Chris’ thinking stands out: he sees the important trends before they are apparent, articulates them with lucidity and depth, and frames specific choices so businesses can act.
– ADI IGNATIUS, Editor in Chief, Harvard Business Review
Chris possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of broad trends, an uncanny ability to synthesize the vital issues facing our organization and to communicate a coherent and actionable plan which our enterprise was able to implement.
– JEFF MCKEEVER, Founder, MicroAge
ADVISORY CAPABILITIES:
Chris’ advisory work spans a range of settings and relationships. He has led projects for large firms like AT&T, Microsoft and Texas Instruments, counseled the management teams of startups, and served as an ongoing advisor or Board member to a range of growth companies from pre-revenue stages to $4 billion in revenues.
His services include developing strategic perspectives and priorities, tackling marketing challenges, and developing network-based innovation models. He works with C-level clients to solve strategic management problems, often through convening groups that contain both internal management and external experts. Chris is also experienced at individually coaching CEOs and other executives.
Quantitatively analytical and skilled in consulting techniques, Chris approaches advisory activities with both a broad perspective and a deep knowledge of what works inside companies. Chris has also served on boards and advisory boards for both for-profit and non-profit organizations.
FOR EXAMPLE:
The Future of Consumer Finance
The President of the consumer banking business of one of the world’s ten largest banks commissioned a project to envision consumer finance ten years in the future. Working with a prominent consulting firm already used by the client, Chris recruited a “Sensing Network” comprising twenty prominent experts from fields as diverse as the attitudes within the labor force, security and blockchain technology, social collaboration, behavioral economics, and artificial intelligence. Chris led an iterative process involving these thought leaders in rounds of interviews, surveys, and a physical meeting, designed to blend the assumptions and perspectives of the experts and arrive at a shared view of the future.
National Innovation Agenda
The Foundation for Innovation created by Bankinter, in Spain, works to increase innovation and entrepreneurship in the Spanish economy. Their programs include the Future Trends Forum, a semi-annual meeting that convenes a group of experts about topics driving change in the world economy, and the development of an Innovation Agenda for Spain, a process organized to engage business, government, financial, and civic leaders in committing to a set of actions that will help Spain incorporate innovation in its economy.
Innovation Advisory Board
A corporate development group for a national health care delivery organization was charged with adding innovative capabilities to the parent company. The group feared they would begin to focus on operations and results after acquiring a portfolio of small businesses and lose their focus on the future. They designed an external advisory board to help maintain focus on future innovation. The design incorporated novel approaches to composition, participation, and governance; for example, the Board reported not to the head of the innovation group, but to the corporate CEO, to make sure is assessments and recommendations were heard.
An Immune System for Fraud
Following the passage of Sarbanes-Oxley and the expectations placed on accounting firms to prevent fraud, Ernst & Young took a radical approach: could the principles of the human immune system, which had already been productively applied to protect data networks against viruses, point the way to confer immunity to fraud on the financial system? A conversation among computer scientist, forensic accountants, fraud experts, and a wet-bench lab immunologist produced useful results.
Leadership Development
The two founders of an early stage business needed outside perspective as their business grew, their strategy evolved, and their individual responsibilities shifted. Partnering with an experienced executive coach, Chris worked to help the leaders clarify their relationship, articulate the company’s tradeoffs, and build management processes suited to the business and its staff.
Organization Development
Revalesio has invested in fundamental research demonstrating the medical and health benefits of a technology called “charge stabilized nano bubbles.” As the company brings both regulated drugs and consumer products to market, Chris has become and advisor helping to structure the company for growth and strengthen management processes. He has also developed a program to engage relevant target markets and kickstart grassroots marketing.
