About Me

PhD Electronics, University of Twente

During my PhD in Electronics, my research activities focused on Charge Coupled Devices from device-fysics to analog-time discrete filter design. However, after 2 years it became clear that this type of filters did not have the slightest change of becoming accepted in the industry. This had quite an impact on my career. I concluded that research was not my cup of tea. Therefore after my PhD in Electronics, I decided to develop a career towards business consultancy.

Strategy & Innovation Consultant, Philips

I am still grateful to Philips that they hired me and gave a technical guy, like me, the opportunity to make a complete career turn via International Recruitment into Business Strategy. That is how I became a business consultant and within a few years I was able to  develop into a strategy and innovation consultant.

Senior Director Innovation Strategy, Philips Lighting

At a certain moment, I was asked to become a group manager and ever since I have occupied  several management positions (last position as Senior Director Innovation Strategy at Philips Lighting). However, I loved to stay active as  a consultant for various innovative Philips organisations, but was often asked to support Philips stakeholders (customers, suppliers or partners).

Independent, Innoguru (Ruud gal innovation management)

Six years ago, I became an independent consultant. A lot of my current work is in an international context, often towards the Lighting industry. However, I have learned that my experience and my approaches are also very effective in many other areas, for example  in the (semi-)public domain or in service and consultancy industries.

personal strengths

I have 30 years of experience in strategy and innovation. This enables me to get the focus of the client very quickly at the core of his or her strategy and in a flexible and interactive way design the process of strategy development around it. In this way, we directly start working on the essential challenges and this gives direction and energy, but also a higher probability of the right fit with the organisation.In my view, a strategy is only relevant, if it gets implemented. Therefore, I always focus on the transition from strategic thinking towards strategy driven action. A strategy has to be embedded in the cultural “couleur locale” and requires the right organisational and process structures. It is easy to create challenging strategies, the real challenge is to create strategies that stretch the organisation’s competences, yet can be realised.

personal life

Next to my professional life, I am married and we have two children that have found there own way in life. Somebody characterised this period of our life as “just like the time you were students, but now with money…:)”.

music

A big part of my heart is also stolen by music. I started as a gitar player, turned to bass gitar at my 18th, at my 38 started playing violin, influenced by my very young daughter, and even ended playing in Symphony Orchestra Eindhoven. I became chairman of the orchestra and organised a concert trip to Beijing in 2013. At the beginning of 2014, I decided to return to bass gitar playing, having a lot of fun and inspiration. The orchestra learned me that professional organisations, whether they are private companies or non-profit /  public have a lot of similarities.

 

Ruud Gal In Motion2