Startup Advisory & Consulting
2023 – Present
Advising early-stage founders on scaling teams, entering regulated markets, and building enterprise sales pipelines.
Specializing in AI/data strategy, retail go-to-market, and operational compliance.
Clients include fintech, healthtech, and retail startups across Europe and North America.
Morningstar, Inc. - Global AI & Data Manager
November 2022 - Present
Led global data strategy across 5 continents, scaling AI-driven analytics teams from 12 to 60+ members.
Spearheaded the integration of machine learning into financial product development, improving client insights by 40%.
Built cross-functional frameworks for data governance and compliance, now adapted by early-stage fintech startups.
Mentored internal innovation teams, sparking interest in startup advisory.
Carrefour SA - Retail Expansion Strategist
December 2021 - November 2023
Directed launch operations for 80+ new store locations across Europe, optimizing site selection and local market entry.
Developed scalable playbooks for retail growth, now used by DTC startups entering brick-and-mortar.
Collaborated with logistics and supply chain teams to reduce launch time by 25%.
Advised internal incubator teams on lean retail models and customer acquisition.
Eli Lilly and Company - Operations & Market Development Manager
September 2020 - November 2022
Managed expansion of pharmaceutical plants and new sales territories across Southern Europe.
Led compliance initiatives across regulatory bodies, now leveraged by healthtech startups navigating clinical trials.
Built cross-border sales teams and trained them in enterprise sales methodologies.
Initiated partnerships with local governments and hospitals, laying groundwork for startup health partnerships.
Core Skills:
Startup Scaling & Team Building
Enterprise Sales Strategy
AI & Data Governance
Retail Expansion & GTM
Compliance & Regulatory Navigation
Cross-Cultural Leadership
Fundraising & Investor Readiness
What founders say:
“Adrien helped us scale our data team from 3 to 15 in under 6 months—with the kind of structure you’d expect from a Fortune 500, but adapted for startup speed.” “His insights on enterprise sales helped us land our first hospital partnership. Game changer.”
