We recently had the privilege of having an insightful conversation with Axel Zygmuntowicz, Director, Global Process Owner Finance at Swarovski, a renowned name in the realms of jewellery, fashion, and entertainment.
A strong advocate for continuous learning, he emphasizes constantly upgrading his expertise and honing professional skills that directly support his work in the field. As a passionate professional with strong expertise in finance, project management, and process, Axel Zygmuntowicz envisions transforming organizations and mindsets through his innovative leadership approach.
The Beginning
We started the interview by asking, “Could you share some background about yourself, including your early life and educational journey?”
Axel Zygmuntowicz shared, “I graduated in Economics with a specialization in Economic Assessment and the Functioning of Enterprises. My studies focused on systems thinking, auditing, processes, and organizational behaviour. Interestingly, all of these topics have proven highly relevant in my current role as Global Process Owner for Finance.
After completing my degree in Economics, I pursued post-graduate studies in Accounting and became a Chartered Certified Accountant (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)), further strengthening my expertise in the Finance and Accounting profession. Alongside my journey in process improvement, I also earned a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, as well as qualifications in Change Management and other waterfall and lean project methodologies to broaden my skill set.”
He further mentioned, “As my responsibilities expanded to include additional processes, I obtained a Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, and I continue to deepen my knowledge in this area.
I believe that learning is the ultimate superpower, especially when applied wisely in a practical environment. Ideally, knowledge should be put into practice as it is acquired. Throughout my career, I have focused on continuously upgrading my expertise and honing professional skills that directly support my work. While my career path has not been strictly linear, I can confidently say that I specialize in Finance-related fields, complemented by strong capabilities in project and process management.”
More about Swarovski
We then asked, “Can you tell us more about your company and its role in your region?”
Axel Zygmuntowicz mentioned, “The Swarovski brand was born in 1895 when our founder, Daniel Swarovski, created a pioneering crystal cutting machine in the Tyrolean Alps. Then, as now, the vision was to craft precision-cut crystals that radiate light, redefine luxury by bringing opulence to the everyday, and push the boundaries of innovation and creation. In the spirit of our founder and his inventive genius, we remain committed to bold self-expression, enabling every individual to shine through the magic of the most precious jewellery.
This year we celebrated the 130th anniversary of bringing joy to our customers – a legacy of brilliance, creativity, and connection shaped by generations of extraordinary people. In recent months, we celebrated this milestone with our customers through hallmark projects like Icons of Joy, Masters of Light in Hollywood, and Champs-Élysées Illuminations in Paris.
Swarovski has been a catalyst of creativity globally in pop culture, influencing the realms of jewellery, fashion, and entertainment to dazzling effect for 130 years and counting.”
What Defines Success for Axel Zygmuntowicz
Interested to learn Axel Zygmuntowicz’s perspective on the qualities that define a successful leader in his industry, we asked him to share the same.
Axel Zygmuntowicz reflected “For me, leadership is always rooted in the fundamental traits of honesty, trust, and integrity. It is about being authentic and not afraid to show flaws. True leadership means role modelling regardless of formal or informal authority, and independent of organizational hierarchies. In my field of Global Process Ownership, leadership is a critical skill to inspire and influence colleagues across departments and the wider organization.
End-to-end processes extend beyond organizational boundaries and structures, so the ability to collaborate across all levels is essential. This often means holding discussions on the same day with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), junior accountants who know the details of every process step, or IT teams who bring technical requirements – spanning geographies and time zones from dawn to dusk.”
“Most of the time, leadership in this context is about guiding without formal authority, as projects are composed of cross-functional teams. Communication and the courage to speak truth to power are vital to driving change and helping people navigate it. Assertiveness in process-related decisions becomes part of daily life, with choices needing to be made in nearly every meeting. Expressing a confident ‘No’ while still keeping the flame of innovation alive – so as not to stifle creativity, becomes an art of communication in itself.
Ultimately, empathy is a critical leadership skill in my role, helping to manage emotions and fears during bold organizational changes. Old ways of working may become obsolete through new tools and processes, but old ways of thinking only change through storytelling, persuasion, and proof that optimization and adoption are necessary for the company’s success,” Axel added.
Embracing Innovative Practices
To stay ahead of the competition, adapting to the latest technology is crucial. So, we asked Axel Zygmuntowicz, “How has your organization adapted to the ongoing digital revolution and technological advancements?”
Axel Zygmuntowicz explained, “Our organization is actively investing in the latest technologies and tools available on the market. Within the Global Business Services area, the adoption of improvements ranging from basic scripting-based automation, through robotic process automation, and up to artificial intelligence applications is critical to further boosting productivity levels and enabling our people to focus on high-value activities.
Over the years, we have reshaped the organizational process landscape by applying the principles of ESSA – Elimination, Simplification, Standardization, and Automation. In doing so, we developed our own robots and solutions that supported the digitalization of reporting, general ledger account reconciliations, and automated journal postings, among others.”
Axel even added, “Most recently, we invested in AI-enabled invoice management software to further transform our Purchase-to-Pay processes across the organization. These advancements not only accelerate process cycle times and reduce manual work but also ensure compliance and rule-based automation tailored to each geography, which is essential for accurate financial reporting.
Looking ahead, the application of AI Agents in Finance will be an area of continued exploration, particularly within operational processes delivered by our Global Business Services Centres. These agents could augment and support accountants with routine activities, allowing them to dedicate more time to analytical and expert tasks.
With the rise of AI and digitalization, we believe the accounting profession will undergo a significant transformation. Future roles will evolve into strategic analyst positions or combine with controlling-related responsibilities, providing deeper insights to support decision-making. All of this will be powered by Artificial Intelligence, leveraging trends and figures from financial statements, forecasts, and budgets.”
Words of Wisdom for Young Professionals
Lastly, we asked Axel Zygmuntowicz, “What advice would you offer to someone beginning their career in your field?”
Axel Zygmuntowicz shared, “Don’t limit yourself to a single domain or lock yourself into one path. Stay open to opportunities beyond your comfort zone and remain curious, because the journey you begin will rarely be linear. Roles and requirements evolve irreversibly, and the pace of change continues to accelerate. There is a strong chance you will end up in a position that didn’t even exist when you started your career. That’s why it’s essential to keep an open mind and nurture curiosity.
In process management or process ownership, you are the orchestrator. It’s not only about developing soft skills or communication skills to lead projects, but also about combining them with technical fluency – translating requirements and being willing to dive into the details to create organizational value. Think beyond the tasks at hand and adopt a helicopter view: see the entire forest, not just individual trees. Consider where new trees should be planted, or which should be cut and sold as wood, and never grow complacent with the current state or the old good ways of working.”
Axel further mentioned, “As a global process owner, the single most important change that helped me over the years was removing the word ‘impossible’ from my dictionary. There are always possibilities, even if they aren’t visible at the moment. The sky is the limit when you operate in a corporate environment designed by humans—because what has been designed can also be redesigned, if you are bold enough to challenge the status quo.
Leading a large portfolio of global improvements also requires strong decision-making skills and not only knowing when to say yes or no, but also deciding which games should be observed from the balcony and which should be played side by side with the team. Managing your own focus and energy levels is crucial to staying on top of the game, regardless of the situation.
My final advice will always be about learning and curiosity. Acquiring new knowledge and applying it in practice is the ultimate superpower for success in complex and demanding roles. Believing in your abilities and never giving up is equally important, because in the end, your perception of your own capacity shapes your reality.”
Connect with Axel Zygmuntowicz on LinkedIn to gain industry insights.
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