Cata Diacu | Adcras Design

Senior Level Professional with vast international experience in Design, Consulting, Project Management and Sales, always eager to learn and grow as part of a community, building up my career on a strong basis of interpersonal and technical skills.

Passionate about my work, I aim to leave a long-lasting positive impact on people I work with. I strive for excellence and continuous improvement, while always looking to support, inspire and enrich the experiences of those around me.

Jan 2024 – Present – based in Romania and the Middle East
As part of an international company, world leader in office furniture solutions, this role has allowed me to grow my skills in managing remote teams working on complex projects, while improving my design Consulting skills and knowledge. Part of the role’s main responsibilities included:

• Focusing on strategic and high-gain projects and fulfill client commercial design projects along the entire project scope, from initial lead conversion, understanding needs through a consulting approach, developing designs to processing orders and overseeing installation.
• Being the main point of contact for partners in the assigned regions and offer technical and consultative support, train on and allocate resources and lead end-client engagements
• Coordinating support, sales, project management and additional design teams in successfully closing projects

Main skills developed within this role:
Consultative approach, Design consulting, Design Thinking, Project management, Partner Relationship management, Large scale project implementation

Jan 2020 – Present – Based in Romania and France
Running my own business for several years has greatly helped me gain awareness of complex business processes, The impact of close client, partner and supplier relationships on growing the business, as well as managing own and external teams in accomplishing projects. The business covered 2 main departments:

• Design office –complete management of architecture and interior design projects: consulting on customer needs, concept, space flow, 2D plans, dimensions, technical plans, elevations, 3D views (photos, video, interactive 3D), budget, required materials, purchase lists, subcontractor coordination, post-project consultancy
  • Main client throughout 2022-2023 –large coffee shop chain from Romania, with15 locations in 10 cities, as well as Hungary (Budapest 1) and France (Paris 1).
  • Covered all space needs in terms of location design, project and real-estate management, renovations, refurbishments, décor, opening new locations
  • Maintaining strong relationship with managers of company owned locations,as well as franchised locations, consulting on business needs in terms of design and space management, providing full technical support and coaching.
• Workshop – design and production of custom furniture
  • Custom product design and production within our own workshop and in close collaboration with exterior partners, with installation at the client’s premises, for residential and commercial clients.

Main skills developed within this role:
Interior Design & Architecture, Private sector vs. Commercial sector needs, Franchise management, Space solutions, Technical space requirements

August 2015 – January 2020 – Based in Romania and the United Kingdom
This role has helped with consolidating my experience in the field of sales and Consulting, with a great influence on Developing my cultural awareness and Interpersonal skills, as well as providing increased business acumen + Project and Account Management skills. Main responsibilities included:

• In-depth understanding of the strong culture, value propostion and company mission.
• High level of commercial and cultural awareness, thanks to close interactions with different functions and in different regions (EMEA, NA and APAC).
• Development of knowledge in the field of interior design and architecture in commercial spaces, as well as high-end private spaces.
• In-depth understanding of market trends for the different regions covered: France, UK, Baltics, Nordics, Middle East, as well as a strong understanding of the dealer network and partner/supplier alignment with the overall Steelcase business strategy.
• Close collaboration with the leaders of different regions, aligning with the objectives and strategy established on the short, medium and long term.
• Development of training plans, workshops, initiatives etc. for dealership teams and local office teams, based on individual and collective needs.

Main skills developed within this role:
Business acumen, Account and opportunity strategy, Continuous improvement, Commercial relationships, Cultural awareness, Emotional intelligence

March 2013 – July 2015
Executive Director / Project Manager | TRANSYLVANIE ADVENTURE BUSINESS

• Based in Romania – Business Tourism

2012 – 2013 Managing Director | NEXT ALYSS SRL

• Based in Romania – Translations / Interpreting – English & French

2007 – 2008 Real Estate Agent | LAS DIVAS SRL

• Based in Romania – Sales / Real Estate

Main skills developed within this role:
Teamwork, Management, Sales, Foreign languages, Customer relationship management

Romania – Babeș Bolyai University – Faculty of Letters, Applied Modern Languages – Translation Studies
Romania – Calistrat Hogaș National College – Bilingual, phylology, Romanian-English-French

Foreign Languages

• Romanian – Mother Tongue
• English – C1+
• Français – C1+
• Español – A1-A2
• Deutsch – A1-A2

• Interior Design & Architecture | Product Design
• Strategic Planning
• Project Management
• Administration & Management
• Business & Sales Strategy
• Change Management
• CAD Software | 3D Software | 3D Modelling
• Advanced Computer Skills

• CAMBRIDGE Certificate
• Communication Skills
• Design Thinking
• Interior Design
• ArchiCAD, 3DS Max/Corona, Lumion, AutoCAD-Design 2D / 3D
• Time and Priority Management
• LEAN management
• Presentation & Public Speaking Skills

Fun Facts about myself:
I have a passion for travelling –
for work or leisure, I have visited more than 75 cities in 25 countries, ranging from Iceland to Oman
(and my journey is not over yet)

I have a passion for cooking –
I have signature dishes that are highly appreciated by family and friends, but also by paying customers.