01
Strategy & Transformation Leadership
Leads end-to-end change initiatives and revenue growth programmes that enhance performance and align cross-functional teams — combining strategic clarity with executional discipline.
Senior Consultant · United States · Global
Kannan Arumugam.
Senior Strategy & Operations Transformation Consultant
Strategic change at scale. Operations that perform.
Seasoned Strategy and Operations Leader, specialising in enterprise-wide transformation, cross-functional execution and process optimisation. Over 20 years of experience across e-commerce, retail, CPG, healthcare and transportation — with senior leadership inside FTD, Sears Holdings, Blistex and Delta Air Lines. Kellogg MBA.
20+
Years
In strategy, operations, transformation and programme leadership
5
Industries
E-commerce, retail, CPG, healthcare and transportation
5
Disciplines
Strategy, operations, general management, consulting, analytics
Kellogg
MBA Northwestern Top-tier US business school credential underpinning the work
MBA Northwestern Top-tier US business school credential underpinning the work
About Kannan
Drives strategic change and operational excellence across retail, e-commerce, consumer goods and beyond.
Kannan Arumugam is a seasoned Strategy and Operations Leader, specialising in enterprise-wide transformation, cross-functional execution and process optimisation. He has over 20 years of experience across e-commerce, retail, CPG, healthcare and transportation.
He earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and has led high-impact initiatives for brands including FTD, Sears Holdings, Blistex and Delta Air Lines. Kannan brings a strong track record in general management, project coordination and operations optimisation — delivering measurable results and business clarity.
Helps organisations simplify complexity, align teams and accelerate transformation — combining an analytical mindset with a people-first approach.
His expertise spans programme leadership, strategic planning, supply chain and KPI-driven decision-making — blending a consulting background with hands-on execution. Known for the discipline of consulting and the credibility of having operated at scale.
Credentials & Distinction
Three credentials behind two decades of transformation work.
Most senior consultants come up through one functional discipline. Kannan's career covers strategy, operations, general management, analytics and consulting — underpinned by the Kellogg MBA and the operating credibility of running large functions inside Fortune 1000 brands. The result is the discipline of consulting paired with the credibility of having actually delivered at scale.
Kellogg
MBA Northwestern University Top-tier US business school credential — the strategic toolkit underneath two decades of cross-functional transformation work.
MBA Northwestern University Top-tier US business school credential — the strategic toolkit underneath two decades of cross-functional transformation work.
20+
Years Senior
Senior leadership across e-commerce, retail, CPG, healthcare and transportation — from analytics through to general management.
5
Disciplines Mastered
Strategy, operations, general management, consulting and analytics — an unusually broad operating spine for a senior consultant.
Where Kannan Has Operated
Senior leadership across Fortune 1000 and tier-1 strategy houses.
Kannan has built his career across some of the most respected names in US strategy consulting, e-commerce, retail, CPG and air transportation — bringing the analytical rigour of consulting and the delivery discipline of large operating roles.
FTD
E-commerce · Multiple Roles
Sears Holdings
Retail Strategy
Blistex
CPG / Healthcare
Delta Air Lines
Transportation Analytics
Kearney
Strategy Consulting
SugarSnap
Market Development
Industries Covered
Five industries. One transformation toolkit.
Kannan's 20+ years of senior leadership span five distinct industries — with the cross-pollinated insight that comes from having actually run programmes inside each one.
E-commerce
FTD
Retail
Sears Holdings
CPG
Blistex · SugarSnap
Healthcare
Blistex Healthcare
Transportation
Delta Air Lines
How Kannan Can Help
Four capabilities. All measurable.
Kannan's offering covers strategy and transformation leadership, operations optimisation, strategic programme delivery, and process improvement — built on the discipline of consulting, the credibility of operating at scale, and the analytical rigour of a Kellogg MBA.
02
Operations Optimisation
Drives efficiency and cost savings through improved vendor management, inventory planning, forecasting and partner negotiations — turning operational complexity into measurable margin.
03
Strategic Programme Delivery
Steps into critical leadership roles to guide large-scale transformation — ensuring alignment, execution discipline and measurable business outcomes from kick-off through to post-delivery review.
04
Process Improvement & Data Analysis
Improves forecasting, reporting and business operations through data-driven decision-making and cross-functional collaboration — bringing the analytical rigour of a Kellogg-trained operator to every engagement.
Why Work with Kannan
Three reasons clients return.
If you're instituting large-scale transformation, driving operational change, managing strategic programmes or initiating process improvements, Kannan brings the leadership, operational rigour and strategic execution you need to succeed.
REASON 01
Consulting discipline + operating credibility
A career that spans Kearney consulting and senior operating roles inside Fortune 1000 brands. Brings the analytical rigour of a strategy house and the delivery discipline of having actually run the function.
REASON 02
Cross-industry pattern recognition
Senior roles across e-commerce, retail, CPG, healthcare and transportation — with the cross-pollinated insight that comes from having delivered transformation in five quite different operating environments.
REASON 03
Analytical mind, people-first approach
Simplifies complexity, aligns teams and accelerates transformation. Combines a KPI-driven decision discipline with the cross-functional empathy that gets transformation programmes actually delivered.
Areas of Expertise
Disciplines and contexts Kannan operates across.
A senior strategy, operations and transformation consultant with cross-industry depth, Kellogg MBA credentials and the unusual combination of consulting discipline plus operating credibility — available for US and global engagements at scale.
Strategy & Transformation
Operations Optimisation
Programme Leadership
Process Improvement
Enterprise-Wide Transformation
Cross-Functional Execution
Strategic Planning
Strategic Programme Delivery
Revenue Growth Programmes
Supply Chain Management
Logistics Leadership
Vendor Management
Inventory Planning
Forecasting
Partner Negotiations
KPI-Driven Decision-Making
Data-Driven Decision-Making
Business Reporting
General Management
Brand Management
Project Coordination
Market Analysis
Revenue Management Analytics
E-commerce
Retail Sector
CPG / Consumer Goods
Healthcare Sector
Transportation & Aviation
Kellogg MBA
United States
Positions Held
Nine senior roles across five functional disciplines.
Kannan's career is unusual for its functional breadth — spanning strategy, operations, general management, consulting and analytics across nine senior roles inside FTD, Sears Holdings, Blistex, Delta Air Lines, Kearney and SugarSnap.
01
Strategy
Director of Strategic Initiatives — FTD
E-commerce Strategy
Director of Strategy — Sears Holdings
Retail Strategy
02
Operations
Senior Director of Operations / Supply Chain — FTD
E-commerce Operations Leadership
Director of Logistics — FTD
Logistics & Supply Chain
03
General Management & Marketing
Brand Manager of Healthcare — Blistex
CPG / Healthcare Brand Management
Market Development Lead — SugarSnap
Market Development
04
Consulting & Project Management
Special Project Manager — Blistex
CPG / Healthcare Project Leadership
Summer Associate Consultant — Kearney
Tier-1 Strategy Consulting
05
Analytics & Forecasting
Market Analysis Specialist — Delta Air Lines
Transportation Market Analysis
Revenue Management Senior Analyst — Delta Air Lines
Revenue Management Analytics
Full Profile
Download Kannan's full CV.
PDF · Free Download
Kannan Arumugam — Full Profile and CV
Contact Kannan Arumugam for expert leadership in operational transformation, supply chain optimisation and programme delivery across complex, fast-paced environments.
With deep experience in leading large-scale change, aligning cross-functional teams and driving financial and operational excellence, Kannan helps organisations streamline operations, optimise vendor management and deliver measurable business outcomes with clarity and precision.
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Strategic change at scale.
Operations that perform.
If you are instituting large-scale transformation, driving operational change, managing a strategic programme, optimising supply chain or initiating process improvements — tell us in 25 minutes what you need. Kannan or one of our 40+ senior consultants will tell you honestly whether we can help.