Tanja Drefke

As Strategy Consultant & Program Lead at Heineken International N.V., I led a multi-year digital transformation across global supply chain and IT architecture domains. Operating in highly diverse, legacy-heavy OpCo environments, I designed scalable, cloud-native solutions that modernized Heineken’s infrastructure and enabled AI-driven decision-making across 15+ major markets.

Key achievements included:

• End-to-End SAP Integration: Oversaw integration of SAP S/4HANA, ECC, Middleware (Solace, Boomi), SAP CPI and Blue Yonder into a new B2B cloud platform. Designed strategies for master/transactional data harmonization and aligned warehouse, inventory, and finance processes across business units.

• AI & ML Adoption: Implemented AI/ML tools for demand forecasting, warehouse optimization, and financial planning. Deployed predictive analytics for logistics efficiency and inventory turnover improvement.

• Legacy Migration Leadership: Led deep-dive assessments of fragmented systems, developed migration roadmaps, and introduced data harmonization to overcome technical constraints.

• Change & Agile Leadership: Designed Agile coaching frameworks and delivered tailored training for SAP project teams. Ensured high adoption of digital workflows and knowledge transfer across functions.

• Risk & Governance Enablement: Built a six-phase Tollgate model and embedded ITSM, sustainability (Greenprint), and risk frameworks. Ensured business continuity during SAP transitions and system cutovers.

This role elevated Heineken’s global digital maturity, improved supply chain responsiveness, and created a scalable model for future transformation.

As the Senior IT Consultant at Schmitz Cargobull AG, I played a pivotal role in the spin-off project, driving process redesign and implementation with a focus on aligning the new business unit's operations with strategic goals. Through meticulous evaluation, modeling, and coordination, I ensured seamless integration of business and technical processes into the newly formed standalone entity. Leveraging advanced project management techniques, SAP FI/CO expertise, and change management strategies,

Key Achievements:

• Process Redesign and Implementation: I led the redesign and implementation of critical business processes (SAP modules (FI, MM, SD) and legacy systems)

• Innovative Solution Proposals: I developed comprehensive solution proposals that incorporated process models, technical strategies, and innovative ideas to optimize system performance.

• Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: I conducted coordination workshops involving diverse teams, including business leaders, technical experts, and financial controllers, to refine process models and ensure alignment with strategic goals.

• Technical Conceptualization and Integration: I created detailed technical concepts to align business systems with operational goals, ensuring smooth interoperability between SAP modules (FI, MM, SD) and legacy systems.

• Change Management Leadership: I designed and implemented comprehensive change management initiatives to foster engagement and adoption of redesigned processes and systems.

• Quality Assurance and Compliance: I established rigorous quality assurance frameworks to validate the alignment of business processes and financial operations with SAP FI/CO and IFRS standards.

• Strategic Alignment for Long-Term Success: I worked closely with senior leadership to align project deliverables with the organization's strategic goals. By embedding scalable SAP FI/CO and operational solutions,

Transformed GEA's decentralized IT into a scalable, secure hybrid cloud and network infrastructure. Successfully executed the global Cloud File Services and ServiceNow/VMware integration program, optimizing service management and IIoT capabilities. Migrated workloads across public/private clouds, enabling cost reduction and regulatory compliance. Defined cloud strategies, centralized 350+ sites, and led end-to-end transformation.

Delivered a global SD-WAN rollout across 288 sites, replacing MPLS/IPSec/PtP with carrier-independent WAN infrastructure, improving speed, flexibility, and connectivity. Reduced operational costs and enabled seamless cloud integration through a unified overlay platform.

Led strategic integration of ServiceNow with VMware vRealize for cloud orchestration and automated catalog services. Implemented SIAM-based multi-vendor governance, improving asset, incident, change, and request processes across all platforms.

Implemented NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP and Talon FAST™ for next-gen cloud file services. Enabled real-time access and consolidated data management while eliminating branch-level backups.

Co-developed the Eureka IIoT PaaS platform for ingesting, analyzing, and governing industrial IoT data. Enabled secure IIoT templates, data routing, analytics, and compliance.

Oversaw all financials, scope, and change controls across programs. Owned governance streams (Security, Data Protection, Transition) and reported regularly to C-Level. Drove change management and adoption strategies to support enterprise-wide transformation.