Fractional COO & Business Transformation Manager; process optimization, operational scaling, and post-M&A integration for SMEs and investment funds.
Behind every brand that successfully grows from an idea into a scalable company, there is an invisible engine: operations. Marketing can attract customers, technology can create innovative products, but if operations fail, everything collapses. Massimiliano Moreni knows this better than anyone. As a Fractional COO and Business Transformation Manager in Italy, he is called in when companies need to organize processes, scale quickly, or navigate complex transitions.
From Consulting to Operational Leadership
Massimiliano began his career in consulting and management, gaining experience in operational processes, supply chain, and digital transformation. He has worked with both corporations and family-owned mid-sized companies, a mix that allowed him to understand the different mindsets of Italian business.
“In corporations, you learn rigor and standards. In family businesses, you learn agility and intuition. I’ve tried to combine these two worlds.”
This combination later became the foundation of his work as a Fractional COO.
What Fractional COO Means for Moreni
For Massimiliano, a fractional COO is not just a “temporary manager.” He is a systems builder.
“A full-time COO manages day-to-day operations. A fractional COO comes in, analyzes, creates structures, implements processes, and leaves the organization stronger than before. You don’t just keep things afloat — you transform them.”
Key areas of intervention include:
- Process management – standardization, efficiency, and removal of bottlenecks.
- Supply chain & logistics – cost optimization, delivery times, supplier management.
- Digitalization – ERP implementation, cloud solutions, and automation.
- Operational scaling – preparing companies for rapid growth.
- Post-merger integration – unifying processes and cultures after acquisitions or mergers.
Examples of Impact
- E-commerce scale-up in Milan: With increasing orders, their logistics system was failing. “We mapped the entire process, from procurement to delivery, implemented a new WMS, and renegotiated transport contracts. In six months, delivery times dropped 30%, and logistics costs fell 12%.”
- Industrial manufacturing company: The challenge was integrating an acquisition. “I identified two completely different organizational cultures with incompatible processes. We created a phased integration plan, implemented a shared ERP, and trained mixed teams. After a year, the company operated as a single unit.”
- Traditional retail company entering e-commerce: “I led the implementation of an e-commerce platform, adapted the supply chain, and created return processes. After eight months, 20% of revenue came from online sales.”
Massimiliano’s Philosophy
Moreni often speaks of “invisible but decisive operations.”
“Customers don’t see processes, but they feel them. If a product is late, an invoice is wrong, or service is inconsistent — the customer leaves. Operations are the essence of the customer experience.”
He also believes a COO must be a translator between strategy and execution:
“The board says: ‘We want to double revenue.’ The COO must turn that into operational reality: how many people, which processes, which systems, which KPIs.”
Why the Fractional Model Works in Italy
Italy has thousands of SMEs (Piccole e Medie Imprese), often family-owned, facing globalization and digitalization pressures but lacking corporate-level resources.
“A full-time COO with a €200,000 annual salary is impossible for many companies. But a fractional COO, present a few days per month, bringing processes and structure, is perfectly affordable and often vital.”
Moreni notes that Italian entrepreneurs’ mindset is changing:
“More and more are realizing they can’t just run their business ‘by instinct.’ They need data, processes, and systems. And they are open to flexible solutions.”
Challenges of the Role
One major challenge is quickly gaining trust:
“You enter a company where people have worked for 20 years. You come in and say: ‘We’re changing the process.’ You need empathy, dialogue, and quick results to be accepted.”
Time is another challenge:
“You only have a few days per month. You must prioritize and create leverage. You can’t get into every detail.”
Lessons from Experience
Moreni highlights three key lessons:
- Change starts with people. Processes won’t work if people don’t believe in them.
- Clarity is essential. A simple, clear operational plan is more valuable than a complex one no one understands.
- Quick results matter. The first 90 days are crucial for gaining credibility.
A COO for Times of Change
Massimiliano Moreni represents the new wave of Italian leaders who bring expertise at the right time, in the right dose. As a Fractional COO, he not only optimizes processes but transforms companies.
“My mission is to create organizations that can grow independently, without me. If, after I leave, processes run smoothly, teams are aligned, and customers are happier, it means I’ve done my job.”
In an Italy where tradition meets digitalization, Massimiliano is one of the invisible architects of change.
