ABOUT CDI

25+ Years Building Self-Managing Teams That Sustain Performance

CDI Holdings pioneered Mission-Directed Work—a systematic approach that transforms how manufacturing organizations achieve operational excellence through frontline autonomy.

26

Years

80

Countries

5000

Locations

19

Languages

OUR STORY

Founded in 1997, CDI has spent over two decades proving a fundamental insight: excellence cannot be managed into existence—it must be led into existence.

While other consulting firms focused on tools and techniques, we developed an integrated daily management system that builds autonomous teams capable of sustaining improvement without consultant dependency.

Today, our methodology operates in 150+ organizations across 47 countries, delivered by experienced associates who bring global best practices to local contexts.

OUR APPROACH

PHILOSOPHY

We believe the frontline—where work creates customer value—holds the greatest untapped potential in most organizations. But unlocking that potential requires systematic capability development, not just improvement projects.

METHODOLOGY

Mission-Directed Work (MDW) guides organizations through three sequential journeys from firefighting to stability, from stability to autonomy, and from autonomy to continuous excellence. Each journey builds the foundation required for the next.

COMMITMENT

Unlike traditional consulting that creates dependency, we transfer capability. Our goal is to make ourselves unnecessary by building self-sustaining systems of improvement.

OUR LEADERSHIP

CHRIS THERON
CDI AAE
Regional Leader for
Australasia
Asia
Europe

Brief bio: 20+ years, 100+ organizations, 14 countries, systems-thinking approach

ROSA ZAPATA
CDI AMA
Regional Leader for
Americas
Middle East
Africa

Brief bio

OUR VALUES

Respect for People

We believe every person wants to perform well when given the systems, capability, and autonomy to do so.

Systems Thinking

Sustainable performance comes from systematic capability development, not individual heroics or improvement projects.

Evidence-Based Practice

Our approach is proven across 150+ implementations and continuously refined through documented learning.

Transfer of Ownership

Success means our clients become independent—capable of sustaining and evolving their own excellence systems.

OUR NETWORK

CDI operates through a network of experienced associates—operational excellence practitioners who deliver MDW transformations across diverse industries and cultural contexts.

Interested in joining our network?