WIK Group:
Mission Octopus
How the WIK Group is using StrategyFrame® to drive a strategic transformation toward sustainability.
Taking the helm of the family business? Leading a large, internationally oriented medium-sized company that, of all things, develops and manufactures household and electrical appliances? For Christoph Dörn, CEO of the WIK Group since 2016, it was by no means a foregone conclusion for a long time that this would be his path. Not because the company had failed to succeed. Starting from a small business in Essen founded by his grandfather during the economic miracle, his father had, over decades, turned it into a thriving global company with thousands of employees. It is highly regarded by the major brands for which it manufactures products as an OEM, with production sites in China, Indonesia, and North Macedonia. There was another reason why Christoph didn’t take the decision to become CEO of the WIK Group lightly: coffee makers, kettles, and especially devices like hair straighteners—all part of the product portfolio—are traditionally considered unsustainable. Plastic and electronic parts take a toll on the environment. Christoph, a staunch advocate for sustainability, therefore combined his “yes” to the CEO role with a firm resolution: to realign the company so that it can make a genuine contribution to climate protection in the future.
"Stuck in the Middle"
“There were already some good initiatives in place before we began the strategy process,” says Daniel Venuso, who was brought on board by Christoph 2024 as Head of Strategy & Business Development to further drive the transformation. “But they tended to operate in isolation. What was still missing was an overarching vision and clear priorities.” This was all the more necessary given that management was well aware that the WIK Group was at risk of falling into a strategic trap in the long term. The long years of success had fostered a mindset within the company that focused almost exclusively on day-to-day operations. With the organization geared primarily toward efficiency, there was hardly any room left to focus on innovation. In markets that are becoming increasingly complex—and in some segments are purely price-driven—this is a potentially dangerous mix. Daniel: “Either you have a clear point of differentiation compared to your competitors, or you move toward cost leadership.” Due to a lack of priorities, the WIK Group found itself, according to its own analysis, almost exactly between these two poles—and thus “stuck in the middle.”
"The second workshop was really lively"
Situation Analysis, Target Vision, Action Areas: By the time of the first workshop in May 2025 in Interlaken, the contents of the StrategyFrame were already largely in place. Management agreed that sustainability must be integrated into every process within the company going forward—a major paradigm shift toward bold differentiation. Which business areas will we have to give up if we want to follow through on this consistently? Which ones do we want to focus on? And is the company prepared to accept temporary financial sacrifices to achieve this? These were uncomfortable questions that came up during the discussion. “That’s why it was so helpful that the StrategyFrame defines the processes and methods,” says Daniel. “It gave me much more mental capacity for analysis and internal facilitation.” At the second workshop in July 2025, this time in Shenzhen, China, the group of participants expanded to include all heads of functions and plant managers. Their feedback on the previously developed target vision and the initial proposal for corresponding OKRs was extremely positive. In an intensive dialogue, they contributed ideas for actions that would contribute to the goals and discussed production processes, thecarbon footprint, and global collaboration. “It was really bubbling with energy. Even though strategy work was a new field for many. When we evaluated the ideas for measures afterward, we identified some real gems,” said Daniel.
Each tentacle is a semi-independent part of the whole
The next task: translating the finalized strategy into a “big picture” that fosters understanding and a sense of excitement throughout the company. To involve more employees in the process, the Strategy and Organizational Development teams launched a Catalyst Circle—a group of employees from various functions and hierarchical levels—that brings each scene of the picture to life. “We took a very open approach to this; anyone could apply by sharing a few words about their personal motivation. This approach paid off: the 45 people involved in this initiative, for example, were able to repeatedly test new ideas within their teams and gather feedback from them.” By November 2025, the work was complete, and the strategy was visualized in all its glory. The WIK Group christened it “Mission Octopus” to vividly express the key virtues essential for the transformation. Daniel sees it as far more than just a strategic roadmap: “Mission Octopus expresses why we exist, how we want to work together, and what we focus on.” Octopuses are highly adaptive, intelligent creatures that have not only a central brain but also mini-brains in their tentacles and three hearts. Each tentacle can feel, make decisions, and act as a semi-independent part of the whole. “That’s exactly how we want to be as the WIK Group: a clear purpose at our core, autonomy where it’s needed, and coordination where it matters.”
First, let's focus on: Water and Beverage Systems
The Octopus mission has been rolling out since the spring of 2026, following a preparatory phase that laid the groundwork (see box). In clearly structured workshops—starting with the Executive Board and extending across all levels of the hierarchy—the entire WIK Group team is tackling the “Big Picture Challenge” until everyone is engaged and contributing their own ideas. It quickly became clear that cultural change—moving away from silo thinking and rigid structures—is a major issue in this process. “But we’re noticing that people appreciate us breaking away from old patterns and really want to get involved,” says Daniel. This is especially true as it becomes increasingly evident just how seriously company leadership is taking Mission Octopus. The WIK Group is increasingly integrating sustainability principles into its processes, working on a unified IT structure, and reevaluating its existing organizational model. Instead of organizing primarily by function, as in the past, the company plans to align itself more closely with product categories in the future and introduce a new service category. Particular focus is being placed on the Water and Beverage Systems business segment, which is set to become the second-largest product category. The company plans to present its first proprietary technology platform for this purpose to industry experts next year. At the same time, the company is continuing to build networks with new partners from the Cradle to Cradle ecosystem and plans to establish an innovation unit with a great deal of creative freedom. In addition, an independent unit dedicated to so-called Circular Services is currently being formed to enable the company to offer targeted solutions that go beyond the traditional product lifecycle in the future.
Lead by example and empower others
“We empower people and partners to act with courage in the name of future generations”—that’s how the WIK Group summarizes its corporate purpose. Leading by example and inspiring customers to design products in a more sustainable way—that is the goal. Internally, Christoph and Daniel are convinced that this requires a clear focus on the set goals and the determination to stay the course. Daniel: “Mission Octopus isn’t a quick vaccine that just gives you a brief prick. We want to transform our immune system for the long term.” Most important, however, is that genuine empowerment and enablement take place. “Above all, we want to empower the teams within the company and encourage them to take the initiative within the framework of our strategy. Just like with an octopus: the tentacles have freedom of movement—and yet they all move together in the same direction.”
Corporate Culture Compass Tour Across All Locations
With the repositioning of the WIK Group, the topic of culture has come sharply into focus. “We want every employee here to know from day one what we stand for and what defines how we work together,” says Daniel Venuso. Strategy and Organizational Development therefore preceded the strategy activation with a dedicated program module running from November 2025 to February 2026. During the “Corporate Culture Compass Tour,” they discussed with the teams what purpose, vision, mission, and the company’s stated values mean for each individual at the WIK Group. “It doesn’t help if we’re just reflecting on this here in Lucerne,” says Daniel. “The team in Batam, Indonesia, for example, also needs to be able to connect with it. That’s why we deliberately designed the workshop content to be very concrete and tailored it to the local context.”
The WIK Group: From OEM to Circularity Company
Founded in 1951 by Wilhelm Kruk in Essen, the WIK Group is today a prime example of an internationally successful family-owned company in the appliance and household goods industry. This “hidden champion” has long served as an OEM for major brands. Its product range includes coffee makers, water and kitchen appliances, and personal care products, as well as components and material solutions. Development and production are based in Shenzhen, China; Batam, Indonesia; and Prilep, North Macedonia. The administrative and service units operate in Essen, Hong Kong, and Lucerne. The Swiss location replaced Hong Kong as the headquarters in mid-2026. Since taking the helm as CEO in 2016, Christoph Dörn has been strategically realigning the WIK Group: moving away from being a traditional OEM manufacturer toward becoming an innovation- and sustainability-driven technology partner. The focus is on the circular economy, recyclable materials, and cradle-to-cradle principles. This transformation is evident, among other things, through international C2C scorecards for the production sites as well as initiatives such as “Free The Sea,” which aim to repurpose recycled plastics from coastal waste and electronic scrap.