References - some views on Lars
Remy Nilson, CEO, ATG Swedish Horse Racing Totalisator
Board
I worked with Lars Aspling for several years in connection with a study on
the future of Swedish trotting, covering all trotting associations in
Sweden. Lars had overall responsibility for the local studies conducted by
each track, which involved 450 people in all. In these processes, Lars was
the catalyst enabling everyone involved to understand the overall picture.
He travelled around the country, initiating processes, compiling reports and
contributing his own professional conclusions.
Lars is highly professional and very knowledgeable. The experience gained
from this type of project was clearly put to use. He shows tremendous
commitment and enthusiasm – the kind of commitment that tends to spread to
others. He managed to involve 450 people in the project, and Lars was one of
the main reasons the individual race tracks succeeded in involving people
from universities and the business community in their development process.
In the end, 80 to 85 per cent of our proposal was based on Lars’s underlying
study.
Lars communicates clearly to others what is required of them. He is a warm
bundle of energy and people are happy to be around him. He is also an
entertainer par excellence.
Jørn Bang Andersen, Senior Innovation Advisor, Nordic
Innovation
Lars Aspling was selected as one of 12 Nordic consultants for Nordic
Innovation’s programme Measured and Managed Innovation (MMI). The MMI
programme is based on the Innovation Radar. The Innovation Radar is a tool,
developed by the Kellogg School of Management’s researchers; Mohan Sawhney,
Jiyao Chen, Robert C. Wolcott and Inigo Arroniz.
Lars Aspling has together with the other Nordic consultants been trained in
how to use and facilitate deep-dive workshops based on the Innovation Radar.
Lars Aspling’s evaluation scores from Swedish companies have been very
convincing and for this reason Nordic Innovation has chosen Lars Aspling for
a related Innovation Radar project: Green Business Model Innovation in the
Tourism and Experience Economy.
Based on our cooperation I can only recommend Lars Aspling in regard to
strategic innovation management projects and in particular in regard to the
Innovation Radar.
Lars Bonnevier, Project Manager, Swedish Standards Institute
(SIS)
I have worked with Lars Aspling when developing the European Standard for
Management Consulting. In the European Working Group, Lars gained a
reputation as someone who makes things happen! His drive, his
professionalism and the great voluntary work he put in on the subject has
been invaluable to the project. In his selfless efforts to develop both the
Management Consultancy Industry and the Sweden's Management Consultant
Association, Lars has been a great example.
MSc Mikael Börjesson – CEO of Centre of Distance-spanning Technology
(CDT) at Luleå University of Technology
I have been working with advanced information- and communication technology
R&D for more than 25 years, in close collaboration with both industry
and academy. Over the years, I have had the fortune to work with many very
knowledgeable and influential persons - from large enterprise CEOs and prime
ministers to extraordinary talented scientific researchers and fearless
start-up entrepreneurs. A new name, Lars Aspling, has recently found its way
in to my own "VIP-list" of professionals.
My first experience of Lars is from his assignment as evaluator, in charge
of ongoing evaluation in accordance with European Commission regulation, of
the CDTs project “SATIN” – an interdisciplinary multi-partner ICT R&D
project with objective to enable "development of mobile applications without
coding". Lars competence, positive and constructive attitude and
straight-to-the-point analysis and advices have been instrumental in finding
good paths ahead in this very promising but challenging R&D project.
Lars is one of those (rare) persons that know how to combine and balance
several capacities and perspectives. Lars is both eager to learn and to
share his experiences with others. Lars is gentle and listening but never
compromise with his core beliefs. At CDT we are looking forward very much to
continuing our collaboration with Lars Aspling.
Göran Brulin, qualified analyst at Swedish Agency for Economic and
Regional Growth and visiting professor at Linköping University
Lars Aspling and I conducted joint follow-up research in large projects with
a view to identifying and promoting entrepreneurs with foreign backgrounds.
The research concerned programmes relating to structural funds, including
venture capital fund projects, Smeax and ME, where I was responsible for
theoretical aspects and Lars conducted practical research.
Lars has invested heavily in strengthening his skills in the area. Among
other things, he attended the course ”Learning within ongoing evaluation” at
Mälardalen University. He has great insight into how to work interactively
with practitioners and made acute observations on systemic errors in project
design.
He is creative and good at clearly explaining the action required. His
background as a management consultant has been valuable. Lars quickly
embraced the outreach work and participation in the public debate that these
projects require, bringing new ideas in the process.
Lars’ work was professional and thorough, including in-depth examination of
complex issues. He is also easy to work with.
Johan Munck, Chairman of the Supreme Court of Sweden
Judgment
I have known Lars Aspling for several years and have had the opportunity to
follow his career. What has consistently characterized Lars Aspling efforts
in various fields has, in my opinion been his loyalty to his clients and
total focus to achieve the best possible results on their behalf.
Roland Loefler, CEO and owner of LMM – Loefler Management &
Media AB
Employees are warned that they might be infused with the enthusiasm that
Lars Aspling’s fearless honesty and enormous capacity leads to – in both
words and actions. Managers are warned that they might be affected by his
merciless clarity and openness when he tells you what your company exactly
needs to do to improve and achieve sustainable success.
During my 30 years as an advisor in strategic thinking and human efficiency,
I have yet to meet anyone who works with such a powerful combination of
competence and capacity as Lars Aspling, who is also such a good model for
business ethics.
In addition to the project results that Lars Aspling delivers, and the
operational results he enables, the genuinely professional client also gets
a professional friend in Lars.
Anders Wiklander, CEO, Norrporten real estate company,
Sweden
Lars Aspling is goal-oriented and a driving force, with the ability to
identify problems and find solutions. He is also an incredibly good
listener, which enables him to ask relevant questions and draw the right
conclusions when conducting projects dealing with organisational
development.
I have worked with Lars Aspling on projects in the banking industry and
property sector and can testify to the power of initiative and sound
administrative skills that he can contribute to an organisation. He is also
highly skilled in information technology and can help develop IT solutions
that are highly secure and very user-friendly.
Olof Karlander, head of Swedish Mounted Royal Guard (Beridna
Högvakten)
I have collaborated with Lars in a major project for Swedish harness racing
sport. My contacts with him during the course of the project were positive
at all times. Lars has the required professional education and solid
experience.
More than anything, he has a bottom-up view of things which is both
appealing and successful – the starting point for his work is the people who
are most closely affected. Lars is structured, competent and has a large
measure of integrity – characteristics that are important for all
investigative and analytical projects. He is also easy to work with and
never compromises his professionalism.
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