Since joining McKinsey in 1999, Xavier has advised executives looking to make their businesses more efficient, cost-effective, and profitable. Deeply experienced in operational improvement, he specializes in guiding successful transformation initiatives across a number of industries, particularly in high-complexity sectors such as aerospace, mining, and transportation.
Xavier is a proponent of lean-operations approaches and techniques. His projects often include benchmarking performance to find improvement opportunities. Working hand in hand with top executives, he helps reduce materials costs and streamline core processes—leading to stronger sales and more robust cash flow.
Examples of his work include the following:
- Reducing direct procurement costs for a pulp and paper company.
- Identifying ways to remove bottlenecks in mine extension, extraction, and transport for a mining operation, while establishing a plan to increase mine throughput with only limited investment.
- Helping a telecommunications company drive lean concepts through network maintenance, customer service, network provisioning, billing, and collections.
- Directing an effort that reduced aircraft-assembly lead times, freeing up significant cash flow.
- Leading a lean-transformation program for an airline, which improved operating standards, management practices, and culture, resulting in a step change in operational performance.
- Bringing lean concepts into a retail bank’s branch operations.