Brand strategy, entrepreneurship and creativity.
Jan Rijkenberg is co-founder and CEO of BSUR (be as you are), an international branding consultancy with offices in Amsterdam, Shanghai and São Paulo
Our consultants would be happy to advise you on how best to tailor the narrative to your specific target audience.
Jan Rijkenberg is co-founder and CEO of BSUR (be as you are), an international branding consultancy with offices in Amsterdam, Shanghai and São Paulo. BSUR advises companies in the field of brand issues. Recent clients are a.o. MINI (BMW), Otto Group, Specsavers, Pierce (USA), Talpa and Princess Yachts (LVMH).
He is also Advisory Board member of the Amsterdam School of International Business (AMSIB).
Rijkenberg is a frequently asked speaker around the content of his book ‘Concepting’, in which he describes successful brands of the future, less focused on products but increasingly on the brand’s vision, philosophy and mentality. Nowadays frequently summarized as ‘purpose’.
Rijkenberg advises on how to build new brands based on this vision, but also in the field of brand issues around mergers and acquisitions. Research (Harvard) shows that 70 % of mergers and acquisitions fail. Too often the leaders involved mainly focus on the facts and figures (cost reductions, efficiency gains). Hardly attention is given to analyzing the differences in cultures in advance. And too often a new, inspiring vision on the new organization lacks completely. In most cases this results in apathy, weakening motivation and rise of absence through illness amongst staff. The most entrepreneurial, energetic talents then always leave first.
Another of Rijkenberg’s expertise fields is ‘brand re-engineering’, renewing or refreshing existing brands that have lost charisma as a result of lack of (brand) innovation and of a weakened, outdated brand personality.
Rijkenberg on stage knows how to raise provocative thoughts and brings everything together in a tangible perspective. He not only shares a lot of visionary thoughts with his audience but he also brings them alive with dozens of practical examples. Jan Rijkenberg knows how to keep people alert and make them respond. Hence, he sends people home with a healthy dose of inspiration they may apply the next day.
Rijkenberg is married, has two daughters and two grandchildren and is a passionate marathon runner.
Our specialists are ready to match the right expertise to your goals.
Get the latest insights and trends from top experts delivered straight to your inbox every month.
