Professional career – gbcc, Kourosh Ghaffari
Professional experiences
- From medium-sized businesses to large multinationals: over 25 years of consulting experience in financial issues
- CEO of a medium-sized wholesale and logistics company.
- Over 25 years of experience in B2B customer and sales management in complex, multinational matrix organisations.
- Coach, business coach, lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences Schmalkalden (Human Resources Management & Communication).
During my time in banking and investment banking, I spent over 20 years as a B2B key account and sales manager in complex multi-national matrix organisations where I advised clients on financial issues and orchestrated the global sales process. From 1997 onwards, I was in a management position.
Matrix structures have one thing above all other structures: it is complex and chaotic. As a rule, there is no uniformity or clarification of roles and responsibilities. This means that the most important intermediary partners have different expectations and requirements at the same time.
However, what I always mastered better than most of my colleagues was finding my way in a complex and constantly changing environment, correctly assessing the behaviour of the people around me, defending my position and asserting my opinions.
These skills and abilities have been complemented and honed over time by professional coaching and other tools.
Over the years, I have supported clients from a wide range of industries and advised them on financial issues; from medium-sized businesses to large corporations. Part of my responsibilities has always been to examine and assess the future viability of client companies.
“Why do so many good companies that are established in the market, with capable employees and good products, go bankrupt virtually overnight?“. The answers to this question have shaped the way I work today.
Later, through my work as a managing director with overall responsibility, I became more aware of certain issues that are inherent to family-owned, owner-managed companies. For example, the problem of company succession.
With the experience and answers in mind, I stand by owners and decision-makers as an independent sparring partner.