Mr. François Knuchel

François Knuchel, 1993 (printed in Ibuka Communication News, SIETAR-Japan Bulletin, 1994)

Trends in management theory talk of notions of 're-engineering' companies, creating 'network' organisations, 'learning organisations', 're-engineering and so on.These principles are concerned with (re-)organising work and operations more efficiently at a domestic level.

......Transcultural Synergy was founded by François Knuchel in 1998 with the purpose of assisting European and Asian corporate clients with effective intercultural management solutions to their international operations.François Knuchel draws on a wealth of experience as an intercultural management consultant, trainer and curriculum designer, with over 20 years' experience working with international executives, managers and directors, mainly in Japan.

Born in the UK in 1953, François Knuchel was educated in England and Switzerland, studied history and linguistics at Basel University and has a B.A. in Intercultural Communications with Great Distinction from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. After a year at the Federal Polytechnic University in Zurich and extensive travels to different continents, he settled in Kobe, Japan, as a business communications consultant.

At L.R. Ltd in Kobe, Japan, François Knuchel was Personnel Manager, Project Manager, General Manager (Branch) and Executive Director, and he set up new branch offices in Nagoya and Tokyo.As an intercultural consultant and trainer he helped numerous large multi-national corporations in Japan with their globalisation and integration processes.Clients included Kobe Steel (Kobelco), Toyota, Yamanouchi Pharmaceuticals, Pioneer, Nabco, Ebara, Hilton Hotel, Tokio Marine, AIG, Marine & Fire Insurance Association of Japan, UBS, Sanwa Bank and the Japan Management Association.François Knuchel was involved in SIETAR (Society for Intercultural Education, Training And Research) and was Public Relations Director of SIETAR-Japan in 1993 - 4 (see Our Links for more infomation on SIETAR).

Seconded as Project Manager to Management & Communications Consultants Ltd for over 2 years at Suzuki Motors' head office and main car plant, François Knuchel headed a team of training specialists to assist Suzuki in their major Technology Transfer of manufacturing and management know-how to the GM-Suzuki joint-venture plant, CAMI, in Canada. Being totally integrated within the Suzuki team, he became intimately familiar with Japanese management styles and principles, such as TQC, JIT & Kaizen, and the way Japanese corporations work; along the way he became an ‘expert' in Japanese lean automotive manufacturing processes.

In 1994, after over twelve years in Japan, Mr Knuchel returned to Europe and joined Dzus Fastener Europe Ltd in the UK as Sales Manager for Japan with the task of developing the business and expanding sales in Japan.After the acquisition of Dzus by McKechnie plc in 1996 he became Regional Manager for Asia-Pacific, overall responsible for all marketing, sales and operations from Australia to China and India.He is fluent in English, German (Swiss German), French and can conduct business in Japanese.

He founded Transcultural Synergy in 1998, but has been considerably involved as an independent consultant in strategy and international marketing, as a member of the Confederation of Business Strategists.In 2000 he co-founded Route 2 Solutions, a sales & marketing group assisting foreign companies develop and penetrate market and grow their businesses the the UK, and Route 2 Business Beyond Borders assisting UK based companies develop or expand international business.One of his key interests is in cross-border alliances and the integration of international personnel from different cultural backgrounds, and he is currently preparing some research on some of the key issues companies in such mergers and alliances have faced.

In short, Francois Knuchel is a resourceful Intercultural Consultant with General Management experience in various markets and industries (esp engineering, automotive, electronics, services), strong in marketing, customer relations and global trade.

Francois Knutchel Transcultural Synergy fk@transcultural-synergy.co.uk+44 (0)20 8755 5824

Transcultural Synergy was redefined in 2006 with a view of assisting leaders and teams develop through uncertainty and ambiguity by the founder, Francois Knuchel (bio).

Transcultural Synergy was redefined in 2006 with a view of assisting leaders and teams develop through uncertainty and ambiguity by the founder, Francois Knuchel ( bio).

Transcultural Synergy was redefined in 2006 with a view of assisting leaders and teams develop through uncertainty and ambiguity by the founder, Francois Knuchel (bio).

François Knuchel draws on a wealth of experience as an intercultural management consultant, curriculum designer and workshop facilitator, embracing over 20 years' experience working with international executives, managers and directors.He spent a good part of his life working with Japanese multinationals in technology transfer projects (e.g. automotive transplants), in a diverse range of industries like cars, steel, electronics, insurance and pharmaceuticals in Japan.

François specializes in cross-border communications, interdisciplinary collaboration and holistic management.He is also expert in Japanese & Asian leadership styles (team consensus) and in participatory management tools like TQC, TPM, Kaizen etc.These are only possible in a culture that empowers people synergistically and brings out the best of all staff across a whole organization.

François was born in the U.K., educated in England, Switzerland and Canada, he studied linguistics and history in Basel, and graduated in Communications with Great Distinction from McGill University in Montreal.In an interdisciplinary spirit he also studied architecture at the ETH in Zurich, and Spanish at UBC in Vancouver.He is a dual national (English and Swiss) and apart from English speaks German, French and Japanese.

François has been active as a communication coach, corporate language consultant and intercultural trainer, specializing in interactive accelerated learning techniques.He also has extensive experience in sales and marketing, SME strategy consulting and interim management, espousing a Total Customer Satisfaction approach and 'pan-organizational marketing'.François has held various managerial positions, from Personnel Manager, Branch Manager, Executive Director (board) to Regional Sales Director for Asia-Pacific of an UK specialist engineering company.

François brings an Asian perspective to Transcultural Synergy.As an intercultural trainer he is a member of SIETAR (Society for Intercultural Education, Training And Research).He enjoys travel, is an avid reader and drums as a hobby.His personal mission is to develop a Philosophy of Peace and contribute to a more democratic approach to the way we run our organisations and the future we collectively create.

François Knuchel draws on a wealth of experience as an intercultural management consultant, curriculum designer and workshop facilitator, embracing over 20 years' experience working with international executives, managers and directors.He spent a good part of his life working with Japanese multinationals in technology transfer projects (e.g. automotive transplants), in a diverse range of industries like cars, steel, electronics, insurance and pharmaceuticals in Japan.

François specializes in cross-border communications, interdisciplinary collaboration and holistic management.He is also expert in Japanese & Asian leadership styles (team consensus) and in participatory management tools like TQC, TPM, Kaizen etc.These are only possible in a culture that empowers people synergistically and brings out the best of all staff across a whole organization.

François was born in the U.K., educated in England, Switzerland and Canada, he studied linguistics and history in Basel, and graduated in Communications with Great Distinction from McGill University in Montreal.In an interdisciplinary spirit he also studied architecture at the ETH in Zurich, and Spanish at UBC in Vancouver.He is a dual national (English and Swiss) and apart from English speaks German, French and Japanese.

François has been active as a communication coach, corporate language consultant and intercultural trainer, specializing in interactive accelerated learning techniques.He also has extensive experience in sales and marketing, SME strategy consulting and interim management, espousing a Total Customer Satisfaction approach and 'pan-organizational marketing'.François has held various managerial positions, from Personnel Manager, Branch Manager, Executive Director (board) to Regional Sales Director for Asia-Pacific of an UK specialist engineering company.

François brings an Asian perspective to Transcultural Synergy.As an intercultural trainer he is a member of SIETAR (Society for Intercultural Education, Training And Research).He enjoys travel, is an avid reader and drums as a hobby.His personal mission is to develop a Philosophy of Peace and contribute to a more democratic approach to the way we run our organisations and the future we collectively create.