint: throughput, lead time, quality, or maintenance performance, with immediate, measurable results.

Typically includes

  • Kaizen events and structured problem-solving
  • Workflow redesign and pull system design
  • 5S, visual management, standard work
  • Daily management and performance review implementation

Capability & Coaching Programs

Structured programs that transfer real improvement capability to your leaders and teams, so the results don't walk out the door when I do.

Typically includes

  • Leader Standard Work design and coaching
  • Practitioner development workshops (Lean, problem solving, changeover)
  • Job Instruction Training and standard work
  • Tiered Daily Management system implementation

Strategy Deployment

Hoshin Kanri and strategy cascade facilitation, helping leadership teams translate vision into aligned priorities, measurable targets, and execution cadence that actually sticks.

Typically includes

  • Executive strategy workshops
  • A3 and X-matrix development
  • Cascaded KPI and target setting
  • Governance and review cadence design

M&A Operational Due Diligence

Pre- or post-acquisition operational assessments that quantify productivity upside, identify risks, and model labour and capital investment scenarios with confidence.

Typically includes

  • Current-state operational assessment
  • Capacity and scalability modelling
  • Labour and capital investment scenarios
  • Risk and constraint identification

AI and Digital Workflow Design

Designing and building AI-enabled workflows, automations, and digital operating systems that reduce manual overhead, improve visibility, and free your team to focus on higher-value work. This is practical, hands-on capability built through years of applying these tools in real operational and commercial contexts, including co-founding and running a fully digital business end-to-end.

Typically includes

  • Digital workflow analysis and redesign
  • AI and low-code tool prototyping and implementation
  • Automation of reporting, tracking, and repetitive processes
  • E-commerce and operational systems design
  • Change management and team adoption support

Who I Work With

The right fit for
the right challenge

  • Manufacturers under capacity pressure

    You're leaving output on the table and you know it. The bottlenecks are real but unclear. You need someone who can find the constraint, fix it fast, and protect the gain.

  • Leaders who want to build capability, not dependency

    You're tired of improvement projects that fade the moment the consultant leaves. You want your own people to be able to diagnose problems, solve them, and hold the line.

  • Organisations navigating growth or M&A

    You're scaling up, integrating an acquisition, or entering a new market. You need operational clarity and rigour before you commit capital and headcount.

  • Complex, regulated environments

    You operate in defence, pharma, mining, or energy, where the stakes are high and the tolerance for error is low. I've worked in these environments for 17+ years. I understand the constraints.

Industries I've worked in

Mining Equipment Pharmaceuticals Defence Manufacturing Energy & Mining Consumer Goods Optics / FMCG Broadcasting Bedding & Retail Navy / Defence Smart Metering Fashion & E-Commerce

What you can expect when we work together

Diagnosis before prescription. I won't tell you what the problem is before I've seen your data, walked your floor, and talked to your people.

Hands-on presence. I work alongside your team, not from a PowerPoint deck. You'll see me on the floor, in the data, in the room where the work happens.

Honest conversations. If something isn't working, I'll say so early. I'd rather have a difficult conversation now than present results that don't hold three months later.

Results you can measure. Every engagement is anchored to specific metrics: output, lead time, OEE, cost, or whatever matters most in your context.

Capability transfer. My goal is to make myself unnecessary. By the time we're done, your team should be able to sustain and scale what we've built, without needing me.

Long-term thinking. Some of my client relationships span close to a decade. I build them by delivering results and treating people well, every single time.

Get In Touch

Let's talk about
your operation

The best starting point is usually a conversation. Tell me what's frustrating you, what you're trying to achieve, and what you've already tried. We'll figure out together whether there's a good fit.

charlotte.cordier1@gmail.com Connect on LinkedIn Sydney, NSW, available nationally and globally