When Timo Gunia left banking to enter the world of recruitment, he wasn’t chasing titles but looking for impact.
“I noticed the role was shifting from genuinely advising clients to just selling products. And I didn’t want to be just another salesperson, I wanted to find the right solutions for clients.”
That desire to solve real problems became the foundation of his career. Today, as the Founder of Gunia Consulting, he partners with organizations across industries to identify, attract, and develop leadership talent. His firm, based in Switzerland, works with clients ranging from large corporates and SMEs to fast-growing startups, helping them scale efficiently and build the teams that drive transformation.
But behind that success is a continuous journey of learning where IMD has been a constant companion along the way.
Finding purpose through people
“I’ve always been curious about people and solving problems,” Gunia said. That curiosity came from early, practical exposure to how business and entrepreneurship work. When banking became more about selling than advising, he pivoted to recruitment, where fit and outcomes mattered.
“As a recruitment consultant, I suddenly found myself sitting with C-level executives, seeing behind the curtain of major banks and companies, and actually shaping business outcomes by placing key people into the right positions. Things I would’ve never been exposed to as a typical ‘bank advisor’.”
Those moments, when he could directly see the impact of his work, became the spark for his entrepreneurial path.
A lifelong learning mindset
In 2024, Gunia completed several IMD programs, including Innovate with AI and Tech and Leading Digital and AI Transformation. Each time, he says, the mix of real-life business cases, peer discussions, and exposure to both corporate and startup thinking helped him sharpen not only his skills but his sense of direction.
In 2025, he joined the Digital and AI-Driven Acceleration (DAAC) program in Singapore to hone his digital leadership skills and explore new growth frontiers for his business.
“I chose DAAC because I wanted something truly challenging, international, and transformative,” he explains. “Having founded my own company, I want to scale my impact, refine my leadership toolkit, and broaden my cross-regional perspective.”
What he found in the program was a mindset shift. “The program reinforced that it’s not enough to specialize. You have to think like a generalist who connects dots across functions, regions, and technologies,” Timo says. “It gave me the confidence to operate globally.”
Building a global mindset
Working alongside peers from around the world gave Gunia a new appreciation for how leadership and innovation differ across contexts.
“One of the most eye-opening aspects was hearing about different approaches and different paces, especially in Asia and the Middle East,” he recalls. “For example, seeing how strategic and agile Singapore operates really struck me. Where Europe regulates, Singapore seems to innovate, but always with a long-term, level-headed perspective.”
Based in Switzerland, Gunia was equally struck by the speed of transformation elsewhere. “The exchanges with colleagues from Saudi Arabia were also incredibly valuable. It’s one of the fastest-paced markets in the world right now. Those conversations challenged some of my Western assumptions and gave me new lenses to evaluate client challenges.”
For Gunia, these interactions reinforced that global leadership isn’t about geography but about perspective. “As Europeans, we also seem to gravitate towards the US. But this course reminded me how important it is to keep an open mind toward all markets and cultures.”
Turning learning into action
Gunia’s experience at IMD, both in Singapore and in earlier programs, has translated directly into his work at Gunia Consulting.
“One decision I’ve made since the program is to double down on working with clients globally, not just regionally,” he says. “Not only because of the business potential, but because of the innovative ideas I’m exposed to when I go beyond Europe.”
That decision has already reshaped how he operates. He’s experimenting with new forms of collaboration, combining human insight with technology to improve efficiency and scale.
“I’ve also launched an experiment: meeting with scaling companies in the Middle East, not just to help them hire, but to explore how automation and AI could make them more efficient,” he explains. “That’s a direct influence of DAAC’s focus, which I’m truly grateful for.”
At the same time, he’s applying what he calls a “mindset shift” within his own firm. “Internally, we’re already quite tech-driven, but DAAC pushed me to push the boundaries. That shift from tools to mindset is something I took away directly from the program.”
What stands out most in conversation with Gunia isn’t the specific technology or frameworks he’s adopted but how he integrates learning into daily leadership. The way he sees it, the most valuable lesson is not just about digital acceleration, but about staying intellectually agile and people-focused at the same time.
Redefining leadership for a global stage
Gunia’s professional journey mirrors the evolution many leaders experience as their careers mature, traversing the path from technical expertise to strategic leadership. When he first launched Gunia Consulting, the goal was to provide recruitment excellence. Today, it’s about shaping the conversation around what great leadership looks like in a global, fast-moving economy.
He now works with clients not only on hiring but on broader questions of culture, efficiency, and organizational design. “Startups increasingly come to me for guidance on strategy, growth, and efficiency,” he notes. “This program has given me new digital and AI-driven tools to truly add value in those conversations.”
The shift has been gradual but deliberate. “The big question I came with was: How can I grow from being a strong recruiter and consultant into a strategic leader who builds a globally relevant business? I’m still working on the latter, but feel much more equipped for my journey.”
