ABOUT A GROUP OF ASPIRING POLYMATHS

WHY NAO?

In Mandarin, the character 脑 (NǍO) means brain or mind, while the character 闹 (NÀO) refers to noise and forms part of the description of something both lively and noisy.

And, finally, na0 is internet geek for an impatient NOW!

Group NAO is the combined brain power of you and me (because you’re only ever as good as the people, you surround yourself with). And at our very core is a really impatient and ambitious curiosity to see what comes next and what we can do to make it more.

 

NAO people are aspiring polymaths

We believe that problems are best solved collaboratively and working across sectors and industries. NAO people are creative thinkers and experienced strategists, strong analysts and focused doers, ideating developers and constructive nonconformists. We set the bar sky high and expect you do too, because you are only ever as good as the people you surround yourself with.

Signe Jungersted

CEO, Founding Partner

Signe leads the innovative and (impatient) forward-seeking NAO culture and approach. She’s is a constant cross-industry student of anything and all things curiously interesting. She is a focused professional, starting from insights and research, moving forward with strong strategic concepts that are sharply, playfully and noticeably communicated. She’s a sought-after international keynote speaker on strategy, trends and destination development.
Before NAO, Signe left her mark as Director of Development with Wonderful Copenhagen. She invented the concept of localhood as part of designing and developing the organization’s 2020-strategy: ”The End of Tourism – as we know it”. Signe was also responsible for concept and development of the 10XCopenhagen project – rethinking tourism in Copenhagen towards 2030. Her track record also includes the idea, concept and development of innovation projects Chinavia, TourismX and Tourism+Culture Lab.
In 2017, Signe was identified as among Denmark’s Top 100 Business talents. She also works as board member of Odense City Museums.

Contact Signe Jungersted on Signe@groupnao.com / +45 23383061

Peter Rømer Hansen

CCO, Founding Partner of Group NAO

Peter leads commercial relations and new business of NAO. Peter is the strategic giraffe who raises above the everyday conundrums to envision a tomorrow that is both more and better than today.
Before NAO, Peter Rømer Hansen has advised multiple executives in transforming their organization and business to new strategic frameworks. Peter’s track record includes multiple market and destination strategies, ideation and initiation of innovation projects and organisational transition processes. He has been Executive Vice President of Strategy and Market Communication with Wonderful Copenhagen, external expert advisor to the European Commission (EASME), Head of Analysis with Strategic Forum in Danish think tank Mandag Morgen.

Contact Peter Rømer Hansen on Peter@groupnao.com / +45 61613224

Signe Gjelstrup Mouridsen

Senior Advisor

Signe fuels NAO’s innovative and participatory methods to co-create, test and evaluate products and experiences in urban and destination development, mobility and sustainable tourism. Specialized in business anthropology, Signe skillfully and creatively applies theories and methodologies of social anthropology in the field of business development – from mapping user needs to product development.
The true power of play happens, when Signe combines classic methods of innovation with her anthrological framework – this has created leading results in her work within sustainable tourism and urban development, where she has pushed the envelope in emphasizing the power of participation across all levels – from citizens to city architects. At the core of Signe’s work is a belief that services, and products must be developed to create value for locals and visitors alike.
Signe comes from a position as Senior Manager with Wonderful Copenhagen, where she has been program manager and lead of multiple development and innovation projects, including the award-winning 10XCopenhagen, and programs like Outdoor Copenhagen and Grøn Tur Retur (Green To & Fro), both projects of innovative product development and iterative testing.

Contact Signe Gjelstrup Mouridsen on signemou@groupnao.com / +45 22598060

Sarah Frosh

Research and Project Manager

Sarah drives the latest research being conducted at Group NAO, and has a strong commitment in community engagement to ensure those affected by decisions, are not just part of the discussion, but decide the agenda. Specialising in design and futures anthropology, Sarah has a deep understanding of how to engage with user needs in order to futureproof and pave way for holistic decision making. She has a skill in reading and adapting to the room, innate curiosity, sharp instincts and agile way of working. This allows her to create and maintain meaningful client relations, collaborations and partnerships. Her creative and energetic way of communicating means that whatever we are working on at NAO is both far reaching and eye-opening. She has worked with The Index Project to upskill designers, company leaders and universities with sustainable innovation and creative problem solving skills, and produced research for think tank Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies within the fields of artificial intelligence and healthcare.

Tahmeena Tariq

Junior Consultant - Research and Communications

Tahmeena is Junior Consultant - Research and Communications with Group NAO. She holds a bachelor's degree in architecture and a master’s degree in tourism management. Not only has she worked as marketing manager at a traveltech startup but also has been part of various sustainable development projects. She advocates for participatory design and development processes and her skillset includes research, marketing and design skills. She gets the high from working on interdisciplinary and collaborative projects where she can utilise all her skills. With Group NAO, she is following her passion to create liveable, inclusive and sustainable communities.

Junanto Xu

Junior Consultant - Research and Communications

Junanto joins Group NAO as a junior consultant in research and communications. With a background in tourism management and travel media, he is currently completing his Master’s programme in Sustainable Tourism Management with EMTM. Jun began his career in tourism as a Visual Lead and Digital Marketer with TripCanvas to inspire fellow wanderers to explore the better parts of the world. He then joined GDS-Movement as a Communications Changemaker, using his creativity and humour to amplify sustainable stories and generate greater positive impacts on the tourism industry and beyond. But most importantly, he is also an award-losing photographer and drone pilot; taking and editing pictures is his favourite way to escape reality. With Group NAO, Jun sets his sight to support the destinations and the broader visitor ecosystem in making tourism a regenerative force for good
Carina Ren

Carina Ren

Associate Senior Advisor

Carina contributes as associate senior advisor to NAO’s research initiatives, designing innovative methodologies and analytical strategies to explore and make sense of places, cultures and their businesses. Carina has an impressive track record as a leading Nordic tourism scholars and has worked on areas such as digital tourism, Arctic tourism, culturally sensitive tourism and event valuation. Collaboration is central in her thinking and doing and Carina is a true bridge-builder working to connect tourism and other social fields through cultural and digital innovation, knowledge collaboration and value co-creation. At the core of all of this rests a firm belief in how things can become more meaningful, valuable and longer-lasting through the joint effort to build, share and learn - together.

Apart from leading and contributing to international research projects, Carina is an experienced keynote and invited speaker. She has published over 100 academic publications on topics such as destination development, collaborative research methodologies and knowledge co-creation in tourism and sits on the board of multiple international research and editorial boards.

Helle Damkjær

Associate Senior Advisor

Helle is a highly experienced and dedicated senior tourism researcher, specially focused on delivering sharp, meaningful and ready-to-use insights to support the sustainable development of visitor economies. Prior to her current role, Helle was Head of Research and Insights at VisitDenmark, long-term member of the Market Intelligence Group of the European Travel Commission and Senior Researcher at TNS Gallup with a portfolio of both domestic and international clients.
With an educational background in literature, psychology and communication combined with a long track record of hands-on data analysis, research development and market research, Helle has developed a particular focus on building the narratives within the numbers, communicating insights in a easily accessible, motivating and actionable way.
As Head of Research & Insights with VisitDenmark, Helle led the transition from a more traditional research portfolio towards a digital and data-driven approach, exploring the value of new digital data sources and methods. Furthermore, Helle initiated a range of new research concepts to support a more sustainable tourism development and to broaden the perspective on the effects of tourism to include social, economic and environmental factors.
With Group NAO, Helle delivers insights on the broader value creation of tourism and how it can be a catalyst of both cultural, social and economic growth at destinations.

Tobias Møller Jensen

Junior Consultant - Market Analysis

Tobias is Junior Consultant with Group NAO. His core interests are in the intersection between business, cultures and international relations, which he gets to explore deeply in his studies of European Business at Copenhagen Business School. Tobias is involved in a lot of the research activities of Group NAO - from stakeholder mapping to desk research and quantitative data analysis. His primary strengths are within finance and quantitative data, which he combines with a strong data-driven mindset and a creative, digital approach in analyzing and reporting insights for Group NAO.

Tobias Frost

Associated Advisor - Graphic Design

Tobias from StudioFrost is a graphic designer, specialized in design for print, which includes magazines and reports, visual and brand identities as well as campaigns. He works with a broad range of clients, both public and private, and has been working closely with Group NAO on several projects - including big reports like Arctic Horizon (Hundested med Horisont), Power Plant for the Planet (Svanemølleværket) as well as design of participatory walls for public engagement with Lillebælt (Middelfart & Fredericia Municipality & Bridgewalking Lillebælt).
See more at studiofrost.dk

You?

We're always looking for curious people to work with. Let us know, if you could be interested in working with us.