Carlos Zuleta and Lean

Abstract

This case tells the story of Carlos Zuleta's philosophies toward Lean transformations in the country of Colombia. First, he describes the transformation at Porvenir, a Colombian private pension fund administrator that applied Lean to reduce the lead time from when a customer became eligible for pension payments to the moment they received their first payment. Then he describes his transition to his own boutique consulting firm, Rewire Colombia, focusing on operational excellence based on Lean principles and tools. A number of Lean success stories and Lean methodologies are described. People development is described in particular detail. The case can be used as an example of applying Lean in service settings in a non-US location. Excerpt UVA-OM-1690 Rev. Feb. 11, 2021 Carlos Zuleta and Lean Carlos Zuleta, a Colombian native, earned his undergraduate degree in business administration from the Universidad de los Andes in 1995. In 2000, he earned an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. After two years in banking and another two in management consulting at top-tier US firms, Zuleta transitioned to working for a Colombian private pension fund administrator, Porvenirone of the largest companies in the countryfirst as a corporate strategic planner and later as chief operating officer. In September 2018, he left to form Rewire, his own Lean-transformation-focused consulting firm. What follows is Zuleta's story in his own words. Origins . . .