About
David Peña Arias
Senior Leader · 15+ years of global experience
BSc Industrial Engineering · MSc Data Science & Analytics
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt · Scrum & Waterfall Certified
About me
I am driven by inventing and simplifying how things work. Sitting at the intersection of people, processes, technology, and data, I design and scale the processes, systems, and operating models that help organizations execute complex initiatives, make better decisions, and sustain performance at scale.
My center of gravity is people leadership at global scale, both technical and non-technical programs, products, and processes. I own strategy, execution, delivery, and adoption for cross-functional work where the stakes are high and the path forward is unclear. That core is backed by hands-on experience in BI and analytics, operational excellence solutions, and AI-enabled automation.
I combine Lean Six Sigma rigor, PM level delivery discipline, fast and agile prototyping, and strong data fluency to close the gap between strategy and execution. I work credibly with both engineering teams and business leadership without losing fidelity on either side.
I am also deeply invested in developing the people I work with. I've grown teams, mentored individuals across functions and levels, and built the operating rhythms and development structures that help people advance. High-performing teams aren't found; they're built through clear expectations, real coaching, and trust. My teams have consistently scored in the top quartile for engagement, career satisfaction, and inclusion, and I've helped people transition into roles better aligned with their strengths.
The throughline
The arc is deliberate. I started as an industrial engineer, moved into Lean and Six Sigma, then into program and portfolio management, then product and data solutions leadership, and most recently into data and AI-enablement transformation. Each stage compounded the one before it rather than replacing it.
The engineering foundation gave me systems thinking and the discipline to break complex problems into solvable parts. Six Sigma gave me a rigorous toolkit for root-cause analysis, quantified outcomes, and building the case for change. Program management gave me delivery instincts that hold across Agile, Waterfall, and the hybrid reality most organizations actually live in. Product experience added the final layer: that adoption is a design problem, not a training problem, and that the real measure of any solution is whether the organization actually uses it to make different decisions.
The type of problem I'm drawn to hasn't changed: cross-functional, high-stakes, genuinely ambiguous. The kind where the gap between what the organization wants to do and what it can currently do is wide. That gap is where I work.
Career
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Feb 2026 – Present
Analytics & Insights Lead, Data Solutions, Global Procurement
Roche, Madrid, Spain
Leading the end-to-end analytics transformation for a global procurement function. Migrating a fragmented legacy SAP BW/HANA estate to a governed Snowflake + dbt platform. Owning project scope, timelines, governance, and stakeholder alignment across Business, IT, and Finance. Delivering data products that replace manual Excel and Alteryx workflows and give the organization decision-grade analytics visibility for the first time.
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Aug 2025 – Jan 2026
Sr. Manager, Data Products & Solutions, Operational Excellence
Amazon Customer Service
Owned the global portfolio of data products, BI, and AI automation for CS Operational Excellence. Set strategy, roadmaps, and portfolio governance aligned to VP objectives. Led the multi-year Customer Service Operational Planning system from concept through discovery, design, build, and scaled adoption. Operated PMO mechanisms (intake/triage, dependency and risk/RAID, change control, status reporting) to drive cross-region execution.
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Oct 2022 – Aug 2025
Sr. Manager, Products & Solutions, Customer Excellence & Insights
Amazon Customer Service, Global Programs
Led a global portfolio of internal products and programs (ROI estimation, headcount planning, anomaly detection, LLM pilots), enabling ~$4M in annualized savings and streamlining global workforce planning. Scaled technical team from 1.5 to 4 FTE. Re-architected the ROI tool on Python/Streamlit (AWS), eliminating licensing costs. Established Scrum, MLOps, and reusable delivery standards across a distributed cross-functional organization.
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Feb 2022 – Oct 2022
Sr. Manager, Internal Mechanisms & Solutions
Amazon Customer Service, Global Programs
Directed the global analytics and BI strategy for internal operational products, including automated portfolio management and headcount planning. Established project governance, OKR frameworks, and executive reporting mechanisms. Led Agile/Scrum delivery across distributed teams, managing backlogs, dependencies, and release cycles.
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Nov 2019 – Feb 2022
Sr. Program Manager, Global Programs
Amazon Customer Service, ACES
Designed and governed a global portfolio management framework for cross-functional continuous improvement initiatives. Built operating mechanisms and toolkits (process standards, dashboards, collaboration workflows) that aligned teams across regions. Ran Agile and Waterfall delivery for key products and process improvements.
Other experience
- Nov 2018 – Nov 2019
Sr. Program Manager, Continuous Improvement Strategy (Europe) · Amazon
Led regional CI strategy and analytics initiatives across European Customer Service operations.
- Oct 2016 – Nov 2018
Manager, Continuous Improvement (Spain) · Amazon
Designed and executed the Spain CS continuous improvement strategy. Awarded WWCS Kaizen of the Year.
- Mar 2016 – Oct 2016
Kaizen Promotion Officer · Amazon
Deployed Lean methodologies and standard work across Customer Service sites.
- May 2014 – Mar 2016
Sr. Business Analyst · Amazon
Supply chain analytics and process improvement for global Customer Service operations.
- Sep 2012 – May 2014
Project Manager, Technical · Emerson Electric
Technical project management in industrial automation and manufacturing.
- Jul 2011 – Sep 2012
Business Analyst · L.L. Bean
Operational analytics and reporting for a direct-to-consumer supply chain.
- Oct 2008 – Jul 2011
Inventory Planner · L.L. Bean
Demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and supply chain decision-making.