Helping global brands to unlock the cool in their DNA
About
With 16+ years of experience in strategy & innovation, I have deep expertise in consulting global, legacy brands to return to their roots. My approach is grounded in reinvention through data-driven insights, working closely with teams and brands to rediscover and redefine themselves in today's dynamic marketplace. My background allows me to partner with founders and businesses to drive growth and amplify their impact in the world.
Projects
Fashion - Start-up - The Netherlands
As interim CEO & CCO for Holland’s no. 1 luxury resale platform, injected vision and relevance by signing new labels and developing omnichannel activations to double ROAS and increase revenue by 50%, as well as optimizing processes and streamline the team to reduce OpEx by 30%.
Luxury Resale
Car Subscription
Start-up - Brand Strategy - Switzerland
Leveraging a co-creation approach, developed the brand strategy for a car subscription startup, utilizing consumer insights to guide a campaign that catapulted them from #3 to #1 in the market, boosting their presence and earning widespread adoption and enthusiasm across the company.
Circular Jewelry
Fashion - Brand Strategy - United States
Turned around 30-year-old American jewelry business from a decline to 10% y/y growth in just 12 months by redefining it as one of the first circular companies of its kind, introducing sustainable initiatives including upcycling, take-back schemes, and lifetime returns and repairs.
Fashion - Social Strategy - Europe
Sneakerheads
Revitalized a heritage sneaker brand's online presence by crafting a social media-focused strategy, bridging their rich history with modern community engagement, resulting in a 30% surge in social media interaction and enhanced brand relevance among younger audiences.
Gen AI Lab
Technology - Value Proposition - EMEA
Launched a major network agency's innovation lab through rigorous product-market fit research and defining a clear value proposition. Attracted three major clients and launched a prototyping festival, cementing the agency’s reputation as an innovation leader and enhancing its market position in the Gen AI space.
Leather Re-imagined
Fashion - Brand Strategy - Italy
Worked closely with C-suite of leading Italian leather goods brand to bring back original vision of female-owned family business. Bringing back innovative products for the modern woman that are both functional and fun, growing EMEA sales by 43% y/y.
Technology - Value Proposition - EMEA
Product Passports
Guided a blockchain company to expand its services portfolio by researching and defining a new value proposition leveraging its technology to track fashion resale, enabling brands to earn commissions and comply with the latest Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations.
Media - Brand Strategy - The Netherlands
Urban Culture
Technology - Brand Strategy - China
Co-created a dynamic brand strategy in together with the leadership, DJ’s, and content creators of an Urban Gen Z Media brand, successfully positioning it as a pioneering next-generation media entity within its traditional parent company's portfolio.
Solar Power
Crafted a compelling brand & sales narrative for a Chinese solar power innovator, enabling them to overcome market entry barriers and successfully establish its presence in seven major European countries, boosting its global footprint and the growth of sustainable energy solutions.
Experience
Since 2019, I have been working as an interim and freelance Executive Brand and Strategy Consultant for global lifestyle brands. I leverage my expertise in innovation to assist clients in creating powerful brand stories that translate into commercial success. My proprietary sprint methodology aligns business leaders and their teams around customer insights and brand-driven innovation.
Between 2013 and 2019, I worked as a Senior Director for Global Brand Strategy at Tommy Hilfiger (PVH). In this role, I reported directly to the Global CMO and led teams across Product, Sales & Marketing to leverage consumer data and identify untapped opportunities across all global regions and product categories.
By bringing back the '90s in a fresh way, I attracted new Millennial (+20%) and female (+16%) customers. I also led the relaunch of the Women's Runway collection while keeping the brand's core values in mind, resulting in a 10x increase in PR value. By scaling learnings across all product categories (e.g. Ready-to-Wear, Accessories, Footwear), we drove sales growth from 4% to 15%+, outperforming the market year-on-year.
From 2012 to 2013, I worked as a Director of Consumer Insights and Strategy at Calvin Klein (PVH). In this role, I led consumer studies that uncovered key findings for Sales around contemporary style and an accessible luxury price point, engaging shoppers and growing revenue by 10% year over year.
Before my work at Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, I spent seven years at top strategy consulting firms (Deloitte) and award-winning digital and brand strategy agencies (Fitzroy, Nothing, THEY). During this time, I developed strategies for global clients such as Heineken, ING, and PwC, driving digital platforms, campaigns, and innovations grounded in research and data.
My never-ending quest to discover human significance in data stems from my education in Social Psychology & Statistics (MSc, cum laude) at the University of Amsterdam. Additionally, I teach the next generation of brand & innovation professionals at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute and the Cambridge School of Visual and Performing Arts.