Hi, my name is Marco.
I’m an independent strategy consultant working at the intersection of strategy × creativity × futures.
I help unlock meaningful momentum for tomorrow, today.
In turbulent times, I co-create sound, bold and future-ready strategies – focusing on bright opportunities and what’s next. I collaborate with forward-thinking organizations and progressive minds to re:think the status quo and re:imagine, re:design, and re:invent businesses and brands for tomorrow. I help navigate the space of possibilities between today <> tomorrow, now <> next, present <> progress, ZEITGEIST <> ZUKUNFT – with clarity, confidence, and coherence.
Let’s figure out what’s next.
Let’s move from what is to what if.
Let’s reinvent a future you desire to happen.
I bring 15+ years of experience with 125+ clients across 25+ industries. I’ve worked with rising start-ups, hidden champions, and global leaders to tackle complex challenges and drive meaningful change – including brands like Bayer, Bosch, BMW, Deutsche Bahn, Mastercard, Merck, PayPal, Porsche, Roche, Samsung, Siemens, Telekom, Toyota, and Zeiss. I’ve also collaborated with 30+ partners – including top-tier global creative networks like Publicis, WPP, and Omnicom, as well as leading brand consultancies, design studios, and creative agencies from Germany.
Beyond bespoke strategy services, I offer a few more things with purpose, passion and precision: sparring for leaders, training for teams, mentoring for professionals, lecturing for talents, and speaking for events.
Let’s start a conversation about what if…?
Clients
I’ve worked with rising start-ups, hidden champions, and global leaders to tackle complex challenges and drive meaningful change – including brands like Bayer, Bosch, BMW, Deutsche Bahn, Mastercard, Merck, PayPal, Porsche, Roche, Samsung, Siemens, Telekom, Toyota, and Zeiss. Different conditions. Different challenges. Same ambition: to redefine the future of their markets.
Partners
During the past years, I’ve collaborated with 30+ partners – including top-tier global creative networks like Publicis, WPP, and Omnicom, as well as leading brand consultancies, design studios, and creative agencies from Germany.
What some say
Michael Jordan once said: “Talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships.” Grateful to have teamed up with so many inspiring minds and diverse teams across the globe. A few of them are featured here – along with their kind words.
“The quality of his work was first class. This enabled us to deliver a comprehensive strategy to a tier one client.”
“A fast thinker and a truly creative mind, always looking for the new and unseen.”
“Working with Marco is just a pleasure. He is a genius when it comes to strategy.”
“Marco brings a strong creative mind to the table, paired with killer business acumen.”
„A visionary and progressive mind. He combines smart strategic thinking with a great sense for outstanding creative work.”
“Marco has done a fantastic job in capturing the complexity of the APF – that will allow us to clarify our future positioning.”
“He has a broad experience across industries and disciplines, and a passion for people, brands and unexpected business solutions.”
“One of the hungriest and most committed people I’ve ever met. His belief that meaningful strategies are those that create value is inspiring.”
“Not only is he a savvy strategic thinker, but also a very nice person who is fun to talk to.”
“His view on innovative business models combined with the knowledge to build and develop brands has given the right drive.”
“Inspiring, humble, and fun. He makes people, teams and projects better. One of my favorite all-round pros with broad and deep knowledge.”
“Someone who is able to map the unmapped – and inspires others to follow.”
“Two skills inspired me: simplifying complexity and turning an uncertain future into exciting strategic perspectives.”
“Marco is one of these super rare pros who are hard to find: he is creative and strategic both ways. A true hybrid.”
“Marco has shown a deep understanding of our client’s business challenges and turned it into real opportunities through reasonable strategic advice.”
“A quick thinker. He grasps a strategic task and at the same time his brain is already looking for solutions.”
“An absolute engaged and inspired strategist. Always on fire, very focused and result-oriented. Our collaboration was very flexible and reliable.”
“His strategic thinking is sharp and is creative approach inspiring – a combination that is rarely found. He brings passion, curiosity and playfulness into each project.”
“Clear, smart, open-minded, a good listener, a consultant, fast, intelligent, helpful, empathic, structured, and highly creative. Always on my wishlist.”
“Marco has got a very sharp mind combined with the ability to reveal business issues and turn them into strategic solutions.”
“Marco is a brilliant strategist. His strategic vision was always incredibly clear which created an inspiring direction for the team.”
“A fresh mind and exceptional attentiveness to detail combined with great expertise.”
“A solid strategist with a strong creative lead, a driving force in proactive thinking with a wide range of skills. Someone who brings energy and passion to the table.”
Education
To me, one of the most powerful statements ever written is: ‘Stay hungry, stay foolish.’ It’s a reminder not to linger in the comfort zone of the status quo, but to stay curious, aspire for more, and keep growing.
BA
Bachelor of Arts
Marketing
2011
MA
Master of Arts
Cultural Management
2013
PGD
Postgraduate Diploma
Futures Studies
2021
+
Various
Trainings
on-going
The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.
The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.
Albert Einstein
As a curious and critical mind, I aspire to rethink the status quo. Because “We’ve always done it this way” is neither the smartest answer nor the most thriving mindset. Together with forward-thinking partners and ambitious clients, I help reimagine the world of tomorrow: how cultures and human behaviors shift, how business models and market landscapes evolve, and how circumstances and environments change.
As a consultant, I work at the intersection of strategic, creative, and futures thinking. I combine the intelligence and acumen of business and brand strategy with the intuition and unruly power of creative thinking – and ultimately with the unlimited spirit of imagination, inspired by bold futures thinking and grounded in sound foresight. I am confident that this mighty blend enables us to solve almost any strategic challenge of the modern age – and paves the way to a brighter and more inspiring future.
Hybrid Thinking
Strategy x Creativity x Futures
The sweet spot of strategy × creativity × futures brings intelligence × intuition × imagination together. This is what I call ‘Hybrid Thinking’ – the combination of different schools of thought and different ways of thinking, cross-fertilizing each other. This combination aims to create true momentum for brands and real business impact. It’s all about making businesses and brands the best they can be – whatever ‘best’ means.
How to get there? I believe that incremental changes can keep you in the game for a while, but these times require bold thinking and iconic moves to stay in – or even ahead of – the game in the long run. Because someone else is already rethinking your category and trying to redefine it. So it might be a good idea to invent the future before they do.
If you want to learn more about my understanding of strategy, creativity, and futures, keep reading.
Otherwise, feel free to jump ahead to my Services or to my Work.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Leonardo da Vinci
Today, we live in a world some characterize as VUCA: volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. In this world, business models are changing dramatically. Organizations of all industries, sizes, regions, and cultures are increasingly confronted with ‘wicked problems’: problems that are simply too complex to solve. Instead, these kinds of problems can be tackled, tamed, and ideally managed. Translating wicked problems into manageable challenges – and ultimately into valuable strategic solutions that not only address current issues but also focus on future opportunities – is the ultimate sign of sophistication. Strategy always deals with the tension between today and tomorrow. Strategy is moving from today’s problems to tomorrow’s possibilities. From what is – to what if..?
Strategy
Strategy
Creativity
Creativity
Strategy alone can’t win. It can’t inspire people, it can’t move people. What it needs to make an iconic move is game-changing creative thinking. Strategy is good at defining the right playground and the right direction – but only creativity adds the punch. To frame it with the words of Lee Clow from The Disruption Company TBWA: “Don’t do the right thing.” Instead: “Do the brave thing. The thing that troubles your sleep. The thing with a million unknowns. Do the brave thing.” Obviously, creativity is not the safe bet. But it challenges the status quo and aspires to invent something new. It means discovering new and unknown territories: “Do the thing that disrupts. Do the thing that not only defies the status quo but reshapes it.” That’s why I absolutely believe in the creative impetus of strategic thinking. The mantra for every strategy should be: no vision is too bold. Because in these rapidly shifting times, iconic moves are the most reasonable ones.
Strategy should be creative to move people. But is this really enough? I don’t think so. Great strategy is imaginative. It follows a future-first approach. And it not only moves people – it moves people forward. It anticipates opportunities that don’t yet exist and gives the right direction to reach them. From today’s perspective, the future is not one but many. It’s an unknown space. Anything is possible, anything can happen. We can shape it. Reshaping the future requires two skills. First: understanding what’s going on in the world. Making sense of major shifts. Sound foresight with comprehensive trend-watching helps us gain critical knowledge of what might happen in the future. It’s about potential. Secondly, reshaping the future requires a visionary and inventive mindset that defines what’s desirable – and how to make it happen. Or to quote the unmatched Walt Disney: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” I believe futures thinking makes strategy bold. It has the power to build momentum and shape the zeitgeist of tomorrow. It puts progressive businesses at the forefront of what’s next.
Futures
Futures
Strategy Services
I offer a wide spectrum of strategy services, from discovery to doing, from where to play to how to win. All services can be booked separately as individual modules or as a comprehensive strategy package. If you are not decided yet where to start, what to do, and where to strive for: let‘s have a chat and book a Strategy Sparring Session.
What else I do
Over the years, I’ve done lots of different stuff with passion and purpose: I facilitated countless workshops in all varieties. I gave keynotes about creativity near the northern polar circle at the Arctic Design Week and about the power of momentum at the global gathering of futurists at PRIMER. I mentored top talents from German Universities in collaboration with the GWA as well as upcoming Sri Lankan strategists at the Miami Ad School. I launched blogs about the creative industries in the Baltics and about my sabbatical in Down Under. I trained the strategy department from Jung von Matt in futures thinking and I contributed a chapter to a book named Beyond Storytelling, published by Springer Science. I represented the state Baden-Württemberg aka THE LÄND at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in 2021 and 2022. And I did some more stuff.
Things happening
Stories I’d like to share
Lectureship Strategic Brand Management
Back to the roots: Fifteen years ago, in 2008, I started my Bachelor studies in Marketing at the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW). This semester I'm giving the lecture in strategic brand management at the DHBW. I'm really looking forward to passing on my experiences and perspectives to students. At the same time, I'm curious about their perspectives on how brands should be thought and lead in a contemporary way. I'm looking forward to an exciting exchange!
Category: Lecturing
Topic: Strategic Brand Management
Institution: DHBW Heidenheim
A training for strategy teams
Over the past few years, I have worked intensively on futures thinking and strategic foresight. I am happy to pass on this knowledge to agencies and consultancies that are actively shaping the future of brands and businesses. That’s why I developed a tailor-made training format for strategy teams: What does futures thinking mean? How do you deal with trends? How can future scenarios be developed? And what narratives can be formed from this? My one-day training provides practical advice for approaching the future.
Category: Training
Topic: Futures Thinking & Foresight
Client: various
Shaping the mobility transition
Deutsche Bahn's Europe-wide tender has been decided: The contract for the strategic further development of the brand goes from Peter Schmidt Group to Strichpunkt. According to HORIZONT, the volume can reach a value of over 20 million €. I had the privilege of taking part in this challenging pitch with another renowned design agency. Accompanying the mobility transition is undoubtedly one of the most exciting strategic tasks. Respect, Peter Schmidt Group for the fantastic work of the last years! Chapeau Strichpunkt and have a good trip!
Category: Strategy Project
Partner: confidential
Client: Deutsche Bahn (Pitch)
Marco Ruckenbrod
Strategy Consulting for Tomorrow
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