William Stolte
Executive Director, Shared Business Services, Data Excellence & Analytics, Merck
Analytics as a Shared Service
In the past 2 and half years, Merck has established and accelerated an analytics capability and program. The Shared Business Services (SBS) organization is one part of this effort, utilizing diverse information assets, advanced analytical models and visualizations to maximize value for Merck’s customers and stockholders. SBS is uniquely positioned to leverage large amounts of diverse global data related to customer orders, supplier payments, employee expenses, working capital, and travel. An overview of the program strategy will be shared as a blueprint for starting up similar programs and capability, including proven program principles, methods, and talent recruitment and development. Case studies that demonstrate analysis of structured and unstructured data and highly consumable and effective visualizations will be presented with projects such as compliance with employee expense reimbursement policies, travel optimization, and working capital optimization.
Biography
Bill Stolte is a 31 year veteran at Merck, providing leadership in areas such as shared services and information technology, experiencing a variety of roles in Research and Development, Global IT Infrastructure, Enterprise Architecture and Strategic Planning, Merck’s SAP program, and Shared Business Services.
Since November 2008, Bill Stolte has been a leader in Shared Business Services and presently is the Executive Director of Data Excellence and Analytics. In this role Bill has define the strategy and established a global business analytics capability to enable Merck to gain insights into historical business trends, fortify differentiating business capabilities, and drive down costs while identifying revenue growth opportunities. He manages a portfolio of initiatives valued over $300 million that includes solutions that optimize customer and supplier services, working capital, travel and meetings, compliance, and employee experience with enterprise portal and contact centers. In addition, Bill has established and operates a global data management capability to ensure the timely and accurate capture of information that enable Merck’s Customer Order Management, Billing and Accounts Receivables, Procurement, Purchasing, Payables, Payroll, Professional Networking and Financial Supply Chain.
Prior to this role, Bill served three years leading the delivery arm of Merck’s global SAP implementation program, also known as COMET. Bill was a member of the Program Management Office and was the leader responsible for the delivery of the COMET solution by directing more than 300 resources in the management of the technology platforms and the design and development of SAP enhancements, reports, interfaces, as well as data conversions. Bill defined and implemented the COMET data migration strategy, and also led the definition and secured executive-level support for the data governance and stewardship model rolled out to Merck globally.
Throughout his career, Bill held a variety of leadership positions in Information Services including Enterprise Architecture, Strategic Planning and Global Infrastructure. Bill established one of the earliest global shared IT services, first for the Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) starting in the mid-90′s and then for all Merck divisions, providing data architecture, database development and operational services.
Bill started his career as a summer intern in 1981. For 15 years, Bill worked directly with scientists and designed and developed many laboratory data collection and analysis systems and chemical and biological data management systems for MRL Basic Research worldwide, as well as data management systems for MRL Clinical & Regulatory.
Bill is very active in a variety of organizations. He is a member of the IBM Business Intelligence Strategic Advisory Board, G2 Customer Advisory Board, has enthusiastically performed college recruiting at Carnegie Mellon, Penn State and the Rochester Institute of Technology, has lead blood donation drives and United Way campaigns, and has organized Habitat for Humanity projects. Bill is the Treasurer of the Long Valley Investment Club, and as an avid outdoorsman is Secretary of the Highland Field and Stream Club, Inc. Bill holds a B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics from Rutgers University.
