About me

Over 30 years at the forefront. And a new chapter.

The consultant and interim manager: practice beats theory.

If you are looking for a consultant who will present you with beautiful PowerPoint slides about theoretical ideal scenarios, I am not the right person for you. I am the right person if you need someone who knows what it feels like when the phone in the service centre never stops ringing or processes come to a standstill.

In over 30 years – including in management positions at large insurance companies – I have learned that strategies only work if they get people at the grassroots level on board. I have led teams, accompanied change processes and been named ‘Contact Centre Manager of the Year’. Not because I had the best theories, but because I understood the practicalities.

My USP is simple: I know your problems not from textbooks, but from my own professional life. I not only offer you advice, but also get involved operationally as an interim manager or project manager. I understand the dynamics in the ‘engine room’ of your company just as well as the strategic requirements of the boardroom – and translate between both worlds.

The author: stories written by life itself. Why a novel? Because management and writing have more in common than one might think. Both require a deep understanding of people, their motivations and their conflicts. For decades, I have listened, analysed and sought solutions to real-life dramas in everyday business.

Today, I use this power of observation to develop captivating characters. In my debut novel, Die Ewigkeit eines Augenblicks (the eternity of a moment), published on February 5th 2026, I draw on precisely this essence of life experience and powers of observation.

Jean-Pierre Zala. Expert in customer service excellence. Interim manager. Passionate author.