About Pendulum Associates
Pendulum Associates is a boutique consulting agency helping companies meet their working capital needs by optimizing cash conversion cycles to meet industry standards and stay competitive. We roll up our sleeves and work closely with client teams to deliver an in-depth working capital analysis and a full suite of services to launch revised terms and communication plans.
We are an experienced, full-service agency that offers turnkey solutions to find economic efficiencies in complex supply chains for some of the country’s largest enterprises.
Companies that enlist Pendulum’s expertise typically begin to see value from our process in 12 to 17 weeks after implementation. While many of our competitors rely on public information to advise companies, Pendulum believes in examining our clients’ individual capital needs and competitive landscapes in order to devise a customized solution.
Pendulum provides true standardization and harmonization — not a cookie-cutter solution — for industry-leading companies and their trading partners.
Overall Project Results
Client Case Studies
Our working capital initiatives have worked for many industry-leading clients:
Fortune 250 Consumer Packaged Goods Company
More than $4 million in new terms discounts with 1,200 suppliers and $500 million in annual spend.
Fortune 100 Insurance Company
$151 million in working capital and a 30-day improvement in Average Payment Terms with 1,275 suppliers and $1.8 billion in annual spend.
Large Adhesives Company
$113 million in working capital and a 36-day increase in Average Payment Terms with over 17,000 suppliers and a $2 billion in annual spend.
Fortune 100 Telecom Company
$325 million in working capital and a 40-day increase in Average Payment Terms with over 8,100 suppliers and a $5.2 billion in annual spend.
Fortune 300 Automotive Company
$65 million in working capital and a 45-day improvement in Average Payment Terms with 11,000 suppliers and $1 billion in annual spend.
The Pendulum Team
Sean Van Gundy, President
Sean’s Focus: Working capital management
Background: Management positions within Walmart Stores, Inc., R.H. Donnelley, ABB Inc., and Wells Fargo
Experience: Sean has more than 20 years’ experience working for Fortune 500 companies that have working capital needs. He also has worked in banking where he was able to help clients navigate the supply chain finance world and ensure that their suppliers had access to the liquidity they needed to maintain their trade relationships. In his current role at Pendulum Associates, Sean leads a global team that is helping clients unlock working capital to meet their cash flow needs.
Specialties: Process improvement and terms optimization, and accounts payable and working capital strategy consulting.
Kitty Patel, CPSM
Kitty’s Focus: Accounts payable and supply chain
Background: Global supply chain finance, supply chain and payment terms optimization
Experience: Kitty has over 20 years of experience in the supply chain arena with a focus on working capital needs. She has created and operated a Global SCF program, which involves close alliance with treasury, supply chain, accounts payable, IT and executive sponsors. She also has experience working with global banks providing SCF. In her current role at Pendulum Associates, Kitty helps clients execute projects that will optimize their working capital.
Specialties: Terms optimization, supplier negotiations, SCM training and process development to ensure a stable, go-forward way to do business.
Karel Krejci, Vice President, EMEA and APAC
Karel’s Focus: Accounts payable and supply chain
Background: Global supply chain finance, working capital solutions and terms standardization
Experience: Over the past 20-plus years, Karel’s roles have included Head of Working Capital Solutions for Ernst & Young, supply chain finance consulting through Demica, and Director of Sales for Prime Revenue and Ecosystem consultant for IFC (a Branch of World Bank).
Specialties: Terms optimization, working capital solutions consulting and supply chain finance implementation.
Brandy Boswell, Engagement Manager
Brandy’s Focus: Accounts payable
Background: Customer service and project execution
Experience: Fielding customer calls, communicating resolution for customer concerns and reporting daily customer interactions.
Specialties: Process improvement, communications and customer service.
Contact us to learn more
For more about how Pendulum Associates can help optimize your company’s cash conversion cycle, contact our team today.