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Fons Trompenaars

The original cultural difference thinker

Biography Highlights

  • World leader in understanding cultural difference, his seminal book Riding the Waves of Culture, Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business put culture in business on the map.

Biography

Fons Trompenaars’ Background

Dr. Fons Trompenaars is recognised around world for his work as consultant, trainer, motivational speaker and author of various books on all subjects of culture and business. He’s an accomplished business motivational speaker and is both lively and amusing on the subject of cultural stereotypes and how we can get beyond them. His Seven Dimensions of Culture is the leading model for managers and negotiators wanting to work more effectively with people of different nationalities. Anyone who has ever led a multi cultural team knows why they need to hear what Fons has to share.

He has spent over 30 years helping Fortune 500 leaders manage and solve their business and cultural dilemmas to increase global effectiveness and performance, particularly in the areas of globalisation, mergers and acquisition, HR, Managing Change, leadership development and digitalisation.

Awards, accolades, achievements, honours

  • One of the Thinkers 50 group of influential management thinkers
  • Ranked in the Thinkers50 2011, 2013 and 2015 as being one of the most influential management thinkers alive
  • Voted one of the top 20 HR Most Influential International Thinkers 2011 by HR Magazine
  • Inducted in the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame in 2017
  • Shortlisted for the T50 Global Village Award for contribution to the understanding of globalization and emerging markets in 2011
  • International Professional Practice Area Research Award from the American Society for Training and Development

Career

Fons joined Shell in 1981 and worked in 9 different countries. In 1985, he founded Trompenaars Hampden-Turner consultancy with British expert Charles Hampden-Turner. He created a cross-cultural database of 140,000 managers worldwide, resulting in best selling books Riding the Waves of Culture, currently in its 3rd edition, Building Cross-Cultural Competence and Mastering the Infinite Game: How Asian Values are Transforming Business Practices.

His book Riding the Waves of Culture, Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business sold over 200,000 copies and was translated into 16 languages amongst them, Chinese, Estonian, French, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish and Turkish. He is co-author amongst others of Nine Visions of Capitalism: Unlocking the Meanings of Wealth Creation, Servant Leadership Across Cultures, M&A Tango on Mergers and Acquisitions and Rewarding Performance Globally.

He work now goes beyond merely understanding cultural difference to describe ways in which smart leaders can gain advantage from it. In 21 Leaders for the 21st Century he redefines our idea of leadership to include the ability to resolve competing cultural dilemmas.

Trompenaars Hampden-Turner has advised leading corporations, including Shell and BP, Heineken, Philips, Nike and General Motors.

Current / Past Roles & Positions

Consultant, trainer, motivational speaker and author, Trompenaars is one of the world’s most influential management thinkers. As founder and director of intercultural management firm Trompenaars Hampden-Turner (THT) he has over 25 years experience helping leaders manage and solve their business and cultural dilemmas.

Videos

Popular Talks

In the ever-evolving landscape of global business, understanding cultural dynamics is essential for creating high-performing organizations. Fons Trompenaars’ insights have long been celebrated for guiding leaders through the complexities of cultural differences. In a past keynote, participants consistently rated the experience as Inspirational, underscoring the profound impact of integrating major dilemmas and culture scans—whether organizational or national—into the session. This approach ensured that every discussion was not just abstract theory but deeply relevant and tailored to the audience’s unique context.

Now, we are excited to introduce a groundbreaking enhancement to this well-received framework: AiFons. This innovative platform takes participant engagement to new heights by incorporating real-time feedback and interaction through QR codes. As attendees share their thoughts via a few targeted questions, their responses are seamlessly integrated with the pre-work data. This means that, in real time, participants receive personalized insights into what they—and their teams—can do to reconcile cultural dilemmas and further develop a high-performing organization.

Imagine walking into a keynote where your unique perspective shapes the conversation and drives actionable outcomes. With AiFons, this is not just a vision; it’s a reality. From individual development to fostering team collaboration, our live feedback mechanism empowers participants to understand their role in the bigger picture, leading to dynamic discussions and enhanced learning experiences.

Why Choose AiFons?

  • Tailored Insights: Leveraging pre-work data, our sessions are specifically designed to address the immediate needs of your organization.
  • Real-Time Engagement: Participants can actively engage with the session, ensuring their voices are heard and their insights valued.
  • Actionable Recommendations: Each participant departs with clear, actionable strategies to navigate cultural complexities and foster organizational harmony.

Join us in this next chapter of cultural intelligence and organizational excellence. Let’s build high-performing teams that thrive on collaboration, understanding, and innovative solutions—live and in the moment.

Available: In person, Virtually

Step into a new era of understanding and inspiration with our groundbreaking approach to Fons Trompenaars’ keynotes. In the past, these sessions were lauded for their inspirational quality, leaving audiences with a profound sense of enlightenment and a deeper grasp of cultural dynamics. Rooted in robust prework data, these keynotes were meticulously crafted to address major dilemmas and conduct thorough culture scans, whether organizational or national, ensuring a participant-focused experience that resonated deeply.

Today, we elevate this experience with the integration of AiFons, a revolutionary tool that transforms passive listening into active engagement. Imagine attending a keynote where, through a simple QR code, you can answer three to four tailored questions in real-time. These responses are seamlessly linked with pre-existing data, providing you with immediate, actionable insights. You will discover precisely what you, your team, or your organization need to do to reconcile dilemmas and foster a high-performing culture—live and direct.

This innovative approach not only maintains the inspirational essence that has been the hallmark of Fons Trompenaars’ keynotes but also empowers participants to apply these insights dynamically. Join us as we bridge theory and practice, turning cultural challenges into opportunities for growth and excellence.
Experience the future of cross-cultural understanding. Experience the power of AiFons.

Advantages of such a keynote?

  1. innovative keynote approach offers several compelling advantages. Firstly, it transforms passive listening into active engagement by integrating real-time interactions through QR codes. This allows participants to provide immediate feedback and receive tailored insights, making the experience highly personalized and relevant to their specific needs and contexts.
  2. the dynamic nature of the keynote fosters a deeper understanding of cultural dilemmas. By linking live responses with pre-existing data, participants gain actionable strategies to reconcile these dilemmas, thereby enhancing their ability to build high-performing organizations. This method not only retains the inspirational essence of traditional keynotes but also empowers attendees with practical, real-world applications.
  3. the seamless integration of technology ensures that the insights are not only immediate but also sustainable. Participants leave with a clear pathway to apply these insights within their teams or organizations, promoting long-term growth and cultural integration. This approach underscores the importance of connecting diverse viewpoints to achieve sustainable performance, a core tenet of Trompenaars Hampden-Turner’s philosophy.
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually
Available: In person, Virtually

Speaker Bureaus and Talent Agencies

Fons Trompenaars is available to book via these agencies
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Speakers Associates
Speaking Agency