Building One Global Strategy, Operating Model & Portfolio Simplification to Unlock Growth

Professional portrait photo on blue background.

Dr. Johannes Ihringer Dr. Johannes
Ihringer

Process Industries

Case

A global specialty chemicals manufacturer partnered with TTE Strategy to build a unified global strategy and operating model, unlocking growth, profitability, and simplicity across markets. Together, we developed a group strategy with a clear vision, mission, and ambition, designed a global Target Operating Model, and launched a structured product and customer complexity reduction program. The result: a strategically aligned organization with clear responsibilities, reduced complexity, and true operational excellence — positioned for sustainable growth and global scaling.

Our client, a foundation-owned specialty chemicals group, had weak organic growth for years and declining earnings. Different organizational logics across countries and business units prevented synergies, blurred responsibilities, and increased operational complexity. Management decided to fundamentally reset strategy, structure, and execution. TTE was selected because we combine strategy and delivery — and because we treat co-creation not as facilitation, but as a delivery model: real ownership within the client, enabled by analytical depth, conceptual leadership, and execution discipline.

We drove - The Strategy Hattrick

Strategic Clarity
In close collaboration with the executive board, we developed a group strategy with a defined vision, mission, and ambition.
We identified strategic elements and value creation enablers, then drove a structured strategy cascade:

Business Divisions
- market and competitor analysis
- strategic priorities per segment
- product and portfolio design
- go-to-market and segmentation
Value Chain Functions
- translating strategy into functional goals
- roles, accountabilities, core processes
Service Functions
- globally aligned functions
- role clarity, interface ownership, standards

Core principle: every sub-strategy contributes to the group strategy — resulting in a coherent target picture with measurable value levers.

Structural Resilience — by Design
In parallel, we designed a globally aligned Target Operating Model that enables clarity and scalability.
Based on guiding principles, dedicated teams and real co-creation, we delivered:

functional tasks & roles
global accountabilities
organization structures
end-to-end core processes
segment-driven market logic

Differences across business units and geographies were systematically reduced and responsibilities clearly defined.

Operational Excellence — through real complexity reduction
To make the strategic ambition executable, we designed and executed a portfolio and customer complexity reduction program:

value- and margin-based customer prioritization
elimination of non-value-adding product variants
resource alignment on high-value segments

This reduced operational cost, increased scalability, and refocused efforts on the areas that drive value.

Co-Creation with real ownership
The success was driven by true co-creation.
Dedicated workstreams owned the key questions; TTE brought:

outside-in perspective
analytical depth
conceptual leadership
execution discipline

The organization was not transformed, it transformed itself.
On Day 1 of go-live, the model operated flawlessly, even while hypercare activities were still ongoing, exceeding expectations.