CEO Advisory & Strategic Operations

Where thoughtful strategy
meets disciplined
execution.

ElevAI18 partners with CEOs and business principals in the pursuit of growth — crafting tech-enabled strategies, leading cross-functional teams, and driving execution to sustained revenue conversion.

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MIT Sloan MBA MIT AI for Enterprise 15+ Years Global COO
Esther Oaknin

"We don't just build strategies — we stay until they work."

Esther Oaknin is a COO-level operator and CEO advisor with 15+ years scaling complex global businesses at JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, and Santander. She now leads ElevAI18, advising a Global Family Office and a European company operating across 7+ countries on their US expansion. MIT Sloan MBA. Bilingual in English and Spanish.

MIT Sloan MBA MIT AI for Enterprise New York & Miami English & Spanish

Esther Oaknin, Founder & CEO

The operator
CEOs call first.

At ElevAI18, we do one thing: give CEOs a trusted partner in their corner — one that combines deep operational experience with cross-functional leadership to translate vision into an engine that actually runs.

Our founder's 15+ years at JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, and Santander were spent at the intersection of leadership, technology, and execution — managing platforms from $70B to $240B, building cross-functional teams, and delivering transformations across Sales, Legal, Technology, Operations, and Finance simultaneously.

Today we advise a Global Family Office and an international franchise scaling in the US. We bring institutional rigor, fiduciary discipline, and a genuine investment in every leader we work with.

15+

Years of COO-level execution

$240B

Assets under management led

3

Global institutions transformed

What We Do

Three ways I
work with CEOs.

Every engagement is shaped around your specific growth challenge. Whether you need a strategic partner, a hands-on operator, or someone to bridge the gap between your vision and your team — we work closely with a small number of principals at a time.

01

CEO Advisory & Strategic Partnership

A trusted strategic partner embedded alongside your leadership team. I help you think through the big decisions, design the roadmap, and stay accountable to it. Available for ongoing retainer or project-based engagements.

What's included

  • Working sessions with you and your leadership team
  • US market entry and expansion planning
  • Growth roadmap design with milestone accountability
  • Board and investor narrative preparation
  • Decision support on M&A, hiring, and capital allocation

Ideal for CEOs who have the vision but need a senior strategic partner to pressure-test decisions and stay accountable to the plan.

Growth Strategy US Market Entry Decision Support Board Prep
02

Operating Model Design & Execution

From org design to workflow automation to governance — I design the operating infrastructure your business needs to scale. Then I stay to make sure it gets built. Cross-functional by default: Sales, Legal, Ops, Tech, Finance.

What's included

  • End-to-end operating model design and documentation
  • Cross-functional workflow optimization (Sales, Legal, Ops, Finance, Tech)
  • KPI frameworks and executive reporting dashboards
  • Technology stack assessment and AI tool integration
  • Change management, training, and rollout leadership

Ideal for businesses scaling rapidly or entering new markets where the current operating model is no longer fit for purpose.

Org Design Process Optimization KPI Frameworks AI Integration
03

Fractional COO / Chief of Staff

For leaders who need a senior operator in the seat without a full-time hire. I function as your COO or Chief of Staff — owning execution, aligning teams, and freeing you to lead. Particularly effective during high-growth or transformational phases.

What's included

  • Embedded working sessions with your leadership team
  • Cross-functional team alignment and accountability management
  • Initiative tracking, escalation management, and issue resolution
  • Hiring support, onboarding frameworks, and team structure design
  • Direct CEO partnership — freeing you to lead, not manage

Ideal for CEOs in high-growth or transformational phases who need a senior operator in the seat without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.

Fractional COO Chief of Staff Team Alignment Execution Oversight

Client Results

Built to last.
Delivered on time.

Global Family Office — US Expansion

Operating model designed for US market entry from the ground up

We advised a Global Family Office entering the US market for the first time. Designed full operating model, governance structure, and client acquisition strategy — aligning legal, compliance, investment, and operational workstreams under a single execution plan.

6mo Market entry timeline
US Market established

International Franchise — Scale Strategy

US franchise expansion framework with operating playbook

We partnered with an international franchise CEO to design a US scaling strategy — covering franchisee acquisition, brand standards, technology integration, and operational governance. Built the execution playbook used across all new US locations.

Multi US locations targeted
1 Unified operating playbook

Banking Organization — Platform Build

Double-digit multi-million dollar platform delivered in under six months

Led zero-to-one build of a global institutional financing platform for a major banking organization — covering operating model design, a double-digit multi-million dollar technology deployment, and full launch. Generated $180M+ revenue across 100+ institutional transactions within the first year.

$180M+ Revenue generated
6mo From zero to launch

Private Banking & Wealth Asset Management

Strategic review unlocking 15% profitability improvement

As COO for a $240B Private Banking & Wealth Asset Management platform with 470+ professionals, led a strategic review of international operations identifying initiatives projected to improve profitability by ~15%. Designed multi-year growth and talent plan implemented across global teams.

~15% Profitability improvement
$240B Platform managed

Insights

Thinking on
scaling & leadership.

View all articles

Scaling Strategy

Why most US market entries fail before they start — and what the ones that succeed do differently

The mistake I see most often: CEOs treat US entry as a sales problem. It isn't. It's an operating model problem. Here's the framework I use with every new client entering the US market.

Coming soon · ElevAI18

CEO Advisory

The 5 decisions only you can make — and the 20 you should delegate immediately

After advising CEOs across financial services, family offices, and franchise businesses, a clear pattern emerges around where leaders hold on too long.

Coming soon · ElevAI18

Operational Execution

AI isn't replacing your COO. But it will replace the COO who doesn't use it.

The tools exist. The ROI is real. Here's how I'm integrating AI into enterprise operations for the businesses I advise.

Coming soon · ElevAI18

Our Approach

How we work.

We don't parachute in with a framework and leave. Every engagement is built around deep immersion, cross-functional alignment, and a relentless focus on adoption — because a strategy only works if your people do.

01

Diagnose

We begin with deep immersion — understanding your business model, team dynamics, growth ambitions, and operational gaps before making a single recommendation.

  • Leadership interviews
  • Operating model audit
  • Market & competitive context
  • Gap and risk mapping
02

Design

We co-create a tech-enabled strategy and execution roadmap with your team — one they understand, believe in, and are ready to own.

  • Growth strategy & roadmap
  • Operating model design
  • Cross-functional alignment
  • KPI & governance framework
03

Execute

We lead implementation alongside your team — managing workstreams, resolving blockers, and holding everyone accountable to the plan across every function.

  • Cross-functional leadership
  • Initiative & PMO management
  • Technology deployment
  • People & change management
04

Embed

We ensure native adoption — building the muscle memory, processes, and culture so results are sustainable long after our engagement ends.

  • Training & capability building
  • Process documentation
  • Leadership coaching
  • Long-term revenue conversion

Work With Esther

Let's talk about
your next chapter.

We work with a small number of CEOs and principals at a time — by design. If you're scaling a complex business in the US and need a trusted strategic partner in your corner, we'd like to hear from you.

Email esther@elevai18.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/estheroaknin
Location New York & Miami, United States
Languages English & Spanish

Book a Discovery Call

30 minutes. No pitch. Just a conversation about where you are and where you're trying to go.

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