When Lars Kolind took the helm of struggling hearing aid manufacturer Oticon in 1988, few could have predicted the revolutionary transformation that would follow. Under his visionary leadership, Oticon broke new ground on multiple fronts, becoming the world’s first truly networked and nearly paperless organisation, with a groundbreaking knowledge-based office design.
Lars’ innovative “spaghetti organisation” model reimagined workplace dynamics, introducing radical approaches to employee engagement, collaborative ownership, and dealer network relationships. This transformation extended to patient engagement and led to numerous breakthrough products. By 1995, the company’s success culminated in going public, with Lars departing in 1998 to chair Grundfos.
Since then, Lars’ entrepreneurial spirit has driven him to co-found over 25 companies and organisations in the past two decades. His academic influence spans prestigious institutions, serving as adjunct professor at the University of Aarhus, honorary president of the European Summer School for Advanced Management, and visiting lecturer at the Wharton School. He also shares his expertise as DeTao Master of Leadership and Strategy at China’s DeTao Masters Academy.
Lars’ revolutionary management philosophy is captured in his book Unboss, co-authored with Jacob Bøtter, which challenges traditional leadership paradigms.
Today, Lars continues to shape organisational thinking through numerous board positions, including his role as chairman of the World Scout Foundation, embodying the innovative spirit that transformed Oticon decades ago.
Thinkers50 Limited
The Studio
Highfield Lane
Wargrave RG10 8PZ
United Kingdom
Thinkers50 Limited
The Studio
Highfield Lane
Wargrave RG10 8PZ
United Kingdom
Thinkers50 Limited has updated its Privacy Policy on 28 March 2024 with several amendments and additions to the previous version, to fully incorporate to the text information required by current applicable date protection regulation. Processing of the personal data of Thinkers50’s customers, potential customers and other stakeholders has not been changed essentially, but the texts have been clarified and amended to give more detailed information of the processing activities.
