Portfolio

This portfolio features both my personal project management and business experience (see entries marked with my direct roles) as well as in-depth case studies I have analyzed from industry and history. Together, these stories showcase my hands-on impact and my ability to extract lessons from major project successes and failures. Explore both my own journey and the strategic insights I've gained from the world's most instructive projects.

Sony Betamax: The Psychology of Project Failure

Case Study (Blog)

Context: A deep dive into why Sony's technically superior Betamax lost to VHS, focusing on market psychology, strategic myopia, and the human factors that doom even the best technology.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Storyteller (Author)

Challenges: Understanding the real drivers of product adoption and the pitfalls of technical superiority without market empathy.

Solutions/Approach: Analyzed the project through the lens of human psychology, market research, and ecosystem thinking. Proposed a human-centric, collaborative approach for future success.

Results/Impact: Produced a widely-read case study blog post, distilling lessons for project managers and business strategists.

IB Bank Togo: International Operations Specialist

Personal Experience

Context: Managed cross-border transactions and compliance for a major West African bank, overseeing CAD 40M+ in monthly flow.

Role & Contributions: International Operations Specialist

Challenges: Ensuring compliance with SWIFT, AML, and FX regulations; streamlining financial reporting; training junior staff.

Solutions/Approach: Built Excel-SQL workstreams, designed Power BI dashboards, and trained junior officers on KYC/AML processes.

Results/Impact: Cut close cycle by 80%, improved forecasting accuracy to 96%, and reduced processing errors by 18%.

Denver Airport Baggage System: Scope Creep & PM Discipline

Case Study (Blog)

Context: Examined the Denver International Airport baggage system failure, a multi-billion dollar project derailed by scope creep and optimism bias.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Storyteller (Author)

Challenges: Uncontrolled scope changes, lack of change control, and stakeholder misalignment.

Solutions/Approach: Outlined a psychologically informed approach to scope management, change control, and stakeholder engagement.

Results/Impact: Shared actionable lessons for project managers to prevent similar failures.

Banque Atlantique: Financial Research Intern

Personal Experience

Context: Supported SME lending strategy and financial reporting improvements at a leading bank in Togo.

Role & Contributions: Financial Research Intern

Challenges: Analyzing remittance and trade finance, improving due diligence workflows, automating reconciliation.

Solutions/Approach: Conducted growth trend analysis, reviewed AML/KYC documentation, and automated reporting templates.

Results/Impact: Identified growth trends, improved workflows, and supported process improvements.

Challenger Space Shuttle: Risk Management & Groupthink

Case Study (Blog)

Context: Analyzed the Challenger disaster as a masterclass in risk management, groupthink, and the dangers of ignoring dissenting voices.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Storyteller (Author)

Challenges: Cultural and communication failures, normalization of deviance, and schedule pressure.

Solutions/Approach: Advocated for psychological safety, independent risk management, and data-driven decision making.

Results/Impact: Produced a case study blog post with key takeaways for high-stakes project leadership.

NAUM Real Estate Marketing Agency: Founder & Growth Lead

Personal Experience

Context: Founded and led a digital marketing agency for real estate professionals in Vancouver and Montréal.

Role & Contributions: Founder & Growth Lead

Challenges: Delivering hyper-local marketing, setting up client CRMs, automating reporting, and running Agile sprints.

Solutions/Approach: Executed paid ads, social content, neighborhood outreach, managed CRMs, and streamlined client follow-ups.

Results/Impact: Generated qualified leads, streamlined client follow-ups, and ran Agile sprints for continuous improvement.

FBI Sentinel Project: Communication & Stakeholder Alignment

Case Study (Blog)

Context: Explored the FBI Sentinel project, a digital transformation effort plagued by communication breakdowns and misaligned mental models.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Storyteller (Author)

Challenges: Bridging the gap between technical and operational stakeholders, overcoming silos and blame culture.

Solutions/Approach: Recommended structured communication, user stories, and collaborative culture for project success.

Results/Impact: Shared lessons for large-scale digital transformation projects.

The Robots are Coming (to Help): How AI is Revolutionizing Project Management

Case Study (Blog)

Context: Explores how AI is transforming project management, from automating tasks to providing predictive insights and elevating the PM role.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Futurist (Author)

Challenges: Adapting to rapid technological change, overcoming fear of job displacement, and leveraging AI as a strategic asset.

Solutions/Approach: Demonstrated how AI augments human capabilities, enables data-driven leadership, and requires a psychological shift for PMs.

Results/Impact: Produced a forward-looking guide for project managers to embrace AI and future-proof their careers.

The Unseen Force: How Project Leadership Psychology Determines Success or Failure (Lessons from Steve Jobs & the Apple Lisa)

Case Study (Blog)

Context: Examines how leadership psychology, including autocracy, perfectionism, and communication, can make or break even the most visionary projects, using the Apple Lisa as a case study.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Leadership Psychologist (Author)

Challenges: Navigating team dynamics, balancing vision with empathy, and fostering psychological safety.

Solutions/Approach: Analyzed the impact of leadership style on project outcomes and provided actionable lessons for effective project leadership.

Results/Impact: Shared a compelling story on the psychological pillars of successful project management.

Agile, Waterfall, or Hybrid? Choosing the Right Methodology for Your Project

Case Study (Blog)

Context: A comparative analysis of Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid methodologies, with real-world examples and psychological insights for methodology selection.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Methodology Advisor (Author)

Challenges: Selecting the right methodology for complex projects, overcoming organizational resistance, and aligning with team psychology.

Solutions/Approach: Explored the strengths and pitfalls of each approach, and provided a framework for psychologically informed methodology choice.

Results/Impact: Equipped project managers with tools to maximize project success through strategic methodology alignment.

From Red to Green: The Art & Science of Project Recovery (Case Study: The London Ambulance Service Project)

Case Study (Blog)

Context: A deep dive into the London Ambulance Service CAD system failure and a practical framework for recovering troubled projects. Learn the art and science of project recovery, root cause analysis, and how to turn disaster into a leadership opportunity.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Recovery Strategist (Author)

Challenges: Systemic project failure: unrealistic expectations, scope creep, lack of user involvement, poor governance, and communication breakdowns.

Solutions/Approach: Provides a step-by-step framework for project triage, root cause analysis, stakeholder engagement, and recovery planning, illustrated by the LAS case.

Results/Impact: Equips project managers with actionable strategies to rescue failing projects and prevent future disasters.

Beyond Buy-In: The Psychology of Influencing Stakeholders & Navigating Project Politics

Case Study (Blog)

Context: Explores the psychology of stakeholder influence and project politics, offering practical frameworks for understanding motivations, building coalitions, and ethically guiding projects to success.

Role & Contributions: Analyst & Influence Strategist (Author)

Challenges: Navigating complex stakeholder landscapes, overcoming resistance, and building consensus in politically charged environments.

Solutions/Approach: Applies Cialdini's principles of persuasion, stakeholder mapping, and ethical influence to real-world project scenarios.

Results/Impact: Empowers project managers to lead through influence, not authority, and achieve alignment in even the most challenging projects.