After more than ten years as strategic advisor, the last five as CEO of zeal, I have now chosen to embark on a new journey as a learner and PhD student.
Collaborating with Aalborg University Business School, we seek to gain a deeper understanding of the structures and mechanisms, that influence and motivate leaders who leverage their companies to benefit and influence positive change in their ecosystems.
We will be interviewing Indigenous* business leaders in Canada (*First Nations, Métis, Inuit), and leaders of B Corp certified companies based in the Nordic countries.
The purpose of the interviews is to explore how these leaders:
- Prioritize and make decisions
- Define purpose and success
- Manage potential conflicts, challenges, and benefits of leading a company that does not do business as usual
Purpose
Insights from the project will inform theories on how benefit companies can collaborate to strengthen and support each other, including through the development of innovative business models and strategic partnerships.
Planning
The interviews will take place from February 1st to September 30th, 2026. Each interview will be 1 hour and conducted in-person or online via Teams, as best fits participants. The interviews will be recorded for transcription, after which all data will be anonymized.
Find out more and sign up by sending an email here.
Why participate?
Leaders who participate will be invited to a webinar where initial findings will be presented for collective feedback. Additionally, a podcast is planned where participants will be invited to have a dialogue with other benefit leaders.
Background
The 3-year project is an Industrial PhD under the Danish Innovation Fund conducted in collaboration with Aalborg University’s Business School and funded by zeal aps and Realdania.
