Yasmin Sagadevan

Executive strategy, finance, operations, organizational change, and business transformation leader with more than 25 years of experience advising and leading initiatives for Fortune 500 organizations, growth-stage businesses, and nonprofit organizations across financial services, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defense, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, consumer products, professional services, commercial real estate, government, and retail. Career combines management consulting, global finance leadership, FP&A, program and project management, operating-model design, M&A integration, regulatory remediation, enterprise communications, leadership development, executive coaching, governance, risk, internal audit, and business process improvement. Experienced partnering with CEOs, CFOs, executive teams, boards, business leaders, technology teams, and cross-functional stakeholders to translate complex priorities into structured decisions, executable plans, and sustainable organizational outcomes. Recognized for structured problem solving, analytical rigor, financial insight, executive communication, stakeholder alignment, and stewardship. Brings Big Four and Accenture discipline to strategic decision-making while integrating strategy, operations, finance, people, process, and technology.

1. Organizational Change, Communications, Finance Transformation & Risk Engagements

   PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS (PWC)

   Jan 2021 to Jan 2022

   Contract roles spanning organizational change, communications, finance transformation, and risk engagements. • Change Management & Communications Lead – GE Aerospace | Aerospace & Defense / Manufacturing | Corporate Separation • Led global organizational change and communications strategy for a large-scale corporate separation affecting multiple global business units and cross-functional teams. • Developed change strategy, implementation plans, communications strategy, messaging, engagement plans, and structured processes based on current-state, stakeholder, impact, and culture diagnostics. • Conducted stakeholder and organizational impact assessments to identify affected groups, change implications, readiness needs, risks, and leadership actions. • Partnered with senior leadership, program stakeholders, and business teams to communicate organizational impacts, program milestones, operating changes, and transition requirements. • Facilitated leadership discussions, employee engagement activities, and cross-functional sessions to address concerns, build alignment, and maintain continuity. • Prepared executive communications, transformation presentations, governance materials, and employee-facing content explaining operational and structural changes. • Communications & Shared Delivery Lead – CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield | Healthcare • Developed enterprise-wide communications strategy and plans supporting a multi-year transformation program. • Established communications governance, cadence, shared-delivery processes, and messaging alignment across business units and stakeholder groups. • Supported multi-workstream coordination and consistent communication of objectives, progress, decisions, and organizational impacts. • Change Management & Communications Manager – CUNA Mutual | Financial Services / Insurance • Led change enablement for enterprise initiatives using structured change frameworks and senior stakeholder engagement. • Gathered requirements and conducted gap analysis, stakeholder assessment, and readiness assessment to identify transition needs and implementation risks. • Developed change management framework, communications plans, transition plan, and training strategy to support adoption. • Managed client relationships and senior stakeholder engagement across business and delivery teams. • Month-End Process Optimization Lead – Perrigo | Fortune 500 Pharmaceutical | Global SAP S/4HANA Central Finance Transformation • Led and supported global month-end close process optimization associated with SAP S/4HANA Central Finance migration. • Partnered with finance and technology leaders to assess requirements, redesign processes, align governance, and improve the global close. • Coordinated process documentation, future-state guidance, stakeholder alignment, and operational readiness to prepare finance teams for implementation. • Helped translate system and process changes into practical operating guidance for finance stakeholders and end users. • Culture & Accountability Manager – Citi Internal Audit | Fortune 100 Financial Services • Evaluated Matters Requiring Attention, Consent Orders, regulatory findings, governance requirements, and organizational accountability needs. • Supported development of governance, oversight, ownership, and accountability processes addressing regulatory findings. • Collaborated across internal audit, risk, operations, and control functions to clarify responsibilities, improve transparency, and support sustained implementation.

2. Founder & Principal

   OPTIMA MANAGEMENT ADVISORS, LLC

   Jan 2019 to Present

   Gastonia / Charlotte Region, NC

   Provide independent strategy, finance, operations, organizational effectiveness, change, communications, and executive advisory services to founders, executives, small and medium-sized businesses, and organizational leaders. • Advise owners and executives on strategy, profitability, pricing, financial visibility, cash flow, KPI development, governance, organizational design, operational improvement, and business performance. • Translate ambiguous priorities and complex business needs into structured analyses, strategic frameworks, business plans, operating models, implementation roadmaps, process documentation, and decision-ready recommendations. • Develop financial analyses, business cases, budgets, forecasts, performance reporting, pricing and margin assessments, and operating recommendations to improve decision quality and execution. • Design management systems, reporting structures, accountability frameworks, operational procedures, onboarding resources, and practical guides that connect strategy with day-to-day operations. • Facilitate executive planning sessions, stakeholder discussions, webinars, workshops, and training to build understanding, alignment, readiness, and adoption. • Develop executive presentations, board materials, investor pitch decks, capital-raise documentation, strategic proposals, executive summaries, and financial narratives for leadership and investors. • Provide executive and business coaching focused on communication effectiveness, strategic judgment, problem solving, leadership capability, culture, emotional intelligence, and high-stakes decision-making. • Evaluate investment and business opportunities and advise on proceed, restructure, or walk-away decisions. • Support organizational outreach and go-to-market initiatives through structured communications, representative training, messaging, presentations, quick-reference guides, and engagement processes. • Partner with leaders to align strategy, operations, finance, people, governance, and organizational priorities to support sustainable performance. • Selected Advisory Assignments: • Group Purchasing Resources: created strategic blueprints, vision, mission, core values, communications frameworks, affiliate onboarding resources, training, webinars, outreach messaging, and operational guides. • Motivo and Data Spectrum: provided business and leadership coaching to strengthen executive communication, decision-making, organizational effectiveness, and adoption. • Project Sustainable Abundance: developed strategic blueprint connecting vision, mission, values, strategic goals, operating models, and operational functions. • Individual investor advisory: evaluated investment opportunities and supported buy-versus-walk-away decisions. • Growth-stage and entrepreneurial organizations: prepared business plans, financial analyses, operating recommendations, investor materials, pitch decks, and capital-raise coordination.

3. Change Management Lead – M&A Talent Integration

   ACCENTURE – GLOBAL VENTURES & ACQUISITIONS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

   Jun 2017 to May 2019

   • Led organizational change activities for four post-merger integrations involving acquisitions in digital and AI technology, data technology, and communications strategy consulting. • Conducted organizational and employee impact assessments; gathered requirements; identified affected stakeholders, process changes, risks, dependencies, and readiness priorities. • Developed and executed communications and employee-engagement plans supporting a positive employee experience and organizational transition. • Coordinated integration planning and implementation across acquired organizations and enterprise leadership, HR, finance, operations, communications, learning and development, and technology stakeholders. • Coached executives and stakeholders and coordinated user education, learning channels, and training to support adoption of integrated processes and ways of working. • Supported alignment of culture, governance, operating models, and talent practices across combined entities. • Tracked milestones, issues, executive reporting, and adoption; used employee and user pulse surveys at key milestones to gauge integration success.

4. Business Strategy Manager – CFO & Enterprise Value / Digital Finance Strategy

   ACCENTURE STRATEGY

   Mar 2014 to Nov 2016

   • Led strategy, finance transformation, operating-model, performance-improvement, turnaround, post-merger budgeting, and commercial-pricing engagements across consumer products, telecommunications, and manufacturing. • Advised Revlon leadership on finance strategy and approaches to optimize shareholder value. • Integrated post-merger budgeting and financial management processes for Frontier Communications. • Led the finance workstream for Outokumpu turnaround strategy; defined financial strategies and blueprints for business and operating models. • Developed financial analyses, business cases, strategic recommendations, and executive presentations supporting transformation decisions and implementation priorities. • Partnered with finance, business, operations, and technology stakeholders to evaluate trade-offs, align strategic priorities, and improve organizational performance. • Managed executive client relationships and facilitated stakeholder alignment across complex engagements. • Program Management Lead – Accenture Strategy Pricing Team • Built and reviewed financial and pricing models for management consulting and strategy engagements under a newly introduced pricing model. • Supported deal economics, commercial decision-making, engagement profitability, approvals, and implementation of pricing strategy across the practice.

5. Assistant Vice President – Business Transformation & Process Implementation

   BANK OF AMERICA

   Dec 2010 to Mar 2014

   Brea, CA

   • Led business transformation, process implementation, and operational improvement initiatives responding to CFPB regulatory requirements and customer-experience priorities. • Translated regulatory and operational requirements into defined processes, controls, procedures, implementation activities, and cross-functional delivery plans. • Coordinated business, operations, risk, compliance, and technology stakeholders to address dependencies, delivery issues, and remediation priorities. • Applied change management, process mapping, project management, and implementation methods to strengthen compliance, operational transparency, and service outcomes. • Used PPRT for project reporting and Microsoft Visio to design current-state and future-state process flows. • Assistant Vice President – Unit Manager II, Quality Assurance & Intake | Support for the Office of the CEO • Managed quality assurance and intake operations supporting more than 70 staff. • Established loan-processing quality standards, intake procedures, operational controls, governance, and performance reporting. • Monitored service quality, process effectiveness, compliance, issues, and improvement priorities; led teams through operational and organizational change.

6. Director, Internal Audit

   GRUBB & ELLIS / NNN REALTY ADVISORS / NNN TRIPLENET PROPERTIES

   Jan 2005 to Jan 2008

   Santa Ana, CA

   • Designed and implemented Sarbanes-Oxley compliance protocols and internal-control framework governing approximately $1 billion in assets across publicly filed non-traded REITs and value funds. • Led internal audit, control design and testing, enterprise risk assessment, process documentation, corrective-action planning, and governance reporting. • Used change management, communications, training, standard operating procedures, and process improvement to implement SOX requirements across the organization. • Supported board reporting, organizational accountability, and leadership oversight of risk and controls. • Conducted M&A due diligence and supported reverse-merger and IPO readiness efforts that resulted in a $725 million publicly traded company. • Used Microsoft Visio to document business processes and controls.

7. Progressive Global Finance, Operations & Program Leadership Roles

   ACCENTURE / ANDERSEN CONSULTING / ARTHUR ANDERSEN

   Feb 1991 to Oct 2003

   Los Angeles, CA

   • Director, Global Cross-Border Finance / Senior Manager – Global Lead • Directed global financial governance for cross-border operations across 48 countries, including planning, policies and procedures, compliance monitoring, reporting, controls, and issue resolution. • Led annual budgets, quarterly rolling forecasts, plan-versus-actual analysis, management reporting, and performance reviews across global operations. • Managed virtual finance teams in Europe and the Americas while based in California; partnered with global executives and country leadership. • Established governance standards and supported consistent execution of cross-border financial policies and operating requirements. • Senior Finance Manager – Global Change Program • Led controllership, FP&A, and financial management for globalization strategic initiatives with a $30 million budget. • Supported development and implementation of global standards of practice, operating strategy, governance, and enterprise change initiatives. • Provided executive reporting, financial analysis, workforce planning, risk identification, and decision support for global program leadership. • Operations Manager – Worldwide Process Excellence • Led PMO activities for the launch of Worldwide Process Excellence, including program communications, financial management, human resources coordination, governance, and operational planning. • Supported global process standardization, implementation, stakeholder coordination, reporting, and adoption of enterprise process-excellence practices. • Engagement Management Manager – Client Financial Management • Built deal-shaping financial models that helped win a $25 million AirTouch BPM outsourcing engagement, one of Accenture's early outsourcing initiatives. • Led financial management teams supporting Disney, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, AirTouch, Riverside General Hospital, and other complex engagements. • Managed engagement economics, client and internal reporting, budgets, forecasts, billing, time reporting, profitability, margin analysis, service-level agreement governance, and financial controls. • Built and trained new financial accounting teams responsible for billing, time tracking, forecasting, reporting, and engagement financial operations. • Planned and managed headcount and skills mix to meet profit-and-loss margin requirements; supported salary administration and workforce decisions. • Implemented engagement policies, onboarding, governance processes, and ongoing financial planning and performance-management practices.

1. MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY / ICAEW PATHWAY

   Chartered Accountancy Foundations, UK Accounting, Audit & Tax

2. PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY

   Presidential / Key Executive MBA Program

   Malibu, CA

   2008

• Spirit of Facilitation

  Accenture

• SAFe Agile Scrum Master (SSM)

• Anaplan Certificate

• Effective Negotiation

  Chester Karrass

• Coaching Certificate Fundamentals (CPCC)

• Servant Leadership

  Blanchard

• Principle-Centered Leadership

  Covey

• Program Management School

  Accenture

• Change Management

  Cornell University

• Corporate Communications

  Cornell University

• Facilitative Leadership

  Interaction Associates

• Team Performance Maximization

  Accenture

• Critical Behavioral Interviewing

  Accenture

• Enterprise Risk Management

  Deloitte

• Applied Behavioral Science Ethics

  Behavioral Economics Academy

• Lease Audit / Lease Administration

  Deloitte

• Effective Communication

  Accenture

• Effective Presentation

  Accenture

• Business Strategy Certificate

  INSEAD