Work
Target audiences
Today, I serve private sector companies, non-governmental organizations and governments by designing and facilitating strategic processes, training programmes and organisational capacity building. On the client side, my partners range from executive management to project or programme managers, responsible for the development or continuous improvement of new products, services, processes or procedures, as well as for cultural shifts, organisational change and capacity building
Private sector companies
I help private companies to improve, redefine, and capture more value from their strategic processes – through facilitating strategic journeys to clarify and align objectives, goals and strategies.
As examples, I have helped companies in as different industries as pharmaceuticals, lifestyle products, outdoor furniture and travel to better understand their positioning options, their communication hiearchies and their brand attributes. I have also undertaken longer-term and more fundamental turn-around processes for companies in volatile markets or with untapped potentials, and with documented results, whether measured in effectiveness or growth figures.
Public sector organisations
When working for public sector organisations, I facilitate strategy or change processes, develop and deploy campaigns, workshops, training programmes and strategic initiatives.
As examples I have helped a national patent and trade organisation to build awareness of the role and value creation of design to encourage increased IP protection, facilitated annual strategy workshops for public sector agencies, developed and delivered workshops and training courses for regional business support organisations, and developed and deployed a series of training programmes for a national agency, to apply a more citizen-centric approach in the adoption of new technologies and the delivery of digital pucblic services.
Non-governmental organisations
With a background as CEO of a trade organisation,as well as a series of honorary positions on boards and advisory boards of educational institutions and NGOs, I have gathered valuable experience at how non-governmental and not-for-profit organisations operate, develop and pursue strategies, including funding and public affairs, policy making and advocacy processes.
As examples, I have undertaken several surveys to map and assess membership services and members’ needs, developed overall strategies for organisational development and growth, helped with funding strategies and positioning vis-a-vis philanthropic grant providers, and developed bespoke services to members or partners of non-profit organisations.
For all three sectors, clients range from SMEs to multinationals, from local to national, trans-national or global, and from representing niche interests to global interests and audiences.
Testimonials
Over the last 15 years as independent advisor and facilitator of process and capacity building, I have worked for a number of organisations, evenly distributed across the three sectors. Here are some of the clients that I have enjoyed long-term and strategically vested client-partnerships:
“Steinar Valade-Amland has been in charge of the process of developing a new growth strategy for Triagonal and he has driven the process with a clear focus, enthusiasm and knowledge, and his background in the design industry has been indispensable in the entire process. Through workshops facilitated by Steinar we have managed to find Triagonals DNA and with that in mind developed a strategy for future growth and external communication in general. Steinar has transformed the strategy into an operational plan with specific and manageable objectives. Over all, we have benefited greatly from working with Steinar in all phases of the process – from facilitating workshops to strategic planning, and with a +300% growth over three years as a result”
Tina Ravbjerg, Partner
Triagonal Information Design – Denmark
“At design-people we have benefited greatly from the strategic sparring with Steinar Valade-Amland. We have received qualified sparring around positioning as a design agency, which services to prioritize and how to communicate these. Thus, his consultancy has contributed directly to the positive development design-people is experiencing.”
Klaus Schroeder
Partner / CEO – design-people – Denmark
“Thorough and encompassing, the resulting report, consisting of a thorough analysis based on desktop research and utilization of Steinar’s wide-reaching network within the business, as well as a focus group conducted to analyse and assess the potential for market entry from a competitive point of view, gave an insightful review of opportunities and potential pitfalls in the Danish market. All in all, we were very pleased with the report Steinar produced, and will likely use him again for similar engagements.”
Øyvind Bjørnstad
Business Controller, Vestre A/S – Norway
“I have worked with Steinar on different projects for BEDA since 2012. In that experience I have benefitted more than once from Steinar’s lengthy and qualitative experience in the European Design community and his ability to reach out to a vast and rich network that includes influential policy makers, lobbyists and trade associations in relation to creative industry and design practitioners. Steinar’s deliveries are of consistently high quality and relevance, whether in the form of surveys and follow-up reports, facilitating workshops or developing policy papers and strategy recommendations. Therefore I warmly recommend working with Steinar in any project related to the European Creative Industries.”
Kitty de Jong
Board Member, BEDA ( Bureau of European Design Associations )
“On behalf of the Digital Skills Department at the Digital Government Authority, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude for your outstanding efforts in delivering the Executive Training Program held on 18 August in London. We have received highly positive feedback from participants regarding both the quality of the content and the training approach you applied throughout the program. This success reflects your professionalism and commitment, and it strengthens our confidence in building long-term collaborations with you for future initiatives. A special note of appreciation goes to Steinar, whose excellent facilitation, knowledge sharing, and logistical support were instrumental in making this program such a success.”
Mohammed Alhamad
Expert in Digital Skills Development, Digital Skills Programme, DGA
“Steinar’s contribution to our effort to promote Greek Design has proven more than valuable. His inspiration, experience and expertise has helped us make many important steps in the field of design – both as an organization, but also as a country. We still receive positive feedback after both our exhibition in 2013 and after the series of seminars in 2016. We hope that we can continue our joint efforts to develop and promote design in Greece, as we trust that we always achieve our goals when working together with Steinar – for one basic reason; he knows every important aspect of design, he truly believes in it and he really loves it…”
Eri Manousou
Head of Communication, Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation
Let’s Bridge the Gap
Reach out to discuss how we – together – can build a bridge to your organisation’s future, by designing and catalysing change for the better.