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about

     me

Swiss based international, creative & visionary transformation leader who is motivated by seeing businesses and brands prosper, people thrive & consumer delighted. 

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  • Track record in successful transformation of brands, businesses and organizations.

  • Experienced in post-acquisition integration & culture work as well as in complex turnaround situations & crisis situations.

  • Visionary & creative leader with “can do” mentality who drives new ideas, distinctive innovations & businesses forward, fueled with positive thinking & instinctive entrepreneurial acting and an ability to synthesis even complex issues.

  • Track record to deliver ideas & (E-) business results through consequent growth hacking.

  • Successful in finding new ways to build iconic love brands through focusing on consumer experience and value creation.

  • Experienced with Start-up & Family businesses, hence with a developed sense for an entrepreneurial approach with limited resources and a strong natural believe in responsible acting.

  • Emotional intelligent people executive, coach & mentor with a passion to build happy teams.

 Focus points 

Virtuous triangle 

Branding - Digital (and now especially AI) - Sustainability have always been key to my approach to business. I call this the virtuous circle of creating brands and businesses nowadays. On all brands I have worked only, these 3 areas were essential to build and drive the business/Brand forward. Clearly, depending the situation, one or another were more dominant. For instance for Nespresso - back in 2013 - with new competitors entering the market, sustainability became a "make or break" for the future success of the company in many developed countries. Not only I have big interest in these 3 aspects and therefore continuously educate myself through research, reading and master classes, but I also bring years of hands-on experience with me. 

In the center of all that - the people. Without a motivated team, little is possible. 

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 HOW I LEAD 

the 4 E's of leadership 

People is the most important asset a company has. As such, people are one of the key focus points in any successful company/project. My approach to people leadership follows the 4's. Any individual is different. But common to all is that you can only engage into something, once your envisioned, and if people are not empowered (delegation, decision authority, right tools & processes), they can bring translate the energy into traction. Not all and everyone needs to be enabled, but when needed it is key to have a coach and not a teacher, that is here for you when needed. 

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 what motivates me 

Patrick Th. Onken

some hints...

Untapped potentials, new challenges, inspiring people, to continuously learn, experience the unknown, go beyond, get things moving, just do it, creating something that lasts, deliver added value, make a difference, see others getting motivated, creating a movement, inspire others, feel the team, create a momentum, think big, dream, envision myself and others, my family, sports, my friends, success, travel, connect with people, getting challenged, constructive critics & feedback, a good rest after a fulfilling day...

 

 what else I do 

Caran D'Ache Nespresso Onken

Keynote speaker 

Over the last years I was invited regularly as a key note speaker at universities, key meetings and forums. From this, I have developed a passion to speak to large audiences. I strongly believe that key notes are a fantastic opportunity to test your ability to simplify key messages and adapt it to the audience. It is also a good check about your own capabilities and knowledge, because the better you are, the easier it is for you to speak about it. Also, it is a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas and meet great new people. 

 

Blog & Articles 

Certainly, it is a simple question of time. But sometimes it is great to take the time and give some more thoughts to a topic and to write things down. The reactions from others are a great source for further reflection. 

 

Projects

I love to just do things. Also keeping an eye on the outside is key to continuously learn and get inspiration for your job. You will find some of these in my project section. 

 to keep the balance 

Travel & Photography

“Let my people go surfing” wrote the inspirational and unorthodox founder and leader of Patagonia, Yves Chouinard. He is right. There is nothing better than to go out and travel, do some sports, meet new people, see new things, change your habits and break your routines. You don’t have to go far to get close, you can do this around the corner of your home. But do it. For me personally, my camera is a tool to get closer and to keep memories for longer. It allows me to focus on some details and to catch the big picture. 

sports

I love many sports, but my passion is with the water. The water changes everything: the sound, the weight, the feeling of gravity, the feeling of body power etc.. It feels like stepping into a new world. Whenever I can, I swim. It relaxes me and allows me to recharge and disconnect for a while from everything else.  Add wind to the equation and you get to kite surfing. Finding yourself as the part that connects the water with the wind, is a fantastic feeling. Doing sports and getting recharged is important to stay calm and balanced in stressful situation at work. 

Patrick Th. Onken
Patrick Th. Onken
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