Bernhard Pompey | CV

Strategic Marketing, International Brand Development & Wildlife Photography

My focus: Experiences are the new currency

I am a marketing and sales strategist with more than 20 years of experience in international brand management, communication, and audience development. My career spans top notch creative agencies such as Jung von Matt and BBDO (Peter Schmidt Group) and more than seven years as Managing Director of Avantgarde Switzerland, part of one of the world’s largest brand experience agencies. It was there that I first understood experiences as a true currency, not just as a marketing buzzword, but as a strategic lever to turn customers into committed fans. Over the years, I have built on that foundation, refining and expanding it with insights drawn from both professional milestones and personal perspective.

Today, as CMSO of the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, I am responsible for the strategic brand management, the entire marketing and sales operations, and the expansion of the orchestra’s international positioning.

A key focus of my work – especially today – and proven through projects and practice for more than a decade, is the conviction that “experiences are the new currency.” Brands remain relevant when they not only reach people but make themselves integrally experienceable. It is a perspective I have shared in workshops and keynotes around the world – from Cairo to Berlin to Pyongyang.

I combine creative thinking with a measurable, sales-oriented approach. Whether in brand positioning, complex stakeholder environments, or international competition: my focus is on sustainable growth combined with a clear strategy. As a speaker and workshop leader, I share my expertise on branding, audience development, and cross-media campaign management worldwide. Always with the conviction that the bait must appeal to the fish, not the fisherman. (more on my website).

In addition to my professional work, I pursue a long-standing passion: wildlife and nature photography. On journeys to more than 65 countries, from the Arctic to the savannas of Africa or the rainforests of South America, I document authentic moments in nature and make these experiences accessible to others (www.photoglobetrotters.net). This ability to observe closely, remain calm, and maintain focus also influence my marketing work: recognising what is unique and putting it in the spotlight. A selection of my photos can be found on the main site.

• CMSO, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester (since Dec 2022)
• Managing Director, Avantgarde Switzerland (2015–2022)
• Senior Strategic Consulting & Branding at Jung von Matt, BBDO (Peter Schmidt Group)
• Visiting Professor for Creative Development (Improvisation & Idea Generation), Bauhaus University Weimar
• Lecturer in Brand Communication, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences
• International lectures & workshops (Europe, Africa, Asia, South America)

• Wildlife & Nature Photography
• Publications and exhibitions

Stories & Strategies

Excerpts to spark curiosity – thoughts and tales from my talks and workshops, distilled and to the point.
Each reading sample is a glimpse through the keyhole, not the whole room.