Dan Spatz
Dan Spatz is an Oliver Wight principal with diverse experience in demand, supply, and service functions in both commercial and non- commercial organizations. He enjoys engaging people in sustainable transformations that deliver results.
During 19 years with Mars in Russia and the US, he worked in Demand and Supply Planning functions, Logistics, Procurement, Marketing, and Finance. He also led two Integrated Business Planning programs and co-founded the Global S&OP+ Community in Mars. While in Russia, Dan coached three graduate management associates to achieve executive-level roles.
In 2006, Dan joined the Mars Chocolate Russia Management Team, which drove organic revenue growth of $270 million, making them one of the fastest growing and most profitable business units of Mars Inc. His role as Integration Director and leader of the Integrated Business Planning program facilitated these results by continuously strengthening strategy development, deployment, governance, and engagement. In 2009-2010, Dan led the integration of a $150 million praline business, resulting in the reestablishment of market share and two years of sustained post-merger growth.
In Demand Planning, Dan formed and led a new team at the on-set of an IBP program that restructured four previously independent sales forecasting processes; established Sales and Marketing accountability; engaged associates in developing growth drivers, assumptions, opportunities and risks; and transformed the mindset on the process team from sales forecasting to demand planning. These improvements resulted in Demand Plan Accuracy of 75% vs. 53% previously on a 3-month lag.
In Logistics and Supply Planning, Dan’s teams developed and managed an inbound pipeline spanning 227 suppliers and resulting in the delivery of 112,000 tons of 270 finished goods items to customers. The logistics budget was almost halved in 30 months, and the first owned and operated on-site distribution center in Mars Inc. history was built.
In Marketing, his teams grew the Sugar Confectionery business 4.5 times in four years, moving from #7 to #3 in market share. Dan guided development of business and consumer strategies, launch of four new brands, introduction of 50 new products, and creation and deployment of communication support including television and promotional events.
Most recently, as Director of Integrated Business Management with The Nutro Company, Dan delivered $9 million savings for the largest product launch in the company’s history. He led implementations of new processes and software tools to deliver $19 million savings in non-quality costs. Through a new team architecture, he reignited an S&OP program with Portfolio Management, Demand Management, Supply Chain Management, and Financial Reconciliation.
After earning his BA in Political Science from Hendrix College, Dan conducted anthropological studies in Nepal and Zaire on a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. He earned an MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and has more recently studied Plant-Based Nutrition at Cornell.
