We are excited to announce that Bernhard Kerres has joined Aesara Partners’ Executive Coaching and Consulting Team.
Bernhard’s musical, empathetic and challenging coaching style draws on his unique experience as an opera singer, artistic director and his real-world leadership in tech.
Bernhard started his career as an opera singer performing with stars such as Agnes Baltsa and Jose Carreras. After his MBA at London Business School, he focused on strategy consulting for Booz & Co, working with high tech and telecom companies. He was hired by the Austrian telecom system integrator, Kapsch Carriercom as CFO before becoming CEO of the stock-market listed M-Tech AG in Germany. Bernhard brought his C-level experience as an executive of multi-million Euro tech companies back to the arts when he was appointed Artistic Director and CEO of the Vienna Concert house in 2006. He successfully led the Vienna Concert House into its 100th season and became the only artistic director of a world-leading concert house to bring his startup to Silicon Valley.
Bernhard is passionate about working with entrepreneurs and business owners and he is ideally placed to coach on innovation and leadership in tech as well as in the creative industries. Bernhard quotes the German poet Heinrich Heine, “where words leave off, music begins” to explain how vital music is to his approach, “even in the best coaching session, not everything can be put into words. That’s when I integrate music into my work.” Bernhard often invites musicians to join team sessions and through music, believes that clients can “gain rhythm in their lives” and “harmony in their connection with others.” “Teams particularly” says Bernhard, “gain the feeling of being in a symphony orchestra that values the individual voice within the bigger sound.”
Founder Nell Montgomery says she is ‘delighted’ to have Bernhard as part of the Aesara team. “Bernhard offers something rare and unique to Aesara. He is warm and empathetic but courageous and robust in his work. He really ‘sees’ people and cuts through to the essence of who people are and the dynamics between them. His musical background enables him to build and explore those dynamics in a distinctive and enjoyable way that focuses on team, common purpose and alignment. When clients work with Bernhard they are in expert hands.”
Bernhard regularly teaches leadership for executive programmes, including at London Business School. He also created the successful Performing Leadership Training Programs using classical music as a model for corporate leadership. Based in Vienna, Bernhard has lived in Zurich, Munich, New York and San Francisco and he continues to travel to see clients around the world.
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BERNHARD KERRES – BIOGRAPHY bernhard.kerres@aesarapartners.com m. +43 1 225 635 580
Bernhard Kerres is a sought-after executive coach based in Vienna, Austria. He was the first opera singer to become a C-level executive of multi-million Euro tech companies. And he was the only artistic director of a world-leading concert house to bring his startup to Silicon Valley.
Bernhard started his career as an opera singer and had the opportunity to perform with stars such as Agnes Baltsa and José Carreras. After his MBA at London Business School, he went into strategy consulting for high tech and telecom companies with Booz & Co. Kapsch CarrierCom, the Austrian telecom system integrator, hired him as CFO before he became CEO of the stock-market listed M-Tech AG in Germany. In 2006 he was appointed Artistic Director and CEO of the Vienna Concert House, which he led into its 100th season. He left the Vienna Concert House to create the classical music startup HELLO STAGE.
Bernhard is an Executive Coach working with business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, scientists, and musicians. He works with a strong network of experienced consultants in the corporate world on innovation and strategy in the digital age.
As a keynote speaker, Bernhard focuses on innovation and leadership. His keynotes often draw on examples from the music world. He regularly teaches leadership for executive programs at London Business School and published several articles on the subject of music and management. He is the Program Director for 4 Fellowships 4 Entrepreneurs of the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, a year-long program supporting scientists in developing their ideas into startups. His book, “Be Your Own Manager,” contains essential career advice for classical musicians. He is a guest lecturer at the Music University
in Karlsruhe and a regular guest at the Showa University of Music in Tokyo teaching career management. He also teaches coaching at the University of Applied Sciences for Management & Communication in Vienna.
Bernhard Kerres was awarded the Order of Bernardo O’Higgins by the President of the Republic of Chile and the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art by the President of Austria.
Bernhard is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) of the International Coaching Federation and a Member of the International Council of Psychotherapists.
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ABOUT AESARA PARTNERS
Realise human potential. Maximise business performance.
Aesara Partners is a global executive coaching and transformation practice.
We enable individuals, teams and cultures to realise potential. We harness clarity of thought and positive behavioural shifts through world class executive coaching. We deliver performance through transformation, with customised solutions that embed sustainable, self-learning, new habits, competencies and core confidence.
Together, we’re different. Because of the eclectic mix of talented and experienced Executive Coaches and Consultants from across the globe, who choose to think, create and coach as a cooperative, it means that together, we’re different. By living our purpose, we support each other to be our best self, in order that we can support our clients to be the best they can be and maximise human and business potential. We are passionate about encouraging this perspective in everything we do.