Markus Graw is a partner in The Corporate Theatre and lead faculty member for Central Europe.
Markus has been a senior manager in two major international corporations, his approach has been guided by his curiosity in the unknown and an ambition to deliver results through inspiration and leadership rather than targets and processes.
During his 28 years in business he has developed expertise in a variety of areas including: sales & marketing; market research; brand management; marketing strategy; communication & engagement; product development & innovation; training & people development and change management & cultural change.
Throughout his career Markus has achieved demanding and measurable results by his openness to unconventional methods. From employing abstract painting in internal strategy consultancy to using the power of theatre to generate a culture of customer focused business, Markus constantly challenges conventional thought and behaviour in order to deliver improved performance.
Alongside his work in the corporate sector Markus has provided consultancy services to a number of public institutions and government agencies in the UK and Germany, including London’s Metropolitan Police and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). In these roles Markus’s focus has been on developing communication & engagement, data management and multicultural understanding.
A German by birth Markus has also spent many years living in the UK, Belgium, Italy and Canada and is lead for The Corporate Theatre in German speaking countries in Central Europe. His wealth of business expertise has been central to The Corporate Theatre’s expansion of services from training and coaching to a full range consultancy that helps organizations Inspire Growth via everything they do. A true cosmopolitan Markus splits his time between Germany, the UK, and Sweden. He can be frequently found on a plane travelling to any place where business calls him.
Q&A
What Drives You?
My curiosity always pushes me to sneak around the corner to see what might be there. I don’t seek just to look but to discover. I am excited about discovering how human beings function, think, feel and act in different surroundings, circumstances and conditions.
When and where do you feel most inspired?
I feel most inspired when I am painting. Painting is like a dialogue between the canvas and myself—from my head, to my heart, to my guts. I am an abstract painter. Once I set a starting point I let go and allow my energy to flow onto the canvas. Expressing my energy without excess contemplation. I act and react, sometimes the canvas and what I see there guides me to action. Sometimes the cause of an intervention is driven by the curiosity of what might happen.
Why is humanity so important for business now a days?
The world is becoming more and more complex. Globalization and the Internet have increased connectivity immensely and the amount of data and knowledge available to us has grown exponentially. To master this complexity as a company it is important to become increasingly more flexible and to utilize the creativity and energy of the whole workforce. Creativity and commitment can only grow in a human environment.
What do you wish more people knew about The Corporate Theatre?
Most companies are built around a set of core competences—Nike makes great shoes, BP extracts oil, Pfizer develops pharmaceuticals. We are different. The Corporate Theatre is based around a set of core beliefs about the make up of human beings and the future of business in human society. This allows us to venture into many possible directions and to further enlarge the network of inspiration.
Tell me something about you that nobody knows?
I spent my kindergarten and elementary school years at a school in Italy where I was taught by nuns. I’m not sure what it did to me but my interest in diversity might be tracked back to that time in my life.