Classically trained global strategist with international experience in energy, finance, and commodities. Specialties: Transformation and growth strategies, time-based competition, competitive strategy, scenario planning, training and simulation.

Vice President, Strategy & Business Development @ Head of Global Strategy. Responsible for the biennial review of the Corporate Portfolio on behalf of the Board of Directors, as the basis for corporate strategy and the corporate development gameboard. Responsible for annual corporate performance reviews, profit-target setting, and the corporate profit improvement plan. Responsible for external consultant relations with major strategy firms. Directed Corporate Shared Services Strategy to create shared services centers and reduce corporate overheads by $300 million. 2005-2011 Department Head for North America, responsible for administration of a total professional staff of 50 and a budget of $15 million. Responsibilities include MBA recruiting, project staffing, high potential employee development, morale and engagement, and career development. Head of Strategy Practice, with responsibility for strategy doctrine and process development. This involves training and doctrine for strategy process building from industry analysis through single-business strategy, through advanced strategy including system dynamics, scenario planning, and time-based competition. Speech: “Adaptive Strategy and the World Financial Crisis,” Strategic Management Society, Rome 2010. DIscussed Cargill's application of scenario planning in anticipation of the Global Financial Crisis in 2008. Led strategy development for the agricultural commodities sector, shipping, energy, food ingredients, financial derivatives, financial asset management (including hedge funds) and beef. Led the Corporate Strategic Intent 2015 project, leading to the adoption of a new 10 year corporate strategy and directed the associated organizational changes. From October 2005 to Present (10 years 3 months) Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul AreaSous Directeur/Assistant Vice President @ Head of Marketing and Services for the $10 billion international grain and oilseeds business. Responsible for the portfolio of customer risk management products, including custom price risk management programs and exotic derivatives. Led the commodity merchandising and sales effort into Saudi Arabia for corn, soybean meal, and barley, increasing volume 200 percent margins 400 percent, based on application of the doctrine I developed for increasing sales effectiveness and profitability.. Directed strategy development for the worldwide grain and oilseed business, including coordinated investments in South America and Asia. Helped design and teach the Grain Master Class for high potential young managers. This involved teaching strategy, designing the introduction to commodity trading, and laying out the structure of the course. From September 2002 to October 2005 (3 years 2 months) Manager/Director @ Deputy Head of Corporate Strategy and Head of the Business Development (new business) Practice Area. Designed and facilitated the Corporate 10 year transformation strategy, Strategic Intent 2010, as described in the Harvard Business School Cargill "A"​ case. Led the groundbreaking organizational design strategy to increase agility and performance transparency, based on principles of Time-Based Competition, as described in the Harvard Cargill "B"​ case. Developed the doctrine, processes, and training to launch a company-wide program fror increasing commerical effectiveness and profitability in commodities, by differentiated services and building deep customer connections. Directed the strategy for Cargill's short term and emerging markets financial proprietary trading to re-launch itself and access outside capital as Black River Asset Management. Led Corporate Biotech strategy, leading to the formation of a joint venture with Monsanto and the sale of the hybrid seed division. Directed Asian growth strategy for Singapore, China, and India. From November 1996 to September 2002 (5 years 11 months) Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul AreaSenior Consultant @ Designed and facilitated scenario planning exercises for clients in high tech and financial industries. Conducted a sector portfolio review for a leading pulp and paper manufacturer. Taught basic and advanced strategy concepts and processes to in-house groups (chemicals, banking) in North and South America. From January 1995 to October 1996 (1 year 10 months) Manager @ Conducted due diligence and valuation projects in the paper and materials industries, leading to successful acquisitions. Led the divesture campaign for non-strategic North American building products and materials businesses in the portfolio of a British corporation. Led growth strategy projects in network printing and pre-stage 3 pharmaceuticals. From August 1993 to December 1994 (1 year 5 months) Engagement Manager @ Fellow, McKinsey Global Institute, and co-author of a major comparative study on international productivity (Service Sector Productivity), with implications for US economic policy in the 1990's. This study was conducted under the direction of Robert Solow (MIT). Developed the integrating macro/micro economic model and co-wrote (with Solow) the implication section for policymakers. Also contributed productivity case studies on international retailing and restaurants. Conducted strategy engagements in oil & gas exploration, utilities, electrical switchgear, microelectronics, surgical devices, pulp & paper, retailing, and banking. Co-Author, "Service Sector Productivity," McKinsey Quarterly, 1992, Vol. 4. From July 1989 to June 1993 (4 years) Systems Engineer @ Member of the systems development team programming an accounting product release for financial institutions (System 370 Assembly, COBOL, VSAM/CICS). Led bank customer profitability project at a New York client bank. From September 1983 to August 1987 (4 years) Administrative Aide @ Researched Defense Department programs, budgets and strategies. Acted as liaison to the Military Reform Caucus. From June 1981 to May 1982 (1 year) Washington D.C. Metro Area

M.B.A., Strategy @ University of Virginia - Darden Graduate School of Business Administration From 1987 to 1989 B.A., English Literature @ Yale University From 1978 to 1983 Mike Balay is skilled in: Transformation, Growth Strategy, Trading, Organizational Design, Customer Solutions, Growth Strategies, Solutions Marketing, Data Transformation, Business Strategy, Strategy, Acquisition Integration, Business Development, Business Planning, Business Transformation, Commodity