This week, in our interview series ‘In the C-Suite’, Nevena Nikolova, from our office in Sofia, talks with Alexander Montchovski, Interim Executive Director at UNICEF, about his career in Interim Management.
If I look at my career honestly, it never followed a traditional corporate ladder. What it did follow is a pattern: I was always invited into situations where something wasn’t working as it should and where change had to happen fast.
I helped scale a fashion e-commerce business across 15 countries to €50M. I built and led global teams at Amazon Advertising serving three continents. I took over a 350-person omni-channel organization as General Manager and later transformed it digitally across 21 markets as Chief Digital Officer. I led global brand marketing for Notino across 28 countries with double-digit growth and I built my own businesses in Canada and Europe.
Today, I serve as Interim Executive Director at UNICEF Slovakia during a leadership transition.
Although I have worked in different industries, there is the same reason I was there: to bring clarity, structure, performance, and calm into complexity. Only later did I realize that this is exactly what interim management is.
A consultant observes and recommends whereas a permanent executive plans for the long term whereas an interim executive walks into the room and starts fixing things on Monday morning.
Interim management is about immediate accountability. You don’t have the luxury of long onboarding, politics, or observation, instead you enter, you understand very fast, and you act.
You are there for outcomes, not for presentations.
Interestingly, companies rarely say: “We need an interim manager.” They say:
What they actually need is someone who can step in, see the full picture quickly, and create order without drama. That is where I am usually called.
The first visible change is not strategy, it is clarity.
Within months you see:
At Studio Moderna this translated into profitability improvements. At UNICEF Slovakia it translated into operational stability and performance focus before any big plans.
Interim impact is visible very quickly because it removes noise.
Because I am temporary, I don’t threaten anyone’s position. I am not part of internal history, I am there to make everyone’s work easier and clearer.
I listen intensely, identify patterns fast, and solve practical problems that teams feel immediately.
Trust is built when people realize: “This person is here to help us perform better, not to judge us£ and that works in every country.
The biggest misconception is that interim is “expensive consulting”. In reality, interim management is often the cheapest way to stop months of inefficiency, wrong decisions, and slow progress.
Another misconception is that “temporary” means low commitment. In fact, interim executives are often more committed because they are measured purely by results, not tenure.
I see huge potential in:
These are environments where experience and speed matter more than hierarchy.
For companies: Give the interim executive access, authority, and a clear mandate. The value comes from action, not observation.
For senior professionals: Interim management is not for those who want comfort. It is for those who enjoy walking into complexity, making sense of it quickly, and leaving the organization stronger than they found it.
Interim management provides something organizations rarely have during critical moments:
Clarity without politics, speed without chaos, and results without excuses.
The biggest mistake is trying to solve structural problems with motivational solutions. Organizations often invest in workshops, strategy decks, or team-building while the real issue is lack of clarity, accountability, and ownership.
Studies from interim management associations across Europe show that over 60% of interim assignments are triggered by organizational inefficiency, unclear responsibilities, and lack of performance structure, not lack of strategy.
Interim leadership addresses structure first. Once structure is in place, performance and morale naturally improve.
Experienced interim executives rely on pattern recognition. Within days, you can assess:
Research shows that high-performing organizations spend 30 - 40% less time in internal coordination because roles and reporting are clear. That difference becomes visible very quickly when you enter an organization.
Digital transformation is often misunderstood as technology implementation. In reality, it is about transparency and visibility.
Dashboards, reporting tools, CRM systems, and data analytics create something powerful: accountability based on facts.
In my experience at Studio Moderna, Notino, and UNICEF, introducing data visibility led to faster decisions and measurable performance improvements. Organizations that use real-time data in decision-making improve operational efficiency by 20 - 25% on average, according to McKinsey research.
Digital clarity removes assumptions.
Initially, there is caution because people don’t know whether change will create more pressure. Very quickly, when they see simplification, clarity, and removal of unnecessary complexity, the reaction shifts to relief. In fact, surveys in companies that used interim executives show that over 70% of employees report improved clarity in roles and priorities within the first 3 months.
Most teams are not resistant to change, they are resistant to chaos.
You need to be comfortable with uncertainty and capable of making decisions quickly with incomplete information.
You need strong pattern recognition so you can see in days what others see in months and you must be emotionally neutral. Interim executives are effective because they are not attached to internal politics or positions.
This neutrality is often cited as one of the top 3 reasons companies choose interim leaders over internal promotions.
When the organization no longer depends on you.
When reporting works without reminders, when teams make decisions confidently and when structure holds on its own.
Industry data shows that successful interim assignments typically last 6 - 9 months, and their success is measured by how sustainable the improvements remain after departure.
The goal is to build a system that works without the person.
Because the impact is visible and measurable very quickly.
Interim executives are often brought in during periods where organizations lose months or even years due to inefficiency. Bringing clarity, structure, and performance in a short period is extremely rewarding.
Research across Europe shows that over 75% of companies that used interim executives report measurable financial or operational improvement within the first 6 months.
You enter complexity, create clarity, and leave the organization stronger than before.
It started as a medical story.
Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy were developed to treat diabetes and obesity, but now they are reshaping something much broader: how people eat, drink, socialise and spend.
This is where it becomes a business story - and more importantly, a leadership one.
The UK has one of the highest obesity rates in Europe. According to the NHS, over a quarter of adults are classified as obese, with a further large proportion overweight. That alone explains why demand for GLP-1 medications has accelerated so quickly, but the impact is no longer confined to healthcare.
Emerging data points are starting to connect:
Individually, these signals look incremental and taken together, they point to something more structural:
A cohort of consumers is changing its behaviour faster than the businesses serving it.
We have seen waves before: low fat, low carb, plant-based and most were gradual - in fact many were reversible. I don't think this is.
GLP-1 medications work by altering appetite regulation, so people eat less, and then they feel full sooner. In many cases, they lose interest in categories they previously consumed regularly.
That has second-order effects:
This is not preference, it is physiology and that makes it more durable.
The real issue for businesses is not whether this trend continues, it is whether leadership teams are equipped to respond to behavioural change at this pace.
Most organisations are structured to:
That model works when change is linear, but it fails when change is non-linear and human-led because by the time the data is conclusive, the behaviour is already embedded.
If even a modest percentage of the UK population adopts GLP-1 medications over the next five years, the implications are significant:
This is not about decline, it is about redistribution of demand.
Some businesses will adapt early and capture it whereas others will continue optimising for a consumer that is already changing.
Many leadership teams are still:
But this environment demands something different:
Because the uncomfortable truth is this:
Markets do not wait for leadership teams to feel ready. They move, and advantage shifts to those who act first.
This is not really about weight-loss drugs, it is about what happens when human behaviour shifts quickly and at scale, and whether leadership is capable of keeping pace.
Most organisations will not miss this because they failed to see it, they will miss it because they saw it too late to respond.
At Friisberg UK, we are increasingly asked the same question in different forms:
What kind of leadership do we need for a market that is changing faster than our organisation is built to handle?
The answer is rarely found in a job description. It comes from experience, from pattern recognition across markets, from having seen cycles of change before and knowing when this time is different.
Friisberg is a long-established firm with deep, cross-sector expertise and a genuinely international perspective. That matters at a point like this, because when behaviour shifts quickly, decisions cannot be made in isolation or based purely on precedent.
They require:
This is the shift that matters:
When behaviour changes faster than businesses, leadership becomes the only real lever of advantage.
And the organisations that recognise that early do not just keep up, they move first.
In a recent discussion with a senior executive responsible for global client relationships in a multinational company, we explored how accelerating change and diminishing predictability are reshaping leadership in organisations. His central message was clear: organisations should invest far more in understanding their operating environment, markets and customer needs - and relatively less in technology-led development. From a traditionally product-centric Finnish perspective, this represents a significant shift in thinking.
Conventional wisdom often defines core business as the production of products or services. Capabilities such as market insight, customer understanding, marketing and sales are typically categorised as support or enabling functions. He suggested a fundamental reversal of this logic: the customer interface constitutes the core business — while production should serve as enabling function.
The structural transformation of our era is driven by four major drivers: the ecological crisis, the digital revolution, global systemic fragmentation and a shift in societal values. The impact of these megatrends is increasingly difficult to assess — yet more important than ever. On the other hand, artificial intelligence significantly enhances analytical capability and foresight. However, as these tools become universally available, their ability to generate lasting competitive advantage diminishes.
The lifespan of technological advantage is becoming ever shorter — and is likely to continue shortening. This raises a critical strategic question: could deep customer understanding and durable customer relationships represent a more sustainable source of competitive advantage than technology alone?
I have participated in numerous transformations of leadership and governance models across companies and other organisations. These have frequently focused on the role, composition and ways of working of executive leadership teams. The objective has typically been to make leadership more strategic, more focused on core business priorities, and more diverse in perspective.
Leadership teams have been streamlined to reduce committee-style decision-making and narrow portfolio advocacy, in favour of more collective, accountable and enterprise-wide leadership. Too often, the CEO remains the only member of the leadership team consistently focused on the organisation’s overall long-term interest.
At the heart of these reforms is a recurring question: what truly constitutes core business leadership? Leadership teams in which a small minority own P&L responsibility while the majority “support” it are still surprisingly common. Yet it may be that those closest to sensing changes in the operating environment and market — and those who listen to customers, shape value propositions, market and sell - are in fact at the very core of the business.
Leadership in turbulent times of change is, above all, the ability to create clarity, trust and confidence in conditions of uncertainty. Increasingly, leadership is no longer an individual performance but a collective endeavour. Future leadership excellence is rooted in how leaders and teams think together, make decisions collaboratively and share responsibility.
As leadership structures become leaner, individual leaders carry broader and more complex portfolios. This amplifies the importance of people leadership over technical or functional expertise. In environments characterised by uncertainty and constant change, the quality of leadership becomes even more critical.
At the same time, societal expectations towards companies and other organisations continue to rise. Beyond product and service quality, organisations are expected to operate in a manner that is ethically sound, socially acceptable and sustainable. Leaders are increasingly expected to demonstrate moral judgement, ethical integrity, wisdom and resilience under pressure.
Enabling consistently high performance in organisations, teams and individuals requires continuous renewal of culture, values, mindsets and ways of working. Leadership today is broader in scope, spanning multiple portfolios, and deeper in reach, connecting strategy with execution.
Leadership has undeniably become more demanding. At the same time, it remains one of the most decisive success factors for organisations navigating turbulence and transformation.
For years I have argued that HR leaders should have a seat at the top table and in many organisations, they now have it. The question is now whether the role has fully caught up with the expectations that come with it.
Across the UK, that expectation has shifted decisively and being an HR expert is no longer enough. The Chief People Officer is now expected to operate as a business leader first, with HR expertise as a given rather than a differentiator.
That shift is not theoretical. It is playing out in how organisations are structured, how decisions are made, and where accountability now sits.
The scale of the profession alone tells part of the story. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development represents more than 160,000 members, reflecting the breadth and maturity of HR in the UK.
At the same time, the remit of senior HR leaders has expanded significantly. From ownership of gender pay gap reporting to direct accountability for workforce strategy, culture, and increasingly elements of ESG and reputation, the CPO role now sits much closer to the centre of business performance than it did even five years ago.
Overlay that with the impact of AI and workforce transformation, and the role becomes more complex still. HR is no longer simply managing people. It is shaping how work is designed, how technology is integrated, and how organisations remain competitive.
This is not evolution at the margins, it is a fundamental redefinition of the role.
And yet, in many boardrooms, there remains a disconnect.
The expectation of the CPO role has moved faster than capability in some cases. Technical HR excellence is still essential, but it is no longer what differentiates a top-tier CPO. The differentiator is commercial judgement, the ability to understand value creation, and the confidence to influence decisions that extend far beyond the people agenda.
The strongest CPOs I work with do not lead with policy, they lead with impact. They understand the business as well as any CFO or COO, and they are prepared to challenge, not just support.
The language of HR as a “support function” no longer reflects reality. In practice, the CPO role now spans workforce strategy, leadership capability, organisational design, risk, governance, and culture, all of which sit directly on the critical path to performance.
The boundaries have dissolved and what remains is a role that is central to whether a business succeeds or fails.
This shift is being accelerated by three forces that are not going away:
In that context, HR expertise is the entry point because business leadership is the requirement.
At Friisberg, I am seeing this play out very clearly in how clients define their needs. They are not asking for functional excellence alone, they are asking for leaders who can shape outcomes, challenge thinking, and bring genuine commercial perspective into the room - that is a different profile and often a different career path.
I sit in boardrooms where the gap is obvious, not because HR lacks capability, but because the expectation of the role has outpaced how it is still sometimes defined.
Equally, I sit with exceptional CPOs who are already operating at that level, influencing strategy, shaping decisions, and quietly becoming some of the most critical voices in the business.
The difference between those two groups is not technical skill, it is how they see their role.
I no longer think the question is whether HR has earned its seat at the table because I think that argument has been won.
The real question is whether you are using that seat to shape the direction of the business, or simply to respond to it, because from where I sit, the organisations that will outperform over the next decade will not be the ones with the best HR functions, they will be the ones where the CPO is one of the most commercially influential people in the room.
UK defence spending is moving beyond baseline commitments, exceeding 2% of GDP and continuing to rise, while the focus of that investment is shifting towards advanced capability, digital infrastructure and next-generation technologies.
The industrial impact is already clear with the UK defence sector generating over £30bn annually and strong export performance reinforcing its position as a globally relevant partner, but this is not simply a story of scale.
Geopolitical pressure is accelerating change as the UK deepens collaboration with international partners and responds to immediate operational demands, from counter-drone capability to maritime security, yet at the same time tension is building within the system, with budget constraints, programme complexity and competing priorities forcing difficult trade-offs even as expectations of capability continue to rise.
The result is a sector that is simultaneously expanding and becoming more complex, and that has a direct implication for leadership.
The most effective leaders in UK defence today are not defined purely by technical expertise or tenure, but by their ability to operate at scale, manage ambiguity, align multiple stakeholders and deliver outcomes in environments where commercial, political and operational pressures intersect.
At Friisberg, we are seeing this play out consistently in our client work, and through our long-standing experience in senior appointments and advisory in the sector. Andrew Guy, who leads Friisberg’s Global Defence Practice Group, is currently working with organisations navigating this shift, supporting the identification and assessment of leaders who can operate at this level of complexity, including those with deep experience of the UK Ministry of Defence as a customer.
As a result in the UK, we are currently engaged with a number of clients across Defence & Aerospace on senior executive searches, with a particular interest in UK-based leaders at Director, VP, SVP, EVP and CXO level who have led Business Units or held divisional P&L responsibility, or delivered programmes and projects typically in the range of £100m to £1bn+, and who understand how to operate effectively within the Ministry of Defence’s commercial and operational environment.
For years, technology was seen as a back-office function. It kept systems running but rarely influenced the bigger picture. That is changing fast.
According to McKinsey & Company’s Global Tech Agenda 2026, CIOs are moving from managing infrastructure to shaping strategy. Technology is no longer just a tool for efficiency, it is now the engine of growth and competitive advantage.
This means companies need to broaden their hiring criteria. Exceptional CIOs today combine technology mastery with strategic vision. They understand AI and digital platforms, but they also know how to influence business strategy, drive innovation and lead cross-functional teams. Organisations that continue to hire solely for technical depth risk missing leaders who can translate technology into tangible business impact.
Experience in embedding AI at scale, building product and platform operating models and creating intelligence layers is increasingly valuable. Equally important is the ability to lead people through change, foster collaboration and connect technology investment to business outcomes. Talent that can bridge the business-technology divide is rare and mission-critical.
Companies should also prioritise agility and speed in their search. The market for hybrid leaders, those who combine technical credibility with business insight, is competitive. Broader criteria, targeted scouting and structured evaluation of leadership behaviours alongside technical skills are essential.
In short, the CIO of 2026 is not just a technology manager. They are a growth enabler and a strategic partner. Executive search must reflect this reality. Broaden your lens, look beyond the resume and focus on leaders who can translate technology into enterprise advantage. The organisations that succeed will not just implement systems, they will design their future around technology.
To see how Friisberg can support your business, get in touch with our consultants here: https://friisberg.com/consultants/
Friisberg began working with the Bang & Bonsomer Group in 2004, when Nijole introduced Ernestas to the organisation. In 2009 he moved into the Food & Ingredients division as Business Unit Director before later becoming Chief Business Development Officer. He is now the CEO of Bang & Bonsomer Group and Ernestas remains deeply appreciative of the role Friisberg played in shaping his career.
I originally joined Bang & Bonsomer Group as the Managing Director for Lithuania and was soon appointed to the board. I now live between Finland and Lithuania.
I like to say that we are the invisible player in B2B. No one knows who we are, but we supply raw materials to industries internationally, we are everywhere but no one sees us! We cover a wide range of areas such as beauty & personal care, construction & industrial materials, environment & industry, food and polymers & packaging.
I like to tell people to spend time with a clever person. When I say a clever person I mean yourself. I think it’s really important to take time to learn about yourself, recap, reflect and plan. I often like to do this while I’m walking by the water in Helsinki after work - I find that walking helps to calm my mind and helps me to reflect.
The main quality I look for is what I call RMA. That means the Right Mental Attitude. This is even more important when hiring executives. With athletes there is a saying that it’s about having 5% talent and 95% the right mental attitude. I totally agree with this saying and believe that you can make anything happen if you have the right attitude!
The main piece of advice I’d give is to be yourself and be objective to yourself. It’s good to be ambitious but you should also realise what’s expected from you.
I think it’s very much specific to the position and on a case-by-case basis. Before I was CEO, I was head of the food division, and I’ve transitioned into this role. My team are specialists, but you need different skills and diversity of thought to add value – here is where the right mental attitude is more important! I think it’s easier to learn new skills and it’s a danger to become too narrow, you should be able to direct yourself to new skills and be adaptable.
When something hasn’t gone to plan, I take things back to the beginning. I learn from what didn’t work, look at what I could do differently and try to find other ways to get the best result.
Currently the markets are volatile, very unstable and as a result of that they are not supporting us. We are present in nine countries globally and sit between consumers and the giants. In such a volatile market you have to be dynamic.
My favourite hobby is to ski. I try to get away to the mountains 2-3 times a year. I definitely prefer winter holidays a lot more than the summer holidays and would always choose the mountains over the beach!
Having worked closely with our CEO, Zoltan Petho, Ákos brings a unique blend of strategic insight and operational leadership to the conversation. After more than 17 years in management consulting with global firms such as Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, EY-Parthenon and EY, Ákos recently transitioned into the world of digital banking to lead BinX Bank through its next phase of growth.
In this interview, Ákos reflects on building businesses from the ground up, the lessons learned over two decades in consulting, and why he believes the future belongs to specialists who can adapt quickly in an AI-driven world. Ákos is a self-confessed Formula 1 enthusiast and shares how a racer’s mindset - focused, competitive and driven - shapes his approach both in business and in life.
I’m Ákos Demeter, CEO and Board Member of BinX Bank in Hungary. I’ve spent more than 17 years in management consulting with Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, EY Parthenon and EY before moving into neobanking nearly two years ago.
BinX is a relatively new digital bank with a setup comparable to Revolut. For most of my consulting career I have worked with large organisations. Towards the end however, I was looking for change and greater responsibility. Moving into banking gave me the opportunity not only to advise on strategy, but to take full responsibility for delivering it.
Launching the EY-Parthenon brand in Hungary stands out as a defining moment. I served as a Business Development Lead for many years. I think that building something from the ground up and seeing it succeed was a particularly proud moment.
Never look back, always look forwards.
It’s natural to reflect on what we could have done differently, but we can’t change the past. We can only learn from it. Progress comes from applying those lessons and focusing on what lies ahead.
I value sharp thinking and structured problem solving. I look for people who can grasp complexity quickly and get things right the first time. These were qualities that I’ve developed over the years in my consulting background so are highly desired when I am looking to hire new team members.
Equally important is mindset. I look for open-minded, positive individuals who approach challenges with constructive energy.
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the landscape. In my view, it presents a greater threat to white-collar roles than blue-collar ones.
My advice is to stay close to change. Understand AI, experiment with it and look for ways it can enhance your performance but don’t rely on it solely. The global environment is unlikely to become more predictable in the near future, and we cannot forecast everything. Adaptability will be critical.
I believe the trend is clearly moving towards specialisation, particularly in white-collar roles.
When I began my career, generalists were highly valued but today, clients increasingly expect deep expertise. Being recognised as an expert in your field creates differentiation and long-term relevance.
Traditional banks are struggling because legacy systems often block innovation. Outdated infrastructure makes it difficult to move quickly and adapt to evolving technologies and customer expectations.
At the same time, challenger banks are gaining momentum rapidly. Their agility allows them to scale faster, which creates significant pressure for universal banks.
In Hungary, we operate in the B2B segment. With a population of around 10 million people and approximately 2.2 million customers banking with our main direct competitor, I see strong opportunity. The market is proven, and it’s one we intend to capture.
Outside of work, I am a passionate Formula 1 fan and would describe myself as a racer at heart. I enjoy go-karting and have played squash for more than 20 years.
For me, a racer’s mentality is not just about winning every time. It is about drive, focus and the constant desire to improve. Of course, I always want to win, but it is that competitive energy that fuels me rather than burns me out.
Research from the McKinsey Global Institute highlights the rise of what it calls “arenas of competition”. These are sectors that are growing faster, changing more rapidly and attracting more capital than traditional industries, which include AI, cloud computing, electrification, biotech, software and digital platforms.
Between 2005 and 2023, 12 such arenas have more than doubled their share of total global revenue, growing at around 14% per year, roughly three times the pace of non-arena industries. Looking ahead, 18 potential future arenas could generate between €27 trillion and €45 trillion in revenue by 2040, and between €1.9 trillion and €5.6 trillion in profit. These figures are converted from US dollars at approximately 0.93 EUR to USD. These numbers are not vague projections; they represent a significant portion of expected global economic growth over the next 15 years.
For boards and chief executives, the message is clear. Strategy alone is not enough. In these fast-moving markets, the leadership team can be the difference between success and failure. A single appointment can either accelerate growth, strengthen execution and enhance investor confidence, or it can slow progress and erode competitive advantage. In arenas where annual growth can be several times higher than the broader economy, the stakes are real and immediate.
In more stable sectors, it often makes sense to hire leaders from competitors, assuming that experience will transfer. That approach is far less effective in fast-growing arenas, where conditions are unlike anything in the past. A finance director who has spent a career optimising cost structures in a mature business may not be prepared for rapid expansion and high capital intensity. A chief executive experienced in steady annual growth may struggle when scaling an organisation at double-digit rates. What matters most is the ability to make decisions under uncertainty, adapt operating models quickly and lead teams through rapid transformation. Leaders who have navigated these conditions before, even in different industries, often bring the most relevant experience.
This requires a rethink of how executive search is conducted. Traditional approaches, which focus on job titles and direct competitors, can overlook candidates who are better suited to the real challenges of a market. Instead, the starting point should be an assessment of the business context, whether the market is stable or evolving, whether the organisation needs to maintain performance or scale rapidly, and what leadership qualities will succeed under those conditions. By framing searches this way, boards are better equipped to make appointments that align with strategic objectives rather than simply replicating past hires.
Cross-sector experience is particularly valuable. McKinsey’s data shows that in 2023 around 40% of the total market capitalisation in arenas came from companies that were small or non-existent in 2005. This demonstrates that value creation is rarely static and that incumbency does not guarantee success. Leaders who have scaled platform businesses, managed international expansion, navigated regulatory complexity, or integrated technology into traditional models often demonstrate skills that translate well across different arenas. For boards and investors, the key question is not just whether a candidate has industry experience, but whether they have succeeded in environments of rapid growth and change.
Appointments in high-growth arenas are not just recruitment decisions; they are strategic choices with a direct impact on performance and investor confidence. Boards must consider whether candidates can operate effectively where competitive pressures shift quickly, capital is intensive and revenue growth may be several times higher than broader market averages. In this context, executive search becomes a tool for strategic insight, helping organisations identify gaps, evaluate capability and uncover talent that can truly deliver.
At Friisberg, our role is to connect organisations with the leaders most likely to succeed in these fast-moving markets. We work to understand the competitive context, the pace of change and the ambitions of the business. We advise on the type of leadership that aligns with those realities and identify candidates whose track records demonstrate success in similar conditions. Importantly, we look beyond the obvious talent pools to ensure leaders are chosen for the challenges ahead, not just for their past roles.
Leadership choice in arenas of competition is not a minor decision. It has a lasting impact on outcomes, organisational direction and long-term success. As markets continue to evolve rapidly, the leaders organisations appoint today will determine whether they thrive tomorrow.
This week, we provide exclusive insights into the thinking of leading decision-makers from the Consumer & Luxury sectors.
Today’s guest is Florian vom Bruch, CEO of BUBEN&ZORWEG, the German luxury house renowned for its high-security safes, precision watch winders and bespoke storage and display systems for collectors worldwide.
The blend of technology, meticulous craftsmanship and design coming together to create true masterpieces is something very special. I also find the strategic and creative work on collections, limited editions and unique pieces highly inspiring, especially within the dynamic collaboration between designers, creatives, engineers, master craftsmen as well as sales and marketing experts.
Feeling the joy of clients throughout the design process, and especially once a piece is put into operation, is incredibly motivating. Knowing that we create something highly personal and lasting for our clients and often grow together in the process is a wonderful feeling.
In addition, working with our international retail partners and their clientele is deeply inspiring, as every product crafted in our manufactory tells its own unique story. Equally important is the very strong set of values within our community: trust, appreciation, teamwork and humanity - principles I personally hold in high regard.
I see four essential areas:
Manufacturers must create desirable, sustainable premium products that meet the highest standards in materials, technology and long-term value - ideally becoming an emotional companion for clients over many years.
Products must be commercially viable to produce, ensuring an attractive price‑performance ratio in global competition. A customer-focused, long-term service offering across all sales channels is also part of this.
Over the past decade, the landscape of omnichannel tools has changed dramatically. The future belongs to manufacturers that implement; a well‑orchestrated, brand‑aligned mix of global marketing and sales instruments. They should tap into the potential in major non‑European markets such as North America, Asia, the Middle East and India through tailored market strategies.
A reliable governance structure that serves the company’s needs is crucial. This includes finding the right balance between family leadership, professional management, strategic and operational committees, and where appropriate, external (financial) partners.
If German and European manufacturers succeed in managing all four clusters in an integrated, courageous way (for example through targeted use of AI) and with the maximum level of performance required in global competition, then we are, metaphorically speaking, like a perfectly tuned Formula 1 car and team = unstoppable.
A wonderful question. Fortunately, there are many things that give me energy and allow me to embrace my “high‑intensity job” as CEO of BUBEN&ZORWEG, now in my eighth year, with full passion.
Here is a small collection of my personal sources of energy: My wife and closest friends, nurturing old and new friendships, being in touch with inspiring people, Peloton, good coffee, fine food, nature and walks. I love to travel the globe to experience other cultures, including Sydney & Tokyo. I appreciate timeless architecture and furniture, my community of family business leaders, manufacturers and athletes, the photo memories displayed on my iPhone, and a beautifully crafted watch dial!
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