Simon Holmes

Tech + people; people + tech. My personal double-helix.
Can we be human-centric and AI-powered? I think so. We're working on it.
Check out the whitepaper below for the vision and the plan.

Co-Founder and Consultant

Is your engineering team not running the way you want it to? Chances are it's not a technical issue or a skills gap. Chances are, it's more complex - it's human.

We partner with people who believe what we believe, namely that:
1) Software engineering is a deeply human endeavour
2) Software delivery and organisational performance are predicted by the underlying engineering culture

Alongside consultancy, change management, and interim management two of our most popular services are:

1) Engineering Culture Index
Our Engineering Culture Index provides a way to measure your engineering culture, highlighting the strengths of the team and the issues holding you back.

2) Team Dependencies Matrix
Identify the hidden bottlenecks and dependencies that are slowing your team town.

For both of these we help you with the root cause analysis and corrective actions. They are often combined together into a complete actionable audit.

Manufacturing Operations Transformation

I support mid-sized industrial companies in turning operational chaos into clarity and performance. 

My work combines interim leadership, lean transformation, and leadership development to stabilize operations, improve delivery, and empower teams.

- Reduced delivery lead times by up to 50% through restructuring daily operations
- Stabilized critical production systems, cutting scrap and rework significantly
- Built shopfloor management systems with KPIs, routines, and leadership behaviors
- Coached team leaders and plant managers into confident, accountable roles
- Led operational recovery in environments under high corporate pressure

Senior Interim Manager | Lean Transformation Expert

Pegasystems

At Pegasystems, I supported enterprise clients in aligning their business processes with digital transformation goals. 

My role focused on bridging the gap between strategic intent and operational execution—translating requirements into clear, manageable processes using Pega’s platform.

- Led discovery and alignment workshops with cross-functional stakeholders
- Identified process inefficiencies and guided automation and redesign initiatives
- Delivered clear process maps and requirements for technical teams
- Enabled client teams to align digital workflows with business KPIs
- Supported the integration of human-centered design with operational system logic

Business Consultant - Digital Transformation

BMW Group

At BMW, I led Lean transformation and leadership development initiatives across local and global production sites and other functions. 
I worked closely with cross-functional teams—from shopfloor to engineering and executive leadership—to drive performance, alignment, quality, and practical process improvements.

- Supported global sites in Europe, Asia, and the US in stabilizing operations and applying Lean principles
- Partnered with engineering teams to streamline cross-functional development processes
- Introduced shopfloor and management routines across departments for better visibility and flow
- Coached team leaders, department heads, and executives in performance-focused leadership
- Facilitated alignment between strategic objectives and daily execution across business units

Project Manager Lean Six Sigma - Referent Prozessberatung

I worked with a range of industrial clients across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food production, automotive, and electronics. 

I took on roles as a Lean expert, Six Sigma Black Belt, and interim manager—leading transformation and directly managing teams in high-pressure environments.

In addition to that, I worked for Banking clients and clients in the online retail sector, leading CI and organisational transformation 

- Served as interim production manager for units with up to 120 staff—responsible for daily performance, people leadership, and operational stability
- Delivered Lean transformation projects in production, logistics, and quality, achieving cost and performance improvements
- Led Six Sigma projects targeting yield, process variation, and defect reduction
- Developed and improved supplier performance through structured audits, workshops, and capability development
- Built cross-functional improvement teams and supported leadership development on-site

Senior Lean Consultant | Interim Production Manager | Six Sigma Black Belt

At GE, I served as Production and Lean Leader responsible for driving operational transformation across newly acquired manufacturing sites. I led the development and execution of Lean deployment roadmaps, integrating physical infrastructure changes, system improvements, and cultural adoption of continuous improvement practices.

- Developed and implemented Lean deployment roadmap across production environments
- Increased productivity by 20% and reduced setup times by 35%
- Introduced pull systems and optimized production planning to achieve 100% on-time delivery
- Coordinated infrastructure and layout changes in support of Lean transformation
- Supported cross-functional collaboration between production, engineering, and leadership

Lean Leader

LEONI

At LEONI, I was responsible for the implementation and development of the LEONI Production System across multiple production areas. I drove improvements in productivity, space utilization, and team capability by deploying Lean principles and infrastructure enhancements. My work laid the foundation for sustainable operational excellence within the site and supported LEONI’s global standards.

- Implemented the LEONI Production System, achieving 25% productivity improvement and 30% space savings
- Led redesign of production layouts and coordinated infrastructure adjustments to support Lean transformation
- Coached team leaders and managers in Lean tools and daily management routines
- Trained internal staff through formal Lean education programs and hands-on improvement initiatives
- Supported audits, continuous improvement projects, and cultural change within production teams

LPS Manager

Leading all engineering activities in production sections, introducing new products and engineering changes, manage tools, equipment and processes, improve layouts and support the roll out of the production system

NPI - Project Management - SOP - Ramp Up - Supply Chain - Lean - Six Sigma Green Belt - Engineering Change - Design Change - Layout

Process Engineer

MB Vibroacoustics

Mechanical Engineer

Freelance

Freelancer

High Performance Coach | I write about being more productive while experiencing joy in your life!

I help industrial companies escape chaos and build high-performance operations.

For over 20 years, I’ve worked with mid-sized manufacturing teams as an interim manager, transformation expert, and leadership coach. I combine hands-on implementation with change management and leadership support to help companies deliver better—on time, with higher quality, and at lower cost.

My clients are often stuck in a painful cycle of:

 - Firefighting all day, every day—chasing one problem after another with no time to think

 - Missing delivery deadlines, losing customer trust, and constantly apologizing

 - High scrap, rework, and hidden costs silently draining profit

 - Low morale and high turnover, with good people burning out or walking away

 - No clear structure or leadership rhythm—just reacting, not leading

 - Growing pressure from corporate to “deliver more with less,” without real support

I don’t offer theory, I offer action!
I bring structured, practical transformation. 
We build the systems, routines, and leadership habits that make performance reliable, scalable, and human.

What I bring:
 - Calm confidence—a sense of control and clarity, even in crisis
 - Strong, coherent teams that trust each other and deliver together
 - Clear leadership at every level, with consistency, courage, and ownership
 - Transparent and stable operations that reduce stress and increase predictability
 - Reliable performance—on-time delivery, higher quality, and lower costs
 -  Real transformation, grounded in daily habits and sustained by your people

If your operations are stuck in chaos, I’d be glad to help.

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The Battle

Simon Holmes

Mohammed Aly

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