Born: Farum, Denmark
Worked in: Lived and worked in Denmark, Philippines, and USA
Dictionary definitions aside, how would you characterize innovation in the work you do? “A solution is not truly successful unless it grows a brand and noticeably changes the core business, bringing tangible results.”
Why do people see you as an innovator? “I believe that anything is possible, but this first requires looking at a situation in a new perspective. Vertic is made of pillars of innovation, strategy, creativity and technology to provide creative innovative solutions that drive tangible business results.”
What role does innovation play in your marketing strategy today? “Dream big, have fun, and rethink impossibilities. Innovation is the core fundamental change to making what was impossible, possible.”
Name an innovative idea or business solution for which you are most proud. This year, innovation took a new turn when we imagined if we had the ability to combine awareness and lead-generation in one highly customized solution that was so compelling that it redefined direct marketing. Furthermore, we had a desire to do this without having to rely on existing customer data but enable anyone from the web to have a unique experience. That desire ignited to what is now an award-winning campaign for our customer Vestas. Leveraging the Linkedin platform we are now able to target distinct audiences and create highly personalized and ground-breaking solutions. The Vestas campaign has led to multiple Fortune 500 clients such as Microsoft to push the boundaries of digital communication with these solutions from Vertic. We are able to create a mass-communication platform yet completely personalized through the consumer decision journey and across multiple channels. The demand has reached levels that LinkedIn is supporting us based on our abilities to advance their platform further than other agencies in the market.
What is the biggest challenge you face in applying innovative thinking to international projects? “I’ve seen innovation be perceived differently across companies and cultures, from Europe to Asia and to the US. Some want to be a forerunner, others are risk-averse and the greatest challenge is translating the necessary innovation across cultures and into tangible results.”
Any other interesting aspects to your international background? “As a CEO of a global digital agency, I learned that the need to be connected at all times is not only the core of who I am but also cannot be taken for granted. While experiencing a piece of heaven on a vacation with my wife, we traveled to one of the most beautiful, exotic and secluded islands in the Philippines. What I did not realize was that there was no internet and luckily, with intense determination and exhaustive networking, was able to connect to the Philippine’s finest, highly secure and government owned satellite so I can check my emails. From there onwards, ‘paradise’ took on a whole new meaning.”