Alexandru Cojocaru

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Consulting Manager (Business & Operations Lead)

G.A.C. Innovation East Europe, Bucharest | January 2020 – Present

Own a portfolio of 15–20 clients within a €1M revenue consulting business, with direct responsibility for revenue delivery, client-level P&L (revenue & margin), and operational execution. Act as a bridge between sales, delivery, and leadership, contributing to commercial strategy, service development, and financial performance.

Key responsibilities & contributions:

• Own revenue realization and billing targets for assigned portfolio, aligning delivery execution with monthly revenue plans set by local CEO and approved by group HQ;
• Own client profitability by influencing both revenue (commercial structuring, value estimation) and cost (delivery model, team allocation, efficiency);
• Partner closely with sales in late-stage deal cycles: qualify prospects, lead service presentations, estimate revenue potential, and shape commercial offers prior to CEO approval;
• Design engagement delivery models post-sale, defining timelines, deliverables, and execution strategy to ensure predictable revenue conversion;
• Contribute to annual budgeting process and ongoing financial planning, with direct input on revenue projections and operational capacity;
• Lead and co-manage a team of consultants (shared responsibility), contributing to hiring decisions, performance evaluations, and team structure;
• Drive continuous improvement of core service delivery model (R&D tax incentives), optimizing processes, documentation, and scalability;
• Act as subject matter expert in R&D tax incentives, providing direct advisory in complex cases and guiding internal consultants; interface with tax authorities, external fiscal experts, and Big4 partners across client engagements and joint initiatives;
• Contribute to industry-level initiatives, including advocacy, regulatory feedback, and participation in events with business communities and bilateral chambers of commerce, strengthening market positioning and ecosystem relationships;
• Initiate and develop new service lines based on client insights; led the design and launch of a public funding advisory service (business model, commercial offer, go-to-market, team integration);
• Contributed to commercial infrastructure, including contract template updates and offer structuring frameworks;
• Actively collaborate with group-level stakeholders to localize service offerings and drive adoption of group-developed tools and methodologies, supporting capability transfer and operational alignment;
• Manage the post-merger integration of acquired businesses.

Impact:

• Delivered €50K–€2M per client in financial benefits through compliant tax optimization, supporting sustained client retention and revenue predictability;
• Ensured consistent achievement of annual billing targets through active portfolio prioritization and execution control;
• Influenced expansion of service offerings and strategic direction at local and group level.

 

Founder, Owner, General Manager

Gold’n’Roll SRL, Bucharest | July 2017 – Present

Founded and operated an entrepreneurial venture spanning e-commerce, retail, and alternative assets, with full ownership of strategy, operations, and financial performance. Built and scaled a regulated precious metals business from scratch, while experimenting with adjacent business models and funding-backed initiatives.

Key responsibilities & achievements:

• Built a B2C precious metals trading business (physical gold), owning the full value chain: supplier sourcing (Austria), pricing strategy, working capital management, compliance, logistics, and customer lifecycle;
• Built and scaled revenue from €0 to €637K within two years (€130K in year one), achieving national top search ranking for core commercial keywords and building a client base of ~200 customers, including high-net-worth individuals;
• Acted as trusted advisor to clients on capital allocation into gold, managing high-value transactions and long-term client relationships;
• Designed and implemented the full operating infrastructure: e-commerce platform (custom-built), on-premise IT systems, inventory tracking, security protocols, and order fulfillment;
• Led go-to-market strategy and execution: SEO, content marketing (blog & video), direct sales, and brand positioning in a low-trust, high-compliance market;
• Managed end-to-end business operations, including accounting, taxation, cash flow, supplier negotiations, and day-to-day execution as a lean organization;
• Recruited and coordinated a small team (operations + design), while also leveraging external partners for production and sales support.

Additional ventures within the company:

• Secured Startup Nation funding and launched a custom apparel workshop (equipment procurement, vendor selection, operational setup, and partnership-based scaling model);
• Developed an early-stage fintech-adjacent barter platform using gold as a settlement mechanism; paused due to regulatory changes.

Restructuring & continued activity:

• Executed controlled shutdown of the gold retail business following cumulative external shocks: supplier stock shortages during peak demand (COVID period), vertical integration of suppliers into direct retail with aggressive pricing, and a major fraud event impacting working capital;
• Continued to build personal brand and client relationships post-exit through content (blog & video) on gold and macroeconomics, providing advisory services to high-net-worth individuals on capital allocation and gold investments for an additional 3 years;
• Restructured the company into a personal asset holding vehicle, while continuing legal enforcement actions related to the 2020 fraud case.

 

FintechOS Implementation Engineer

Softelligence / FintechOS, Bucharest | Nov 2016 – Jun 2017

Configured and customized FintechOS solutions for banking and insurance clients, working closely with business teams to automate workflows and adapt financial products.

 

SharePoint Tier 2 Support Engineer

Microsoft (via RINF), Bucharest | Feb 2015 – Oct 2016

Provided advanced technical support for Microsoft Premier customers, acting as subject‑matter expert and supporting process improvement initiatives.

 

IT Support Engineer (L1/L2)

Stefanini, Bucharest | Jul 2011 – Jan 2015

Delivered multilingual IT and business support for EY global users, with strong exposure to enterprise environments and service governance.

 

Research Assistant

CNRS-PROMES / University of Perpignan, France | Jan 2009 – Oct 2010

Conducted research on innovative plasma precursors to reduce cost and environmental impact in silicon-based solar cell manufacturing (PECVD).

 

EDUCATION

MSc – Solar Energy, University of Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD), France

Diploma of Engineering – Electromechanics & Industrial Environmental Engineering, University of Craiova (UCV), Romania

CORE SKILLS

• Project & Program Management
• Accounting, FP&A
• Business Administration
• Design Thinking

 

OTHER PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS

• Open-book management (GGOB – Great Game of Business)
• Micro-enterprise ecosystems (Rendanheyi model)
• Engineering, Tech & AI