Ken Pasternak

Ken Pasternak has a unique background that combines experience in executive development, management consulting, institution building, and corporate banking. He has lived in six countries and worked with executives in the public and private sectors around the world.

In Ken’s speaking engagements, executive workshops, and advisory activities he focuses on building high performance organizations through visionary leadership, team effectiveness, creating a winning culture, and improving cross-cultural understanding.

Prior to his more than twenty-five years as a consultant and teacher, Ken was Director of Education and Training for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and before that he was a Vice President at Citibank.

He has taught on Executive MBA programs at the Trulaske School of Business (University of Missouri), Miami-Herbert Business School (University of Miami), Aalto University (Helsinki), Koç University (Istanbul), Tsinghua University (Beijing), Copenhagen Business School and lectured for Wharton Business School in Abu Dhabi.

His clients have included Ford Motor Company, Nokia, Scania, Newmont Goldcorp, American Tower, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Ecobank, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank to name a few.

Ken is co-author of “Performance at the Limit, Business Lessons from Formula 1 Motor Racing” (3rd edition 2016) published by Cambridge University Press. His access to F1 teams has given Ken an insider’s perspective on how they achieve high performance in an extremely competitive sporting and business environment. It has been translated into Japanese, Turkish and Mandarin In 2017, the book served as inspiration for an eight-part BBC World television series titled, “Formula for Success.”

He is also co-author with Allan Katcher of “Managing Your Strengths” (2002) about gaining better self-awareness and developing successful strategies for improving one’s effectiveness with others.

Ken’s latest book, “Exploding Turkeys and Spare Trousers, Adventures in Global Business” (2021) includes 53 short tales about his experiences and includes a leadership and life lesson with each story. Ken has been called the “Indiana Jones of cultural adventures.”

Ken graduated Yale University (1973) with a B.S. in Engineering and Applied Science. As the varsity goal keeper on Yale’s soccer team Ken still holds the Ivy League record for most career saves. He is a citizen of the USA and Finland.