Bill Russo (罗威)

Current

• Senior Advisor at Booz & Company
• President at Synergistics Limited

Past

• Vice President, Chrysler Northeast Asia at Chrysler LLC
• Director, Product & Business Strategy at DaimlerChrysler
• Senior Manager, Post-Merger Integration at DaimlerChrysler

• Senior Manager, Process Management & Continuous Improvement at Chrysler Corporation
• Senior Engineer/Business Transformation Consultant at IBM Global Services
• Senior Associate Engineer at IBM

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Education

• Lehigh University
• Columbia University - Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
• Cardinal Spellman High School

• Mt. Carmel School

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1 more...

Recommended

15 people have recommended Bill

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Automotive

Websites

• CBS Evening News China Auto

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Summary

President and founder of Synergistics Limited with 25+ years of industry experience in driving strategy and performance improvement in Fortune 500 environments. Experience includes over 15 years as an automotive executive, including 5 years of experience in China and Asia. Proven ability to open new international markets using a life-cycle management approach from strategy formulation through industrialization. Successfully negotiated agreements with partners and obtained required approvals from China government to bring 6 new vehicle programs to the market in a 3-year period, as well as establish an infrastructure for localization and sales/distribution. Able to assemble new organizations and mobilize teams to capitalize on market and process improvement opportunities. Experience in negotiating favorable agreements, building strong relationships with government officials and clients, and leveraging functional synergies. Diligent leader with unique blend of management, global business, engineering and operational expertise.

In addition to subject-matter expertise, I bring an in-depth knowledge, appreciation and respect for the Chinese culture and history to your organization.

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Specialties:

China, International Business Development, Negotiation, Strategic Planning, Process Reengineering, Business Turnarounds, New Product Development, Operations, Competitive / Market Analysis, Balanced Scorecard, Governmental Relations, Change Management, Automotive, IT

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Experience

• Senior Advisor

  Booz & Company

  (Privately Held; Management Consulting industry)

  July 2009 — Present (5 months)

  Development of China Automotive Center of Competence.

• President

  Synergistics Limited

  (Privately Held; Management Consulting industry)

  March 2009 — Present (9 months)

  International business development advisory firm specializing in formulation of market-entry strategies, competitive analysis, production/supply capability assessment, regulatory and government approval requirements and identification and qualification of JV/alliance partners. Firm provides proven methodologies for program management and negotiation of deals with clients in Asia.
  
  Dynamic speaker and frequently published author and opinion leader. My viewpoints on the China Auto industry have recently been quoted in Newsweek, Straits Times and the China Automotive Review. I have also appeared in a CBS Evening News story about the China auto market and contributed on two occasions to stories airing on National Public Radio. I have also been a guest on China Radio International's "Today" program.

• Vice President, Chrysler Northeast Asia

  Chrysler LLC

  (Automotive industry)

  July 2004 — September 2008 (4 years 3 months)

  Directed operations in capacity as company’s 1st regional VP. Generated and deployed strategies to build a new team (eventual growth to ~ 250 employees) and to maximize long-term revenues and market penetration. Counseled U.S. senior management on the necessity of developing an indigenous Asian presence and entering company-branded vehicles into the marketplace. Devised Asian marketing plans in coordination with senior management colleagues. Negotiated agreements to support launch of sales divisions and manufacturing facilities in multiple countries; navigated local regulatory obstacles to obtain advantageous classifications of business entities. Drove growth in sales volume by achieving rollout of a complete showroom lineup. Provided framework for ongoing success in key Asian markets by establishing 2 national sales subsidiaries within 18 months. Adhered to Chinese regulations while launching 6 vehicle production programs in 3 years.

• Director, Product & Business Strategy

  DaimlerChrysler

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; DCX; Automotive industry)

  January 2000 — July 2004 (4 years 7 months)

  Reported to global CEO; oversaw governance in role as secretary of CEO’s committees. Managed numerous high-level operations and strategic functions. Optimized the 10-year plan, long-term product development programs, and the 5-year, $30B capital investment plan. Analyzed prospective growth opportunities and partnerships. Directed competitive / market analysis and target costing. Spearheaded mission-critical initiative to consolidate 3 key planning functions: 10-year strategy, long-term product development, and 5-year capital investment ($6B annually); Played a key role in major business turnaround (reversing 3 years of losses) by strengthening operational transparency through management of system-wide balanced scorecard deployment; improved access to performance data, aligned performance objectives with long-range strategies, and received international acclaim (Harvard Business Review, speeches / articles).

• Senior Manager, Post-Merger Integration

  DaimlerChrysler

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; DCX; Automotive industry)

  May 1998 — December 1999 (1 year 8 months)

  Led transition team for absorption into Daimler Benz AG in cooperation with 10 executive colleagues (team assembled by Chrysler CEO). Leveraged a qualitative feedback system to determine obstacles. Devised process improvements including cross-functional Issue Resolution Teams. Achieved $1B operating costs reduction (within 1 year, vs. 2 year timetable) in collaboration with Chrysler and Daimler Benz personnel by combining the finance, IT, and HR departments. Facilitated seamless integration by winning cooperation of essential Chrysler decision makers and cultivating productive relationships with Daimler executives.

• Senior Manager, Process Management & Continuous Improvement

  Chrysler Corporation

  (Automotive industry)

  July 1993 — May 1998 (4 years 11 months)

  Oversaw process improvement operations after forming a new team / function (hired based on performance as consultant). Working with functional leaders across the company, my organization was able to conduct hundreds of continuous improvement “kaizen” workshops each year as well as develop functional experts within the operating groups. Worked with the corporate organizational development group to deploy a leadership development program for executives which incorporated the kaizen and process reengineering principles. Reengineered new vehicle / product development to reduce cycle duration from 36 to 24 months. Earned U.S. Patent for a Chrysler Development System product development scheduling methodology.

• Senior Engineer/Business Transformation Consultant

  IBM Global Services

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; IBM; Information Technology and Services industry)

  April 1987 — June 1993 (6 years 3 months)

  Led global cross-functional, multi-disciplinary client teams in the identification and implementation of strategic business improvement initiatives throughout critical value streams and functions, including: Product Planning and Design, Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Supply Chain, Finance, Treasury, Legal, PR and Human Resources. Compiled top regional billing rate, maximized client value, developed new business, and spearheaded new initiatives.

• Senior Associate Engineer

  IBM

  (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; IBM; Information Technology and Services industry)

  July 1982 — April 1987 (4 years 10 months)

  Responsible for final operations in memory chip fabrication process. Authored 3 IBM Technical Reports and received an invention disclosure for production innovation. One of 3 people selected from site (in 1985) to receive a fellowship to participate in the Master of Science program in Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Lehigh University (graduated in Jan 1987).

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Education

• Lehigh University

  MS , Manufacturing Systems Engineering , 1985 — 1987

  Participation in this program was through a fellowship from IBM.

• Columbia University - Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science

  BS , Chemical Engineering , 1978 — 1982

  Activities and Societies:

  Tau Beta Pi, American Institute of Chemists

• Cardinal Spellman High School

  1974 — 1978

• Mt. Carmel School

  1965 — 1974

Additional Information

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Websites:

• CBS Evening News China Auto

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Interests:

Golf, Baseball, Bowling, Investing, Reading (especially history)

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Groups:

American Chamber of Commerce - China

•    The Greater IBM Connection: IBM's alumni program for past and present IBM employees
•    Lehigh University Alumni
•    TEN - Top Executives Net
•    International Export N Import
•    China Business
•    BUSINESS IN CHINA
•    Consultants Network
•    China Networking Group
•    China Venture Capital & Private Equity Club
•    Eagle Scouts, Boy Scouts of America
•    Columbia University Alumni Network
•    ChinaBiz Network
•    Business Strategy & Competitive Strategy Forum
•    Asia NetWork
•    Friends of China
•    Automotive Industry Professionals
•    Automotive Management Professionals
•    Chrysler Alumni
•    Cardinal Spellman High School
•    Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society
•    Beijing Expats
•    Gerson Lehrman Group Council Members
•    Ivy League Alumni
•    Balanced Scorecard Practitioners Global Network
•    STRATEGY PROFESSIONALS NETWORK
•    Is China a Dragon's Den for Potential Business?
•    Engineering Professional Development
•    Columbia University China Group
•    Top World Leaders
•    China Solved
•    China Automotive 中国汽车
•    US Policy on China & the Rest of the World Group
•    Beijing and Shanghai Entrepreneurs
•    China Going Global — Building Chinese Global Brands
•    World & Shanghai [世界与上海]
•    China Automotive Executives

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Honors:

My strategy work was noted by R.S. Kaplan and D.P. Norton in Harvard Business Review September 2005 article entitled "The Office of Strategy Management"

Earned U.S. Patent 6,714,827 for a Chrysler Development System product development scheduling methodology.

Eagle Scouting Award

Bill Russo (罗威)’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch