Olga Matthias 

Professor of Operations Management, Leeds Beckett University
Director, Capability Gap Ltd

Olga specialises in optimising performance through the introduction and implementation of sustainable practices to enhance people and operational outcomes.  Her core focus is to ensure systems and process alignment to enable enhanced data-informed decision-making, with a portfolio which includes process analysis and change, programme design, facilities design, working for staff wellbeing and enhanced service experience.

Her entire career has been about using systems and data to drive operational and business improvement to optimise organisations’ results. She has done this in practice, as a consultant and through inspiring leaders of the future as a Professor of Operations Management teaching at several world-leading universities.

Olga has held senior positions in industry, consulting firms and university leadership.  Her career began at Lloyds Bank, and progressed into consultancy, and a spell in industry as Deputy Managing Director for an automotive textiles factory before moving into academia.  Her focus on optimising Business Operating models in regulated industries enabled her to apply her deep forensic analysis skills to develop bespoke performance solutions. Her academic career has spanned the full delivery spectrum – Learning and Teaching, Senior Faculty Management and Research Leadership.  Her research and teaching are informed by contemporary applied practice, focusing on professional services and the impact of information systems on people, organisations and the world of work.