Bnp Paribas

Background

Between 2019 and 2022, BNP Paribas — one of the largest and most respected banking groups in Europe — approached me for support in transforming its internal management model. The bank recognized that its traditional, hierarchical approach to project execution, product delivery, and team alignment was no longer delivering the speed, quality, and employee satisfaction needed in a rapidly digitizing financial services industry. They needed a structured, modern way to improve efficiency, accelerate critical initiatives, and boost engagement across key business units.Challenges

• Slow, bureaucratic decision-making and long lead times for projects and digital products

• Misalignment between strategic priorities set by top management and day-to-day execution

• Suboptimal collaboration and ownership across large, matrixed teams

• Declining employee motivation and engagement in delivery squads

• Pressure to modernize without disrupting regulated banking operations

  
  

My Approach

I worked directly with top management and selected critical product & project areas to redesign how the bank delivers value. My focus was practical, results-driven modernization using proven frameworks:

• Rolled out OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) as the core alignment tool — linking bank-level strategy directly to squad-level outcomes and creating transparency.

• Introduced agile ways of working — with clear roles, ceremonies, iterative delivery, and continuous feedback — adapted to the regulatory and risk-heavy banking context.

• Applied lean principles to eliminate waste, reduce handoffs, shorten cycle times, and focus teams on customer and business value.

• Collaborated closely with senior leadership to restructure key programs and products — clarifying accountability, removing unnecessary dependencies, and accelerating delivery.

• Personally coached managers, product owners, and delivery leads on outcome-oriented leadership, prioritization, and modern execution practices.

  
  

Results

• Employee engagement (eNPS) improved by +7 points — a clear indicator of higher team motivation and trust in the new operating model.

• Delivery speed increased significantly — critical digital products and features reached customers and internal stakeholders much faster.

• Product quality rose noticeably — fewer defects, better internal feedback, and higher satisfaction from business stakeholders.

• Strategic alignment became much stronger — top management could clearly see progress against bank-wide priorities.

• The bank built a repeatable, scalable management model that continued to be used across multiple divisions long after my engagement ended.

  
  

Conclusion

Between 2019 and 2022, I personally helped BNP Paribas evolve from a traditional, slow-moving organization to a more agile, focused, and people-centric one. By implementing OKRs, agile, and lean practices — and working hand-in-hand with leadership to restructure critical initiatives — we delivered measurable improvements in speed, quality, and engagement within a highly regulated environment. The transformation showed that modern management methods can create real impact even in complex, large-scale banking organizations.