TESTIMONIALS

Life Science
Finance
Other

LIFE SCIENCE

Angela Liu
Chief of Staff to the CEO
Organon

Working with Claus was quietly transformative in a way that felt authentic and enduring. He helped me articulate a deeply personal leadership purpose and strengthened my ability to lead with presence, clarity, and compassion—especially in complex, high-stakes, dynamic, cross-cultural environments. Claus has a rare gift for creating the kind of space where real insight emerges and healthy leadership takes root, inviting leaders to move beyond ego and lead from service and responsibility. I first experienced his impact in global biopharma leadership team settings and later in individual coaching that has shaped how I lead with intention, confidence, and care. The influence of our work continues to guide how I show up as a leader and how I invite others into growth with humility, resilience, and purpose.

Morten Engelund
Group Vice President
Novo Nordisk

“Claus and Jasmine helped us reset our collaboration and rebuild trust as a leadership team.”

I worked with Claus and Jasmine at a time when I had recently taken over a leadership team of leaders. There was a clear need to reset how the team worked together and how we showed up toward the broader organisation. As part of this process, I had to say goodbye to some individuals in the leadership team, which created a difficult and uncertain atmosphere among those who remained.

In a 14 months process, Claus and Jasmine helped us reset our collaboration and gradually rebuild trust within the team. They supported us in creating a more solid foundation for how we work together as a leadership group.

The impact has been clear. The team has moved in a positive direction in how we collaborate, with significantly deeper trust and greater openness. There is now more vulnerability in the team, and people ask each other for help, share difficult matters, and openly celebrate successes.

What stood out in Claus and Jasmine’s way of working was their ability to introduce simple yet highly effective tools that quickly became part of our shared leadership vocabulary. Several of these tools have since been introduced more broadly in the organisation, creating transparency around how we work as a leadership team.

Brandon Higgs
Chief Data Officer – Dianostics
Danaher Corporation

I first worked with Claus when he served as the professional coach for our leadership team at a previous company. He was brought in to elevate our collective impact and strengthen communication across diverse functional leaders. In addition to his role guiding the broader team, I engaged with him as my personal career coach. The transformation I saw – both in myself and across our leadership group was so compelling that I later invited Claus to work with my own team, where he led a six-week Positive Intelligence program focused on mindset, resilience, and collaboration.

Claus helped shift how we showed up as leaders, improving alignment, trust, and how we responded to challenges. For me personally, his coaching instilled tools and habits that have become part of my daily leadership practice. The Positive Intelligence framework has continued to shape how I navigate high-stakes decisions, manage stress, and empower others.

Claus brings an exceptional balance of empathy, insight, and accountability. He creates a space where leaders feel both supported and challenged to grow. His methods are practical, yet delivered with a VERY personal warmth that builds deep trust. Claus doesn’t just coach, he provides sustained behavioral change, and his impact continues long after the engagement ends.

Søren Herskind
Vice President
Novonesis

My coaching journey with Claus at Dots, has completely changed my view on leadership as a discipline, and my role as a leader. It has not been an easy road to travel, but I have found a clear direction and purpose, and I have found peace in being myself as a leader.

Mads Stoustrup
CEO & Founder
Azento Health AG

Claus was my personal coach and has worked with my management team on topics like feedback and decision making. Claus is authentic, curious, open and brutally honest. Co-creating and investigating my most important leadership issues with him has pushed my boundaries for myself and my leadership role.

Kristoffer Berg
Vice President, Global Mobility
Novo Nordisk

“Dots Associates supported our leadership team in becoming more conscious and intentional leaders.”

In a newly established leadership team, we worked with Dots Associates on a learning journey of approximately one year, with the aspiration of becoming more effective leaders—both individually and as a team.

The impact of the work has been clear. Through a thoughtful combination of theory, practical tools, and structured reflection, I—and the leadership team as a whole—have become more conscious and intentional in how we lead. In particular, applying an “above the line” mindset has helped increase both performance and well-being, within the team and in our broader surroundings.

What stood out in Dots Associates’ way of working was their ability to bring structure to topics that are often difficult to define, without becoming rigid or locked into a predefined design. This allowed us to flex naturally between current business and strategy topics and more overarching leadership themes, depending on what the situation required.

Joke Schwencke – in ’t Veen
Senior Director, Development Operations
Genmab

I started working with Claus because I wanted to become more intentional in how I show up at work and in my life. Over six months, his coaching has helped me gain clarity, stay more focused, and better express what I want and who I am.

Claus introduced me to Positive Intelligence by Chirzad Chamine, a practical tool that helped me recognize when I am in autopilot-mode and how to shift to self-command. Together we defined my core values and life purpose through visualization sessions that felt a bit uncomfortable at first, but were highly effective.

What I value most in Claus’ approach is his honesty, directness, and ability to adapt his style to what is needed. He creates a safe environment while keeping the work grounded and to the point. The impact of the coaching shows in both my professional and private life.

Mads Stoustrup
CEO & Founder
Azento Health AG

Claus was my personal coach and has worked with my management team on topics like feedback and decision making. Claus is authentic, curious, open and brutally honest. Co-creating and investigating my most important leadership issues with him has pushed my boundaries for myself and my leadership role.

Kristoffer Berg
Vice President, Global Mobility
Novo Nordisk

“Dots Associates supported our leadership team in becoming more conscious and intentional leaders.”

In a newly established leadership team, we worked with Dots Associates on a learning journey of approximately one year, with the aspiration of becoming more effective leaders—both individually and as a team.

The impact of the work has been clear. Through a thoughtful combination of theory, practical tools, and structured reflection, I—and the leadership team as a whole—have become more conscious and intentional in how we lead. In particular, applying an “above the line” mindset has helped increase both performance and well-being, within the team and in our broader surroundings.

What stood out in Dots Associates’ way of working was their ability to bring structure to topics that are often difficult to define, without becoming rigid or locked into a predefined design. This allowed us to flex naturally between current business and strategy topics and more overarching leadership themes, depending on what the situation required.

FINANCE

Camilla Holm
Executive Vice President
PFA Pension

For over a decade I have worked with Claus as my mentor. We have worked on the long-term sustainability of my own career and on building clarity and trust in my leadership teams. I have used Claus to test career decisions and career options, to ensure that my choices are aligned with my values and purpose.

He has helped me growing from a pace setting ex-management-consultant to a more patient leader who is recognized for driving financial results and giving people opportunity to grow. Claus has guided me in building a high-performing team, with complementary competencies and trusting co-operation. He has grown a reputation as a powerful coach for senior leaders as well as for young talent in transition to leadership.
I always trust that Claus will offer me his wisdom and ask me the difficult question – even if I resist at first. And he does it with compassion and respect for my personal preferences and timing.

David Heras
Managing Director
Hiscox Iberia

In early 2019 Claus was appointed my coach as part of a corporate culture change program. Our relationship has changed my life forever – as a leader and as a human being. Finding my leadership authenticity has given me the energy and courage to be the leader I want to be – and can be.

I am finding out what I stand for, what my true values are, what my strengths are and what I get most joy from. I am now very much aware of integrating this into my leadership and my life – every day. On a personal note Claus helped me fulfill a lifelong dream. The first steps of my “Camino de Santiago” walk I took in a visualization with Claus – the rest is gravel under my shoes. But the most important outcome of my coaching was getting an important relationship clarified before it was too late, bringing a lasting peace into my life.

Claus’ humanity, generosity and inspiration are some of the attributes, that make me enjoy spending time co-creating with him.

Kate Markham
CEO
Hiscox London Market

I worked with Claus in a 14 months company wide purpose and values project where he facilitated co-creation and decision making in our Group Executive team. Claus quickly got under the skin of our organisational and team culture.

He recognises that people are all different and that getting us on board requires multiple approaches and nuances. He uses resistance constructively and his optimistic mindset helped us get the best possible outcome for our company.

Sara Guldberg Lorentzen
Deputy, head Personal Banking DK
Nordea

“I contacted Claus when I stepped into a new senior leadership role. I had been recommended to him at a time when I was preparing to lead a significant cultural shift. My ambition was to build a committed leadership team and an engaged organisation, and to redefine our values, vision and measures of success. I needed a trusted advisor to help navigate this transition.

Working closely with Claus, I developed a much more systematic ability to read people and understand their intentions. I also gained clearer insight into my own triggers and values — both as a leader and as a person. This created greater confidence in a leadership approach that is far more engaging and far less autocratic. By strengthening relationships in the team and across the organisation, we managed to create success through collaboration and innovation.

What stands out in Claus’s way of working is his pragmatic, grounded approach. He challenges us with questions such as “What’s the worst that could happen?” and “What can we learn from this seeming disaster?”, which encourages us to test, explore and find new solutions. His guidance has been invaluable, and his genuine commitment to our success is something I deeply appreciate.”

Andrea Keenan
EVP / Chief Strategy Officer
AM Best Rating Services

Claus is an inspired coach with a kind demeanor but is not afraid of blunt truth. He helped me to truly own who I am and what I can contribute as a leader, including helping me to understand the needs of those around me.

He is clearly invested in the success of his clients and gives of himself in their service. He is engaged and interested and ultimately, produces good results. I hope to work with him again!

 Carlos De la Torre
Managing Director, Latin Ameria
AM Best Rating Services

“I came to coaching with Claus through my employer at a time when I was looking to define the next steps in my career and refine the abilities expected of me. My hope was to gain clarity, direction and a pathway toward the best version of myself as a leader.

Through our work together, I learnt a great deal about who I am. I gained a clearer sense of the situations where I shine, and where I either need to grow or surround myself with people who excel in areas I do not. Perhaps the most important insight was recognising that I am the one responsible for creating change. I had been blaming external factors — competition, the system, my reports, the team, the status quo — and came to realise that these were limiting beliefs holding me back. Leading with intention and awareness has made all the difference.

What stands out in Claus’s approach is the balance of trust, clarity and deep understanding he brings. He guided me through a process of self-discovery, realisation and practice unlike anything I have experienced before. His language is precise, his questions open the right doors, and the atmosphere he creates allowed for genuine introspection.

I feel fortunate to have had this opportunity. My leadership has been realigned — professionally and personally — thanks to the coaching I received from Claus.”

Jesper Flach
Senior Vice President
Danske Bank

“I was at a point where I wanted to take a more deliberate look at my leadership impact.  Becoming clearer in how I lead, how I create alignment, and how I shape the environment around my team has become increasingly important.

I chose to work with Claus because I knew he would challenge my thinking while creating a space where I could reflect openly and honestly.

Claus has helped me structure my thinking about the next step in my leadership journey. He has challenged me, offered perspectives I could build on, and shown me how to create clearer context, agreements, and alignment in my interactions with both leaders and employees.

I have already started to show up differently — both in meetings and in 1:1 dialogues. I bring a more balanced approach between curiosity, clarity, and asking the right questions. It’s not a dramatic transformation, but a series of small, meaningful shifts in behaviour that are already changing the quality of my interactions — and I expect that to compound over time.

Our conversations have been genuine energy resets. I have gained practical tools, new perspectives, and a clearer sense of how my approach shapes interactions in different situations.

What stands out most is the space Claus creates — a space with no stakes, where I can explore leadership openly and honestly. That freedom has made the work both impactful and liberating.”

Mads Stoustrup
CEO & Founder
Azento Health AG

Claus was my personal coach and has worked with my management team on topics like feedback and decision making. Claus is authentic, curious, open and brutally honest. Co-creating and investigating my most important leadership issues with him has pushed my boundaries for myself and my leadership role.

Kristoffer Berg
Vice President, Global Mobility
Novo Nordisk

“Dots Associates supported our leadership team in becoming more conscious and intentional leaders.”

In a newly established leadership team, we worked with Dots Associates on a learning journey of approximately one year, with the aspiration of becoming more effective leaders—both individually and as a team.

The impact of the work has been clear. Through a thoughtful combination of theory, practical tools, and structured reflection, I—and the leadership team as a whole—have become more conscious and intentional in how we lead. In particular, applying an “above the line” mindset has helped increase both performance and well-being, within the team and in our broader surroundings.

What stood out in Dots Associates’ way of working was their ability to bring structure to topics that are often difficult to define, without becoming rigid or locked into a predefined design. This allowed us to flex naturally between current business and strategy topics and more overarching leadership themes, depending on what the situation required.

OTHER

Pierre Audigie
Business leader Europe
Procter & Gamble

I started working with Claus at a time when I felt misaligned in my career. I had a strong desire to build a more inspiring professional path, one that reflected my personal values and aspiration. But despite ongoing reflection, I struggled to take concrete action on my own.

After noticing myself repeatedly complaining about not moving forward, and following a strong recommendation from a trusted friend, I decided to contact Claus. That decision marked a real turning point.

The impact of the work has been both tangible and lasting. I now manage stress and conflict with greater calm and clarity, and I have developed a much deeper understanding of my core values and how to stay aligned with them in everyday life. This work has positively transformed my relationships, my overall well-being, and my effectiveness at work. Importantly, the change is not only something I feel internally; people around me clearly notice it as well.

Every session with Claus leaves me feeling energized, grounded, and motivated to continue learning and growing. He is an exceptional listener who quickly gets to what truly matters and helps turn insight into concrete next steps.

Claus combines transparency, kindness, and deep honesty. He is equally comfortable exploring philosophical topics and helping me translating them into practical, actionable steps. He never lectures or offers ready-made answers; instead, he guides me to find my own answers that truly stay with me.

For me, there is a clear before and after working with Claus.

Lucie Basch
CEO & Founder
Poppins

I met Claus as part of a long-term development process in our executive team. With his help we have become a “real” team. We quickly instilled trust and began to communicate and make decision more effectively. I think we now work 10 times better than before.
Personally, my coaching with Claus helps me be clearer about where i stand with my life, my work, and my leadership. I am learning about myself in depth and to ask myself better questions. He also provides great and insightful content to my leadership and relationship issues. He supports and challenges with a good balance, which is highly appreciated and rare! 


Claus is super committed and reflective. He is very transparent about his intentions, which enabled trust in me from day one of our relationship. He balances practical exercises with insightful theory and normalizes personality traits while giving very concrete individual behavior feedback.
The program design where I was being developed both individually and as part of a team was very useful for me. I could not hide, and I got feedback on live situations – not just coaching from my own narrative. I look forward to learning with Claus in the future.

Mette Lykke
CEO
Too Good to Go

My executive team and I reached out to Claus at Dots Associates, with the aspiration of becoming a truly high-performing team. We co-developed a journey we called “playing better together”, where we agreed to focus on our executive team’s coherence and the dynamics between us to better serve our employees.
For 9 months, Claus participated as an observer in most of our management meetings and we all did 1:1 coaching sessions with him. Furthermore, Claus facilitated several workshops with specific themes such as: Leadership accountability, Trust, Constructive conflict, Effective decision making, Designing effective relationships.

The combination of 1:1 coachings and Claus’ participation in our management meetings was very effectful. It quickly brought transparency to the dynamics of the whole team and the relationships between the individual team members. Claus has a powerful way of giving feedback with both care and constructive challenge. The team unanimously agrees that we’ve come out of the program stronger and we’ve also appreciated the opportunity to grow as individuals. Rather than having a good workshop and then continuing business as usual, with this long and deep dedication to our team’s development, we have managed to hold on to many of the new good habits.

John Steen-Mikkelsen
Professionel Board Member

As a CEO In the ferry industry my leadership team and I engaged in a 3 year turnaround project led by Claus. Our journey comprised strategic alignment and deep culture change. We went from critical losses and debt into a thriving and profitable organisation.

Claus insisted on inviting all our employees actively into the journey. Consequently, our engagement levels increased significantly, and labor unions used our project as a benchmark for involving employees in strategy execution

Natasha Friss Saxberg
CEO
IT-branchen

Claus was my coach and mentor. He has also assisted me in strategic alignment, team development and stakeholder management issues. Claus has a rare capability of quickly zooming in on the essentials. His authenticity, empathy and honesty has given myself and my teams the courage to move into “danger zones” where the big breakthroughs happen.

Claus punctures myths, clichés, empty lip service, bad habits and excuses and challenges me to go where things matter. I trust him and his intentions of wanting me to grow. His candor offers personal transformation in a way no other relationship has before.

Susanne Nørmark
Entrepreneur
Co-founder, byACRE

“Claus helped me reflect on my leadership and lead with greater clarity and authenticity.”

As a founder and entrepreneur leading a rapidly growing team, I reached a point where I needed to reflect on the effectiveness of my leadership—toward my team, my peers, and the board. A trusted friend recommended Claus, and I chose to engage with him as a coach.

The impact has been significant. Claus helped me develop a deeper understanding of the breadth and nuances of leadership and clarify the leadership styles available to me. Through our work, I became more aware of how to leverage my strengths and lead with authenticity.

We explored the concept of Positive Intelligence and how day-to-day business challenges can activate less helpful, reactive patterns. Practicing methods to reduce this impact has enabled me to lead from a place of clarity and empathy. This increased awareness has been rewarding in professional as well as in private settings, particularly in how my actions and behaviour affect the motivation and mood of others.

I have appreciated Claus’ deep knowledge of leadership and his ability to discern and respond thoughtfully in real time. Our sessions have consistently been insightful and have inspired me to keep investing in becoming a leader rooted in purpose and values.

Anette Damgaard
CEO
Capio Privathospital

“I chose to work again with Claus and Lars from Dots Associates because, through previous collaborations, I have experienced that they uniquely combine strong business understanding with deep insight into both group and individual psychology.

This makes their leadership development programmes particularly relevant and practical, and it creates a learning space that is both personal, trusting, and present.

It is precisely this approach that ensures that the methods and reflections not only create value in the moment, but are also applied and continue to live within the organisation long after the programme has ended.

I value their integrity and authenticity, which help create a safe and trusting space. This foundation is essential for a strong and developmental process, where both the dialogue and the learning can unfold in an honest and meaningful way.”

Mads Stoustrup
CEO & Founder
Azento Health AG

Claus was my personal coach and has worked with my management team on topics like feedback and decision making. Claus is authentic, curious, open and brutally honest. Co-creating and investigating my most important leadership issues with him has pushed my boundaries for myself and my leadership role.

Kristoffer Berg
Vice President, Global Mobility
Novo Nordisk

“Dots Associates supported our leadership team in becoming more conscious and intentional leaders.”

In a newly established leadership team, we worked with Dots Associates on a learning journey of approximately one year, with the aspiration of becoming more effective leaders—both individually and as a team.

The impact of the work has been clear. Through a thoughtful combination of theory, practical tools, and structured reflection, I—and the leadership team as a whole—have become more conscious and intentional in how we lead. In particular, applying an “above the line” mindset has helped increase both performance and well-being, within the team and in our broader surroundings.

What stood out in Dots Associates’ way of working was their ability to bring structure to topics that are often difficult to define, without becoming rigid or locked into a predefined design. This allowed us to flex naturally between current business and strategy topics and more overarching leadership themes, depending on what the situation required.