Debra B. McMahon
3548 Winfield Lane N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20007
Phone: 202-256-5984
Email: mmcdeb@aol.com
SUMMARY
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Seasoned business strategy executive with over 35 years of experience in helping large companies build strong
and enduring franchises by solving complex business problems and addressing emerging opportunities
Core Competencies
Corporate Strategy • Business Strategy • Strategic Planning • Business Forecasting • New Product Development
Business Restructuring • Business Process Redesign • Business Profitability Improvement • Marketing Strategy
Customer Franchise Development • Business Scenario Modeling and Risk Assessment
Company and Industry Experience:
C-level advisor with experience leading cross-functional and cross-company strategy teams across a wide
variety of business and consumer industries
Client companies include FedEx, Bertelsmann, Dell, Time Warner, The Red Cross, Philips, Alcatel, Cars.com,
TVCabo, Deutsche Telekom, Sprint, Verizon, PanAmSat, AOL, AMS, PITT OHIO, Avascent, and others
Former Marketing Strategy and Geographic Business Head at Mercer Management Consulting/Oliver Wyman, New
Product and Corporate Development Leader at Wrigley’s and Product Manager at General Mills
Representative Project Work:

Led the corporate marketing team that took Mercer Management Consulting from an unknown brand to
one with 80% market awareness in one year and supported a doubling of firm revenues in three years.

Redesigned and re-priced the FedEx freight services portfolio to deliver over $1B in revenue growth

Led market research that enabled Deutsche Telekom to capture $1B in interactive TV services revenue

Crafted the brand strategy that helped AOL become the top online service in the US during the 1990’s

Created business cases for numerous successful multibillion dollar business investments at Sprint

Developed leading edge insights on how to develop and mine the market for interactive television that
supported multi-billion dollar investments by Philips, TV Cabo, and Deutsche Telecom.

Led a 40 person team of consultants and client executives in a massive redesign of all core processes at
Southern New England Telephone that cut total cost by over 35% while achieving revenue growth.

Reengineered product offering and selling strategies to turnaround a new, but failing, wireless cable
business at CommScope in less than three months – the company is now the world leader in this field

Crafted original web site strategy for Cars.com – now the number one car Internet site
Cited as a strategy expert in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Business Week, and similar publications and
sought after guest lecturer at universities including The Wharton School and Georgetown University
BA Economics and Masters of Management from Northwestern University and Kellogg School of Management
Debra McMahon- CV
Page 1
DETAILED EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
__________________________________________________________________________________
McMahon Consulting Group
Washington, D.C.
2002-Present
CEO and Managing Partner MCG
Leader of marketing strategy consultancy that helps Fortune 1000 and equivalent companies identify and
mine opportunities for growth. Clients include Time Warner, FedEx, and Dell. Business focused on: creating
new businesses, building brands, designing customer-centric organizations, invigorating customer
franchises, extending product portfolios, refreshing value propositions, and improving ROI.
Representative Work:






Developed the internal and external communications plan to launch Aramark Higher Education.
Developed new brand strategy and web site repositioning to spur a turnaround of Vertis
Communications Inc.
Designed the pricing strategy for launching Dell printers in the U.S.
Helped Sprint Consumer and Small Business divisions mine $4 Billion in new services growth.
Redesigned and re-priced the FedEx Freight product line to foster a doubling of revenues.
Developed a strategic market segmentation and new product strategy that expanded market share
and margin realization at PITT OHIO.
Mercer Management Consulting
Washington, D.C.
1990-2002
Vice President and Business Development Leader
Created multi-billion dollar growth strategies for consumer products, financial services, communications,
entertainment, transportation, retailing, and not-for-profit companies including AOL, The Red Cross, Sprint,
Philips, Deutsche Telekom, Tribune Cos., Motorola, AMS, Verizon, PanAmSat, Bertelsmann, and Alcatel
Representative Work:








Identified $95 million in for-profit health and safety services for the Red Cross
Developed leading edge insights on how to develop and mine the market for interactive television that
supported multi-billion dollar investments by Philips, TV Cabo, and Deutsche Telecom.
Created AOL’s brand strategy in 1996 and helped propel them from a tenuous lead in the online
market at 7million subscribers to unqualified leadership at 22 million subscribers in 2000.
Crafted the original targeting, value proposition, and product design strategy for the Tribune
Companies’ Cars.com web business, which has become the top car marketplace online.
Developed the business case that convinced Bertelsmann’s Board to invest in AOL Europe despite
operating crisis and competition from MSN and AT&T. Bertelsmann made $7 billion on this decision.
Developed a new consumer brand strategy for Sprint that permitted it to command a 10% price
premium versus AT&T and other larger brands in the most valuable customer segments.
Crafted a new product management organization to help PanAmSat increase ROA up to 30%.
Three-time winner of outstanding team leader award based on votes of company staff. Mentored over
40 professionals who have become partners or successful senior executives.
Washington DC Office Head
Responsible for 130 people and P&L management of Mercer’s second largest office in addition to selling $46 million dollars of consulting work annually
Debra McMahon- CV
Page 2
Head of Corporate Marketing & VP Communications Practice
Responsible for marketing strategy, lead management, communications programs, publications, and
investor presentations for a $200 million firm.
Representative Work:
 Developed the marketing and communications program that took Mercer brand awareness from 5% to
80% and spurred a doubling of firm revenue in 3 years.
Strategic Planning Associates
Washington D.C.
1984-1990
Principal and Partner
Managed $3-6MM in marketing and corporate strategy projects annually, and paid back 20 to 1 return on
investment for clients including Sara Lee, Equitable Life, Corning, GE, Hanes, and Copperweld.
Representative Work:



Helped GE jet engines understand how to successfully attack the P&L of their largest competitor.
Doubled profitability of a series of clinical laboratory acquisitions for Corning MetPath in 12 months.
Designed an innovative pricing model for Equitable Life products that increased retail financial
services profitability by 15%.
The Wrigley Company
Chicago IL.
1980-1984
Manager New Products and Corporate Development
One of two managers brought in to invigorate company growth and establish a new products discipline in a
sales-driven company with weak new product marketing capability.
Representative Work:


Led development and introduction of Wrigley’s Extra, the leading gum in the U.S.
Reformulated Wrigley’s Spearmint and Big Red products to produce 10% cost savings while
improving customer satisfaction
General Mills Inc.
Minneapolis MN.
1977-1980
Brand Manager
Responsible for overall brand and P & L management of businesses with $100M+ marketing budget
including Bisquick, Trix, and Lucky Charms.
Representative Work:

Created marketing plans that delivered 12% revenue growth for products with flat growth histories.
Debra McMahon- CV
Page 3
EDUCATION
__________________________________________________________________________________
Master of Management (MBA) Marketing
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, Evanston IL.
Completed Masters and undergraduate degrees in four years with highest distinction
1977
BA Economics
Northwestern University, Evanston IL.
1976
REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA CITATIONS
__________________________________________________________________________________









Mining TV’s Interactive Potential, Multichannel News
Does Everybody Have to Own Everything, Wall Street Journal
Targeted Ads: Consumer Trap or Necessity, USA Today
Hey Kid Buy This, Business Week
The Commodity Trap, The Power of Outside-in Thinking, Telephony
Developing Powerful Value Propositions, Forbes Executive Summit
Capturing Tomorrow’s Profit Zones, Strategic Leadership Forum
Baby Boomers New Leaf Means New Business Strategies, Business Finance
Tough Sell: Commodity Products, Management Review
Debra McMahon- CV
Page 4