Operational expertise rooted in two decades of global delivery.

Dora Vanourek is the Founder of The First Year. She has spent over 21 years at IBM leading 250-person practices and $30M portfolios, advising executives on high-stakes leadership transitions and digital transformation.

Dora Vanourek

From $30M Portfolios to the Advisor's Chair

For over 20 years, I lived the reality of the corporate microscope at IBM and PwC. I've held P&L responsibility for multi-million dollar cloud transformation programs and led global practices where decision velocity and cultural alignment were the only things that mattered.

I realized that technical mastery is only the price of admission. The true challenge for newly appointed senior leaders is navigating the complexity, visibility, and political intensity of their first year.

Today, through "The First Year," I serve as a strategic partner for executives. I help them read the landscape quickly, avoid high-cost missteps, and accelerate their early credibility so they can lead with authentic authority.

Mission

To equip newly appointed executives with the strategic roadmap to master their first 365 days.

Focus

Credibility windows, cultural integration, and accelerating impact in the first 90-180 days.

The Career Journey

2024 – Present

Founder, The First Year

Specialized advisory for newly appointed senior leaders navigating first-year complexity.

2019 – 2024

Executive Coach & Consultant at IBM

Led global coaching summits and certified 300+ professionals in coaching methodology.

2003 – 2022

Service Line Leader at IBM

Managed 250+ person cloud consulting practice with full P&L and strategic workforce planning.

1998 – 2003

Consulting Roots at PwC & SAGE

Oracle Application and IT architecture root across diverse industries including finance and transport.