EC.W Founders, Dr. Gordana Kierans and Gerry T. Kierans, each have a 20+ year career including roles as an executive coaches, trainers, and mentors. In addition to being co-founders of EC.W, they manage their other companies. Plus, as their family name reveals, they are also a married couple. Hence, they are partners in business and life.
There are few differences though. One of them is also a published storyteller and the other one is a serial entrepreneur. For more career details, watch their video on the “Why Join Us” page or see their profiles following...
I have been a coach, trainer, consultant, professor, mentor, author and TEDx Speaker. I have 25+ years of experience at leading Business Schools in Germany, as a Professor at a university in China and as a corporate trainer and consultant. I have been teaching the circular economy for the last eight years to everyone from C-Suite to university students in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and China.
I was born and raised in Croatia but have since lived for 25 years in other European countries (Italy, Germany, Belgium) before spending four years in Shenzhen, China. As a result, I am multi-lingual speaking five languages. Presently, I am once again living in scenic Croatia nearby the Adriatic coast.
I completed my studies in Germany, including my PhD in Business Administration. In addition, I am also an Alumna of the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education. My career commitment to a more sustainable world was recognised when I was invited to deliver a TEDx Talk on Sustainability in Groningen, the Netherlands.
Today, I continue to be a partner at MGT OPEN, our consultancy that focuses on the Circular Economy, Communication and Leadership, as these three subjects are essential for any entrepreneur - or existing enterprise - to successfully transition to the circular economy. Our corporate and Public Sector clients are based in the European Union, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Lastly, from a more personal standpoint, in my spare time, I am a fervent reader, storyteller and author of fiction books under my pen name Dana Petrović.
I was born in Montreal, Canada where I completed my undergrad studies in Urban Planning. After graduation, I “headed West” for new opportunities (and warmer weather!)
It was in Vancouver that I started the first of what I now call “My 5-Year Career Plans”. In my first 5-Year Plan, I worked for the Canadian government and soon thereafter, after my post-grad studies in Education, I started my second 5-Year Plan as a Senior High School History teacher.
This was followed by two back-to-back “5-Year Plans” as a co-founder of a successful restaurant chain based in Vancouver. After a decade, my next 5-Year Plan was buying a textile company in the British Virgin Islands where I worked for - you guessed it - another 5 years! Thereafter, I arrived in Germany where I started our management training company MGT OPEN. This was 20+ years ago, and thus, I have strung together more than four consecutive 5-Year Career Plans as a management consultant.
While in Germany, I met my future wife and partner Gordana and together we have helped managers with their Communication, Leadership and Circular Economy strategies. As you can see from our photos, we were both TEDx Speakers. When Gordana became so passionate about helping entrepreneurs learn the circular economy, I too was swept up by her enthusiasm. And, as I had experience training MBA students in Entrepreneurship in Asia, we decided to launch EntrpreneurCircle.World.
Although it may seem that I am a serial entrepreneur with many diverse “5-Year Career Plans”, the common denominator in my life has always been training and inspiring others. I look forward to continuing to do the same for - and with - you as a Member of EntrpreneurCircle.World.
Welcome!
In addition to the success and of Gordana’s Udemy programme, with about 11,000 paid subscribers, the motivation to build EntrepreneurCircle.World stems from Gordana’s and Gerry’s 20+ years of experience managing MGT OPEN. It is a consultancy that continues to offer individual coaching and corporate group training. It specialises in the circular economy and also Communication, Presentations and Leadership - with these later three obviously being essential skills to master for all aspiring entrepreneurs!
A glimpse of the map below will reveal the location of MGT OPEN’s recent clients and provide a direct link for more information via their website...
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