Founders

Margaret O’Keeffe, Co-Founder, Managing Director

A former corporate strategist, Margaret has executive experience across four continents.  Her international communications background as a Managing Director, Board Member, and Regional Director, enables her to align organisational culture with commercial outcomes. She has particular expertise across leadership development, cultural transformation, business coaching, branding, stakeholder insight and innovation.  Margaret has blue chip sector experience across financial services, technology, retail, telecommunications, consultancy, and packaged goods.  She speaks fluent Spanish and has a good working knowledge of German and French. View LinkedIn profile.

“Margaret has been my coach for the past year and has been invaluable both as a sounding board and provocative guide. Our conversations have enabled me to get a different perspective on the context in which I am operating. She makes me think deeply about how to get different and better outcomes. If being a better leader is about knowing yourself and understanding how to be flexible with those around you Margaret has helped me make significant progress. Most of all she makes me laugh and encourages me not to take myself or anyone else too seriously!”

J. Gooding, Global Marketing Director, Aviva plc

Matthias Gruendler, Co-Founder, Managing Partner

Matthias uses his creativity and business knowledge to help clients bring leadership and cultural identity to life in new ways that motivate employees, stakeholders and customers. He is an active listener, strategic thinker and business coach who is passionate about building brands and sustainable leadership. His background and skill as an Artist, Team Leader, Partner and Board Member allows him to re-frame complex business concepts into simple pictures and language that people can relate to.  His professional experience covers multiple industry categories from financial services and automotive to fast moving consumer goods. Matthias is fluent in both German and English. View LinkedIn profile.

“I have worked with Matthias for 3 years now. First as a mentor / coach and subsequently as a non-executive director of my company. While Matthias comes from a large corporate background I always have found that he supports and respects the social enterprise model we have chosen to support third sector organisations. As an ex investment banker myself, I appreciate being able to partner with a professional who ‘gets’ what we are trying to do to transform business paradigms in the U.K. He has challenged our management team and our business practice in a very powerful and respectful way. His questions, comments and perspectives have helped us to grow a commercially sound business while staying true to our principles as a social enterprise.”

R. Litchfield, CEO, Eastside Consulting