TOP People
teaching the world how to deliver value through projects
The Founders of Totally Optimized Projects
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Alexandra Chapman
Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer
My Mission? To see TOP's models and methods for strategy execution and value delivery be adopted as a global movement.
You can read more about how my life's work has shaped many of TOP's concepts here.
Interested in becoming an Evangelist or TOP Partner? Please contact me.
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Jed Simms 1950 - 2016
Founder
Jed’s mission? To transform how the world manages change.
Jed Simms founded Totally Optimized Projects in 1994. As the Asia-Pacific Regional IT Strategist for The Boston Consulting Group, Jed led the ground-breaking worldwide research into what drives and destroys project value in strategic and operational projects. The insights gained from this research prompted Jed establish TOP and to develop many of the models that now underpin our methods.
You can learn more about the extraordinary person Jed was here...
Guiding Our Vision: The TOP Advisory Group
The TOP Advisory Group consists of thought leaders and educationalists who provide invaluable insights and strategic guidance to ensure the continued growth and impact of the TOP's tools and methods. Their expertise and dedication help guide and support our mission.
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Donna Fitzgerald
Executive Director NimblePM
I'm passionate about helping organisations work with their engaged employees to get strategy executed.
During my decade at Gartner, through my research, I showed clients how to solve big "thorny" problems, such as executing strategy effectively, converting the IT PMO into an agile powerhouse, and setting up and running a strategic EPMO.
It was during my time at Gartner that I discovered TOP - awarded as a Gartner Cool Vendor in 2011 - and its practical books and guides that provided explicit step-by-step instructions on how to achieve benefits.
Before Gartner, I ran an Agile software development organisation, was a product manager at two software companies, co-founded a program management consulting company and was a Silicon Valley-trained CFO.
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Prof. Michael Vitale
Professorial Fellow
Melbourne University School of Engineering
I am a practitioner and teacher of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Over my teaching career, I have taught at Harvard Business School, AGSM, Monash University, Melbourne Business School, Melbourne University, and the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship.
After completing my PhD in mathematics, I founded a software business that was acquired by a large US insurance company. My other start-ups in Australia include ventures in biotechnology, agricultural services, and learning aids for children with low vision.
I am an active angel investor with investments in TOP and two other companies I mentored through the Melbourne Accelerator Program. I also serve as chairman of two life sciences start-ups and advisor to two others.
In my spare time, I train puppies for Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, preparing them for their full-time training program to assist clients with low or no vision.
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Rimas Skeivys
Principal Ugovern
After many years in senior program roles, I was baffled by the same methodologies producing differing results from programs. Then, one day, at a seminar on governance, all became clear. Governance, or rather lack of it, determined the outcome of projects - my project management skills were secondary.
In 2006, I established a Special Interest group in the Australian Computer Society, which met for over a decade to expand the discipline of governance and management of IT.
My interests include Australian and international standards, where I am a current expert member of the IT-030-01 Standards Australia committee on ICT Governance and Management.
I have been with TOP since 2015 and look forward to helping businesses achieve their outcomes using TOP thinking and doing.
Spreading the Word: The TOP Evangelists
The TOP Evangelists are dedicated advocates, educators, and influencers who passionately promote the principles and benefits of Outcomes Thinking, helping to expand the reach and impact of Totally Optimized Projects worldwide.
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Nathan Kunkel
Co-founder ValuePoint, Denmark
I have 30+ years of experience in IT management roles, Finance, process development, improvement and implementation, training, coaching, and more. I have worked in both operational and executive positions.
I am known for my open engagement and passion for getting things right.
Born in the USA, I have lived for over 30 years in the Copenhagen area of Denmark.
I am certified as a TOP Trainer and Value Equation Practitioner. I have been a TOP European Regional Partner since 2014; I work with individuals and companies, showing them how to apply TOP’s tools, techniques and processes to advance their know-how and to shift to a ‘value first’ delivery mindset.
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Frank Jaffa
Co-founder ValuePoint Denmark
I specialise in the establishment of projects and programmes in such a way that they achieve the maximum business value and realise the benefits they promised on time and within budget.
I combine my knowledge with best practices and 20+ years of practical experience in project management, working in various waterfall and agile programmes and projects of all scales and complexity.
I’ve worked with people from all over the world and interacted with all levels of organisations. I execute and advise on project and program management and governance, business value delivery and benefits realisation, process optimisation, and adopting agile methodologies. I’ve advised on and successfully executed rescue operations for business-critical projects that were getting close to failure.
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Drs. Hans Vonk
Director and Founder QSM Europe The Netherlands
I have been an entrepreneur and business owner of QSM for 30+ years. I have been a TOP European Regional Partner since 2018.
QSM has supported thousands of IT projects to reduce overruns on budget and schedule significantly. However, often the business has been disappointed with the results. As part of my Master of Information Economics, I researched IT projects focusing on business benefits and investment value.
I strongly support TOP because business direction is the key to delivering successful projects. TOP enables the business to define its success with Outcomes Thinking. Clear Outcomes allow change agents to deliver what the business wants and the associated benefits and values. My challenge and determination are to make this shift in thinking happen.
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Edem Banibah ![Linkedin Icon](https://www.totallyoptimizedprojects.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Icons/Linkedin%20Icon.png?width=25&height=25&name=Linkedin%20Icon.png)
Partner ICT-BV.TECH Ghana
I am passionate about technology and innovation.
I am a skilled Computer Engineer and Project Management Professional. I have worked mainly in the IT/Telecommunications industry in various roles, from Technical Support, Project Delivery Consultant, Project Manager, Technical Sales and Professional Services Consulting.
I am also involved in Business Value Coaching/training through my engagement as a TOP Value Equation Certified Practitioner and TOP Evangelist. I provide learnable, teachable knowledge and skills to enable everyone in an organisation – from senior business executives, business managers, operational staff, and project and technical specialists - to define valuable projects, execute strategy and deliver business results
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Hans Mensah
Partner ICT-BV.TECH Ghana
MBA, PRINCE2®, ITIL®, Project Manager
I am a technology professional with over ten years of hands-on experience in the IT/Telecommunications industry.
My areas of expertise include customer support, technical sales, project management and network performance monitoring and reporting of Key Performance Indicators.
I am passionate about building successful teams and forging the right synergies towards realising positive change or transformation.
As a certified TOP Value Equation Practitioner, I am currently involved in coaching and facilitating the work of technology start-ups providing value to their customers through successful project delivery.