ABOUT ME

A passion evolved from football

Growing up my 7 years older brother was my idol, he was obviously bigger, stronger but also a local personality trough his athletic achievements in both athletics and football, way beyond our little village and the surrounding suburbs. When I was just five years old, he had already introduced me to my first taste of football and I immediately fell in love with the sport and joined the local team. Despite being clumsy and uncoordinated at first, I was determined to play with my one-year older friends who were much better than me. Over the years, I tried my hand at many other sports but football was the only one that stuck with me. With up to eight training sessions per week across various sports, my physique improved quickly and I grew to my current height of 193 cm (6'3)in just a couple of years. Eventually, I became a top-tier player and team captain. One day, our coach told me that he depended on me as the captain of the team to execute his strategy and tactics on the field, and that was when I knew that I had to take my leadership skills to the next level.

At that time my teammates knew that a high pass to the penalty area would likely result in a header goal, or asking me to be the sweeper (libero) any attackers would hurt themself on me and likely result in a counterattack. But as our team played better and better teams, I realised that not one single individual player could decide the outcome of the match, and quickly understood that only through a fully aligned and coordinated team-effort, we would succeed. That specific one day, our coach told me that he depended on me as the captain of the team to execute his strategy and tactics on the field, and that was when I knew that I had to take my leadership skills to the next level. As years passed I developed a unique ability to read the game and excelled as a captain, conducting the team like an orchestra through a position as the deep-lying playmaker, making the most assists and playing for one of the best clubs in Denmark's top league.

Unfortunately I experienced multiple severe injuries and hard rehabilitation work in my late teens, I realised that I might need an alternative path to being a professional footballer and that playing at this level, was likely coming to an end. By that time my older brother was already an accomplished athlete, having won the Danish championship, and while being very proud, I was devastated about my own outlook.
Reflecting while being in college, I realised not wanting all my hard work to go to waste, and understood I had to transfer my leadership, innovation, and strategy skills to the business world.
Later on I enrolled in the Danish military defence and got a formal leadership education, all while getting paid and staying fit. I then joined Coca-Cola, the best practical education I could wish for and found that my experience in football and defence, had given me a unique perspective on leadership and teamwork. I could apply the same skills I used on the field to help businesses achieve their organisational collective goals and become successful beyond their individual abilities. I rapidly grew in rank and responsibility, while I attending business schools and got awarded Rising Star, interviewed as one of the youngest executive leaders on the national television.
My business acumen was honed by some of the greatest organisations and best known household brands in the world, facilitating continuous learning and entrusting me with bigger and bigger executive leadership responsibilities, which now had moved abroad, working across continents and with bluechip multi-cultural  and -national organisations throughout the past 20 odd years. 

Now, years later, I have again transformed my skills to a new path and built a successful career as a confidant and advisor, helping companies innovate, strategise, and grow. This shift has enabled me to assist much more organisations across sectors, to succeed through strategy and innovation, typically through board roles or advisory services. And even though I can no longer play football at the same level forty odd years later, I still find myself strapping on my boots and enjoying the beautiful game from time to time.

My purpose evolved - I want to help others succeed  through innovation and strategy. I want to inspire a new generation of professionals to love what they do and to reach their full potential.
- And just like how my coach depended on me, I want to be a dependable resource for those who share my passion for strategy and innovation.