Project management in Marketing and Communication, Business, Tech. Direct support or assistance in setting up and optimising all aspects: on time, on budget, on scope.
by design.
ideas fuel creativity,
and creativity keeps the method evolving.
by design
together
by design
le idee alimentano la creatività,
e la creatività fa evolvere il metodo.
Marketing strategy, management optimisation, new creative and collaborative approaches. I love bringing vision, pragmatism and lateral thinking to the table.
A bit of my history
I have been incredibly fortunate to have witnessed the birth of a thousand things,
sweating every aspect like all early adopters: from development when Google didn't exist yet to the redesign of processes when it was called BPR and Design Thinking didn't exist; from data manipulation when mining was the new frontier to inventing Digital Project Management when the only foothold was the WBS of client/server management systems.
The first websites, the first apps, JavaScript without AJAX, the first Beacons, UX testing with cameras (before heat maps) and I could go on with another 1,000 little stories.
For more than 25 years, I have enthusiastically reinvented myself every day, bringing together pieces of marketing, management, technology, numbers, data, strategy, design and creativity.
What I do
Project & Program Management
Creative Operations
Managing creativity requires attention and specific skills. Over the years, I have gathered a wealth of best practices aimed at maximising results, harmonising teams and increasing the satisfaction of all players involved.
Marketing Strategy & Customer Journey
Today, marketing strategy means starting from the customer’s needs, so that you can provide the right content/service at every stage of their relationship with the brand: from awareness to loyalty.
Traditional & Digital Marketing
Some call it Omnichannel, I prefer Seamless. The distinction between “Traditional” and “Digital” Marketing has lost its meaning: users expect absolute continuity and consistency. However, it is not always easy for professionals to find a balance and a unified language and approach.
Design Thinking & Co-Design
Strategy, organisation, conception and development of new products or services: Design Thinking can be applied to any type of problem or exploration of innovative solutions. A way to make important decisions in an informed, shared manner, while reducing risks.
Performance audit
All agencies have administrative and financial management, but is it really sufficient to wait until the end of the year or quarter to get the figures under control? Management control allows you to monitor, simulate and create forecast scenarios. This enables you to anticipate critical issues and apply corrective measures well in advance.
Open Innovation
“If you want something done right, do it yourself” is a paradigm that no longer holds true in the modern world. To increase value and compete more effectively in the market, it has become essential to know how to permeate the boundaries of your business: both outbound and inbound.
Digital Product Management
From conception to prototyping; from design to implementation; from value proposition to communication strategy; from business plan to marketing plan.
Presentation Storytelling
Finding the right idea or answer to a brief is essential, but knowing how to communicate and promote it is what can make the difference.
Why/How/What & Value Proposition
The Why/How/What is a simple but effective model for communicating your vision, mission and added value to potential customers. Combined with the definition of your value proposition, it allows you to have a clear and consistent strategy, differentiate yourself from the competition and build a relationship of trust with your audience.
Brainstorming and Creativity Management
Transforming ideas into concrete and sustainable opportunities, enhancing the creative potential of the team. Using tools and methods appropriate to the context and objectives of the client. These are the objectives of conscious brainstorming and creativity management. The challenges? Engaging and motivating participants, creating a climate of trust and collaboration, monitoring and helping the team to evaluate results; providing guidance without filters or judgements.
How I do it
Every organisation has different needs, rhythms and challenges.
That's why I work with flexible formulas — from training to operational support, from workshops to fractional roles — so that we can build together the type of support that is most useful at that moment.
Training
Targeted courses for marketing, digital, tech and operations teams.
Modular format (4 hours / 8 hours / 2 days; theoretical sessions and workshops) focused on practical skills, operational toolkits and immediate application.
Fractional Leadership
Ongoing operational support (part-time, weekly or monthly) as an extension of the internal team.
Typical roles: Fractional Operations Lead • Fractional Delivery Manager • Fractional CX & Marketing Ops Lead
Operational Advisory
(di breve o lungo termine)
Strategic and operational support to improve processes, workflows, governance, deliverable quality and complexity management.
Methods: from fast interventions (2–4 weeks) to long-term partnerships.
Co-design & Design Thinking Workshops
Guided sessions, internal or aimed at agency clients, for:
- strategic alignment
- co-creation of solutions
- mapping journey and processes
- definition of roadmap and priorities
Format: half day, full day or “sprint”.
Speech & Inspirational Talk
Engaging interventions for events, meet-ups, kick-offs or team alignment moments.
Topics: project & operations excellence, customer experience, Agile mindset, cross-team collaboration.
My "Manifesto"
What are the principles, beliefs and values that guide my way of working. In all circumstances.
Who can I help?
I love sharing the skills I have acquired and also getting my hands dirty by actively getting involved.
When I embrace a project, I live it to the fullest.
I am constantly looking for activities that test my ability to turn problems into opportunities.
Creative Agencies
Optimisation of workflows and management; experimentation with new creative and collaborative approaches; mentoring and tutoring
Startups
From technology to marketing strategy, as an advisor or to support operational and organisational activities. With all the flexibility and creativity essential for working with start-ups.
Companies
From exploration to Open Innovation paradigms to helping review your approach to Marketing Strategy and Communication. Whether it's for consulting or temporary management, I know I can bring vision, pragmatism and lateral thinking to the table.
Over the years, I have collaborated on and/or managed projects for
My professional experience
Profile
- Over twenty-five years of experience in digital marketing and technology
- Positions held: database administrator, developer, tech leader, project manager, Head of Project Management, Head of Operations, Marketing Manager
- Management of complex projects and structured teams
- Focus on strategic communication and open innovation
Skills
- Managerial: Business development, human resources management, cost control, process improvement, strategic planning, team leadership, programme management, change management
- Professional: Marketing, communication, creativity, strategy, design thinking, e-commerce, CRM, social media, web design, PHP development, database design, system integration, management control, budgeting, open innovation
Early Career
(1999-2003)
I began my career in 1999 as an analyst developer in an Oracle environment.
From 2000 to 2003, I worked as a Senior Database Consultant at GLAMM Interactive in Milan. In this role, I was responsible for analysis, design; implementation and optimisation of databases, supporting business process reengineering activities and developing web applications such as CRM and order management systems.
Mid-Career
(2003-2010)
From 2003 to 2004, I worked as a freelancer, specialising as a Senior Development DBA. During this period, I provided technological support for business process reengineering and developed web and management applications. In 2005, I joined LBI ICONMEDIALAB in Milan, where I held the position of Tech Leader until 2007, coordinating the technical team for complex projects. From 2008 to 2009, I worked as a Senior Project Manager for the same company, managing projects for clients such as Lavazza, Cerved and Cucina Italiana, and coordinating the first e-commerce system for Lavazza A Modo Mio.
Leadership Roles
(2010-2022)
In 2010, I became Head of Project Management at H-ART (now AKQA), where I managed complex creative and technological projects for major clients such as Heineken, NIVEA, IKEA, and others. I led the project management area, ensuring best practices were applied and supervising internationally distributed teams. From 2018 to 2022, I worked as a Tech & Digital Consultant for the University of Padua, supporting the university’s web platform management team. During the same period, I held the position of Head of Operations for Young Digitals, later Different Spa, where I collaborated on defining the company’s strategy and operational management, focusing on efficiency and team growth.
Current Roles
(2022-Current)
In November 2022, I took on the role of Marketing and Events Manager at Padova Hall – Fiera di Padova, where I led the Sales Events and Marketing and Communications teams, contributing to the definition of the business strategy and the creation of new events. Since April 2023, I have been working as a freelancer, offering consulting and training services in project and programme management, creative and technological strategies, customer experience and journey, marketing, co-design and open innovation. I have also lectured at institutions, agencies and brands such as CUOA, Campari, Sodastream, OVS, Caffeina and Luiss Business School for Eataly.
Università degli Studi di Padova
Issued Sep 2023
What they say about me
Marco Valsecchi
Board member | CEO | CFO | Country Manager | Multicultural leader
Anna ha un'ottima capacità organizzativa. Riesce in poco tempo a cogliere aspetti di business e di processo e a proporre soluzioni innovative di miglioramento. Ha una spiccata dote relazionale e mantiene positività anche nelle situazioni o negli ambienti più difficili.
Anna ha svolto un grand lavoro nella breve esperienza che abbiamo condiviso ed è riuscita a motivare e rifrescare la propensione ai risultati delle sue risorse.
Continua così Anna!
Marco Vezzaro
Copywriter | Direttore Creativo | Formatore
È difficile rendere in questi 3000 caratteri tutto quello che ha significato per me e per la mia carriera lavorativa Anna. Ogni volta che mi sono sentito inadeguato, ogni volta che non avevo idea di come fare una cosa, ogni volta che avevo un problema che non sapevo come risolvere, ogni volta che qualcuno mi diceva di avere un problema che non sapevo come risolvere, sapevo dove guardare: alla sua scrivania. E una risposta l'ho sempre avuta.
Anna mi ha insegnato praticamente tutto quello che so: ad aspettare, a fare un bel respiro prima di arrabbiarsi, ad andare dritto come un carroarmato, a rompere le palle e a fare finta di niente, a organizzare un reparto, a organizzare una gara, a organizzare una festa, a organizzare la formazione. I miei anni migliori sono stati quelli in cui abbiamo lavorato in coppia, come due sbirri nelle serie americane.
Se cercate di mettere ordine in una grande struttura, se volete farne crescere una piccola, se volete far funzionare un reparto mettendo tutte le competenze a sistema, se vi servono idee fresche, se avete bisogno di un ambiente un po' più positivo, se volete far emergere un problema organizzativo, se volete volare senza perdervi per strada le persone, insomma se state cercando una di quelle persone che per competenze, esperienza ed empatia sono una su un milione, Anna è una delle 7 presenti sul pianeta. E io non vedo l'ora di lavorarci di nuovo assieme.
Renzo Giust
(not only) Technical direction for web, mobile and IoT projects
Anna is a great project manager. With a strong technical background, she's able to manage complex web and mobile projects, from analysis and design to deployment and maintenance phases. She is amazing, a guarantee for digital projects development.
Luca Quattrin
Creative director @Onde Alte
Anna is really an extremely happy project manager... extremely professional with great management capabilities. It is an honor and a pleasure work with her...extremely 🙂
Anderson Schimuneck
Chief Design Officer at @Necessary - Founder & UI Artisan at @Nux Artisans. \ / \ I { / \ / \ _ [ ] Writing The Stationary Grid
If you got a project and in the middle of the plan you need some miracle, do not believe in God, believe Anna! 😉
Anna is just, of course in a positive sense, unstoppable! Determinated, motivational, responsable and calm to delivery any material that you or your team need.
If you need to build a building, Anna will be the first person to say "I can", but if you need to rebuild this building, Anna will already be there working, tireless, and he'll say: "Let's do it! WE can do it! "
Marco Stefani
Cloud Technical Leader at Archiva Group
Anna is one of the most talented and result-oriented mind I'd the occasion to work with. Working together in several projects I had the possibility to see her relate with customers and team members always driving them toward the objective, respecting deadlines and budget.
Mauro Bighin
Marketing Director at WHL - Albatravel
Working with her has been a very good professional experience. She's very keen on techs specifications and knowledge for every kind of implementations regarding the web environment. She's very creative and very collaborative.
Shall we do the next project together?
If you have a business opportunity to propose, a question to ask, or if I can be of assistance in any way, please send me a message.
Deepenings
Presentations, stories and some reflections
Training, fractional leadership, co-design, team coaching and operational advisory to help teams and agencies improve workflows, project management and collaboration.