You can change everything — and still find that nothing really changes.

New strategy. New structures. New systems. AI-enabled solutions.
And yet decisions and behaviour often remain remarkably similar.

CLARIST therefore begins with the Future Identity.

Who do we need to become for real change to happen — and for us to succeed in the future?

Three people look at their shadows on a wall; the shadows show a changed posture and interaction. — Illustrative image · AI-generated

The Future Identity becomes the reference point for decisions, behaviour and collaboration. It must be specific enough to create friction — and to distinguish what should be preserved, changed or left behind.

An identity strong enough to change packaging, systems and the entire go-to-market approach.

Following an acquisition, the portfolio of a global B2B company grew from around 350,000 to more than 3.5 million products. The CEO wanted to structure the SKUs under six brands — in a market where brands had previously played little role.

From this, I worked with the Executive Leadership Team to develop the identity of a brand-led company. This led to a brand and portfolio architecture around relevant customer groups and needs. The implications went far beyond brand names: packaging, systems and the go-to-market approach were aligned to the same logic.

What began as an answer to portfolio complexity became a new reference point for decisions across the business.

BRAND-LED COMPANY

BRAND-LED PRODUCT PORTFOLIOS

Research shows that identity shapes which actions people see as fitting.¹

Shape futures worth inheriting.

From the future vision back to today.

We assess what works today and also fits the Future Identity, what stands in the way and what needs to change.

CLARIST asks the questions that genuinely move change forward — and challenges people to act on the implications.

The result is a prioritised agenda for implementation.

A CLARIST process only ends when the Future Identity shapes everyday work.

More about the method

¹ See Oyserman (2009) and Oyserman & Horowitz (2023) on Identity-Based Motivation, and Ravasi & Schultz (2021) on organisational identity.