After 13 years at Simon-Kucher, Omar Ahmad has now been appointed as one of our new board members. We approached Omar to find out what drove him to join the board, what initiatives he’d like to champion during his tenure, and what keeps him motivated.
Hi Omar! Thanks so much for talking to us about your time at Simon-Kucher. Before we begin, would you mind briefly introducing yourself?
My name is Omar, I’ve been working at Simon-Kucher for 15 years since I first joined in 2003 as a senior consultant, spending time between our Bonn and Boston offices. I then left in 2005 and rejoined the company three years later in 2008 as a director. At that time, I helped open our Copenhagen office and began solidifying our Life Sciences presence in the Nordics as well as growing our global HealthTech business.
I’m very proud of the work we’ve done in the Nordics, as well as globally in HealthTech, and look forward to this new chapter on the board.
Sounds like you already achieved some amazing things here at Simon-Kucher! What made you want to push that further and apply to the board?
Being a home-grown partner, I’ve had the opportunity to see many different aspects of the company and truly believe in the vision and values that have underpinned our growth for so many years. Joining the board will allow me to use this experience to influence the strategic direction of the company. Not to mention, being a board member is, in itself, highly inspiring.
What key topics and initiatives would you like to personally champion during your tenure?
I actually have a number of topics that I am personally interested in. One that stands out is looking at how we continue our growth while keeping true to what makes Simon-Kucher great. In particular, a topic that is close to my heart is our people and how we can continue to provide an inspirational workplace with ample opportunity for professional and personal development for our colleagues. After all, growth is important but not at all costs.
What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Someone many years ago quoted Albert Einstein: “If you have never failed, you have never tried anything new”. I think it gives a good perspective on trying new things despite the possibility of failure.
Who are your mentors and role models?
I’ve always looked up to self-made entrepreneurs. People who started something great that revolutionized the way we do and see things have always inspired me – such as Steve Jobs or Elon Musk.
At Simon-Kucher, Joerg Kruetten has always been my mentor on many different levels. He was instrumental in me re-joining Simon-Kucher and in opening the Copenhagen office.
What inspires you? Or what strategies do you use to keep motivated?
Since my early school years, I’ve had a passion for problem solving. Working in an environment that allows me to do this on a daily basis is extremely motivating. As you can guess, this is also one of the reasons I’ve been a consultant for nearly 20 years.
Equally important, is the opportunity I’ve had to work with amazing project managers and core team members. Seeing them grow into new roles, with some even becoming partners, is truly rewarding and inspiring.
If you would like to meet our other board members, read Bhavin’s and Dimitris’s stories here.