Aug22136 37. Best eCommerce Cross-Border Logistics CEO 2024: Xavier Goddaer & Strategic Transformation Excellence Award 2024 - Germany Asendia Germany GmbH Experienced and skilled in turnaround management, Xavier Goddaer has been instrumental in ensuring the success of many companies over his career. Now based at Asendia Germany GmbH (Asendia), he tells us more about his strategies and how he implements them in the wake of gaining notable recognition in the European CEO of the Year Awards 2024. Launched in 2012 by La Poste and Swiss Post, and operating worldwide, Asendia Germany GmbH enables retailers and brands to scale their e-commerce business across borders and continents by providing a network that delivers to over 200 countries and territories. Asendia’s clients include e-tailers and brands of various sizes and industries, from small but fast-growing start-ups to global leaders in e-commerce. As CEO, Xavier Goddaer’s area of expertise is turnaround management and business transformation. He joined Asendia with the clear mission of transforming the business from the ‘old’ mail and publication services to a market-leading e-commerce delivery services company. “The path to success involves setting clear and simple goals, choosing the right people and skills for the tasks, challenges, and goals, empowering them to make quick decisions based on their expertise, and letting the teams do their job,” explains Xavier. “Whenever the team shines, the CEO has done a brilliant job based on the ‘management by objectives’ approach.” This innovative way of thinking came about from Xavier’s long and illustrious career. One such success story includes the challenging restructuring of a near bankrupted operation in the Fire Detection & Suppression business. Over 18 months, the business became cashflow positive, and for the past three years, it is writing double digit profit. As member of Advisory Boards, he’s providing services for start-ups and businesses with intensive care issues. Those businesses are active in the construction, high-tech, e-commerce, and retail sectors. Xavier studied Information Technology and Business Administration at the Brussels University. In 2009, he sharpened his consultative selling skills with Krauthammer and completed a strategic lead programme at the Darden University in West Virginia (US). Xavier is quadri-lingual and likes to operate in multicultural environments. His helicopter view enables him to translate strategic goals into pragmatic tactical and realisable steps. Over the last five years, he led Asendia, operating in the most competitive markets in Europe. Xavier is active as mentor within the regional Entrepreneur Association and coaches both CEOs and new starters. Shortly after starting at Asendia, Xavier encountered a common issue as in many companies: daily business operations are often mixed with newly initiated projects. This means that people have to handle project work alongside their regular duties. Moreover, there is a frequent misconception that project management can be done by anyone without specialised training or methodologies. Transforming a business while achieving organic growth and maintaining organisational stability, all based on existing cashflow, is not a simple task. However, if you have an established C-level team that can break down the main objectives into tangible and actionable tasks and monitor results, budgets, and timelines daily, you can succeed. “At Asendia, we introduced a small Project Management Office (PMO) to support employees in their daily business with additional resources and skills,” Xavier elaborates, telling us of the solutions he implemented to ensure the success of the company. “Instead of adding project work pressure on top of daily tasks, we plan carefully and realistically. Our PMO colleagues have specialised training in project management methodologies and can provide the best support to other departments and colleagues.” The transformation of Asendia from a mail business to a pure e-commerce business is ongoing and involves crucial building blocks: the right products, powered by state-ofthe-art technology, and the ability to quickly react to market conditions in an agile global e-commerce environment. With leadership skills based on building trust, being transparent, setting long-term targets, and letting experts do their jobs (even if they make mistakes) has held Xavier in good stead over the years. When he first started at Asendia, the potential in the team was great but, based on historical issues, there was a lack of self-confidence, culture, and structure. “When you start as a new CEO in a company, take your time!” he enthuses, elaborating on his secret to success. “Time to listen, time to understand, time to digest insights, and time to draw the right conclusions. Then start acting and changing.” Recently gaining recognition for his instrumental role at Asendia and being bestowed with not one, but two, accolades including Best eCommerce Cross-Border Logistics CEO 2024 as well as the coveted Strategic Transformation Excellence Award 2024 – Germany, Xavier is now keen to continue with his transformational roadmap. “When you start changing an organisation organically, inside-out, you need to apply the right speed, methodology, and measures,” he states. “You need to make people understand the upcoming journey by heart to support it, especially the upper management level must be aligned with plans and changes. Culture eats strategy for breakfast, so start changing this first!” Contact: Xavier Goddaer Company: Asendia Germany GmbH Web Address: http://www.asendia.de
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