Claus Tjærby, who is currently the Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) and formerly the Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO) at Søstrene Grene, has spent several years working at the Aarhus-based company. He started as Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) in 2017 and transitioned into his then-new role as CBDO in mid-2021.

A couple of years ago, while serving as the CPO of the company, he participated in the leadership program Leading Strategic Change at INSEAD. At that time, he was responsible for procurement at Søstrene Grene, which included overseeing the entire value chain encompassing design, purchasing, quality control, compliance, logistics, warehousing, and supply chain management. In this context, we spoke with him about the educational program.

Digital Transformation Process
“My motivation for participating in Leading Strategic Change was primarily driven by my interest in acquiring new knowledge. A few years ago, I participated in the Executive Management Programme at INSEAD, and this new program serves as an excellent complement to it. Moreover, Søstrene Grene has experienced significant growth in recent years. We are currently in the midst of a digital transformation process, and managing this is undoubtedly challenging, particularly in relation to the dynamics within the organization. We are a culture-driven company, and when you double the number of employees within two years, it challenges the existing culture. Therefore, the strategy execution program fit perfectly with the challenges and opportunities we are currently facing,” says Claus Tjærby, and continues:

“This is the second time I’ve participated in a program under INSEAD’s auspices, and once again, I’m equally impressed with the academic content. The professors are exceptionally sharp and intelligent, and they are outstanding at conveying their knowledge. The varied teaching methods, including group assignments, readings, discussions, time for reflection, ‘traditional’ lectures, and the use of videos, create a dynamic and varied learning experience that works optimally and makes it easy to absorb the material.

New Tools and Perspectives
Claus Tjærby feels that he has gained new tools and perspectives, strengthened his practice with theoretical knowledge, and dispelled some myths and misconceptions. “The most important thing I’m taking away is a set of concrete and tangible tools that can be implemented immediately. Additionally, I’ve benefited from understanding the importance of execution itself. When transformation processes fail, it’s not because the strategy is flawed, but because it hasn’t been successfully transformed into something usable—and that has been an incredibly valuable insight. Finally, the mentioned tools and methods have given me a deeper insight and greater understanding of my own organization,” he says.

Tjærby also has some good advice for others who invest time and resources into upgrading their knowledge.

“It requires a conscious effort to pursue an education. The real work begins when you return home. If you let the daily grind continue as before and don’t have the energy and focus to proactively apply what you’ve learned, you won’t move forward. It’s only when you practice that you improve. In short, you must force yourself to work with the new knowledge and insights—execute on the new skills—and only then will you truly reap the benefits,” concludes Claus Tjærby.