guest lectures & talks
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insights, cases and theory from 25 years of real-world consulting experience
Clear, structured, and engaging
universities & business schools
At Athena Associates, we also step into the classroom, bringing the real-world perspective of consulting into academic and executive learning environments.
Rudolf offers guest lectures and talks on business strategy, brand, and organisational culture. His sessions are designed to make complex topics accessible, practical, and relevant, delivered with clarity, structure, and a down-to-earth tone.
​Rudolf is a strategy and brand consultant with over 25 years of international experience across sectors, from global corporations and cultural institutions to family-run companies and NGOs. His work connects strategy, brand, and culture in ways that align leadership and empower teams to move in the same direction.
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He began his career in London, working in advertising before transitioning into marketing, brand strategy, and ultimately business strategy. This broad background allows him to combine commercial insight with strategic clarity, always starting from customer value and building towards organisational alignment.
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Over the years, Rudolf has held senior roles at some of Europe’s leading agencies, including Interbrand and Design Bridge.
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SPEAKER PROFILE
At Design Bridge, he helped shape multi-layered brand worlds: not just visually rich, but strategically sound, powerful enough to steer campaigns and guide creative execution across channels.
At Interbrand and later as Managing Director of Process in Zurich, he worked closely with leadership teams to align brand with strategy and roll both out via employee engagement — ensuring internal coherence and cultural resonance.
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He also served as Global Strategy & Communications Director for an NGO with 40,000 employees across 130 countries, navigating complexity with structure, diplomacy, and a human touch.
Today, Rudolf has his own company, supporting fast-growing companies across Europe.
These are often scale-ups facing rapid expansion, from a handful of founders to hundreds of employees in just a short time.
His work helps these organisations clarify their strategic direction, define a strong identity, and translate both into action across the business.
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Alongside consulting, he regularly contributes to executive and professional education programmes. He has developed modular formats and practical tools to support learning, ensuring that participants leave with insight they can apply immediately in their own work.
current focus
speaking style and formats
Rudolf brings decades of presentation experience, from agency pitch rooms to boardrooms, conferences, and internal workshops. He is known for his clear structure, logical flow, well-chosen examples, and calm, engaging delivery.
He adapts his style to suit the audience, from C-level executives to students and professionals in transition.
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Speaking formats include:
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Guest lectures at business schools and executive education programmes
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Strategy and brand workshops for international leadership teams
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Talks at conferences and company events
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His aim is always the same: to make people feel part of the conversation, not just passive listeners, and to leave them with something practical and memorable.
If you're looking to enrich your programme, event, or speaker line-up with insight into strategy, brand, and organisational alignment, we’d be happy to explore the fit.
References and a selection of suggested topics are available on request.