For more than 20 years, Senior Partner David Vidal has brought strategic vision, authentic leadership, and commercial innovation to Simon-Kucher. Named one of 2025’s Top 25 Strategy Leaders, he shares how he builds diverse teams, leads through change, and shapes real growth stories.
With over two decades at Simon-Kucher, David Vidal has built a career defined by strategic foresight, commercial innovation, and inclusive leadership. As a senior partner and leader of Simon-Kucher’s Western & Southern Europe region, as well as Managing Director for France, he has played a key role in shaping the firm’s evolution from a pricing specialist to a global leader in growth and monetization strategy.
Recognized as one of The Consulting Report’s Top 25 Strategy Consultants and Leaders of 2025, David has guided clients through complex transformations, from revitalizing global retail players to scaling tech ventures with a focus on real, measurable growth. Beyond his client work, he is known for his authentic leadership style and his commitment to building diverse, high-performing teams.
We sat down with David to talk about his journey, his approach to leadership, and what it takes to drive growth in today’s fast-changing business landscape.
David, congratulations on being recognized among the Top 25 Strategy Consultants and Leaders of 2025. What does this recognition mean to you both personally and professionally?
David: Thank you, this was genuinely a surprise. I see it mostly as a reflection of the great brand we’ve built over time and the teams and clients I’m lucky to work with. It encourages me to keep doing the work the right way and stay focused on what truly matters, to the clients we support, and the teams we develop.
You have been a part of Simon-Kucher’s journey for more than two decades, from its roots in pricing excellence to becoming a global growth consultancy. What are some of the most defining moments for you during this transformation?
David: One pivotal shift was our evolution from a pricing specialist into a true end-to-end growth partner. As markets became more complex, clients needed more than pricing excellence. They needed commercially grounded support across strategy, sales, marketing, and digital. Expanding our capabilities has allowed us to deliver broader impact while staying true to our roots in analytics, pragmatism, and measurable results.
Another defining moment has been our global expansion, especially reaching critical mass in key countries. Helping establish our U.S. presence early in my career showed me how powerful it is to be close to clients locally while serving them globally. Each new office strengthened our ability to offer the right solutions to increasingly global organizations.
Finally, our deliberate focus on culture has been transformative. Even as we’ve grown, we’ve worked hard to preserve our entrepreneurial spirit, creating an environment where people challenge themselves, innovate, and feel true ownership. That cultural foundation continues to be one of our strongest drivers of growth.
You’ve led complex transformations across industries. Could you share an example of a particularly challenging project and what you took away from navigating it?
David: One project that stands out was helping reposition a major U.S. brick-and-mortar retail player at a moment when e-commerce giants were redefining the entire industry. The company was facing declining traffic, margin pressure, and an urgent need to rethink both its commercial strategy and its value proposition. The challenge was both analytical and cultural. We helped the leadership team embrace a mindset shift: from defensive reactions to proactive, strategic reinvention. We redesigned their pricing and promotion strategy and established new ways of working across merchandising, marketing, and store operations.
The result was a measurable return to growth, but what stayed with me most was the importance of aligning the organization behind a clear and actionable narrative. Data and frameworks matter, but transformation only happens when people believe in change and feel equipped to drive it.
Across my career, whether revitalizing restaurant chains globally, designing commercial organizations for retail and hospitality leaders, or helping tech investors maximize value creation, that principle has remained consistent. Growth is ultimately a people journey.
As a leader who has built and led teams across continents and cultures, how do you foster collaboration, innovation, and inclusion in such a diverse environment?
David: I believe leadership starts with setting the example. For me, that means balancing entrepreneurial energy with an inclusive approach. Having worked in both the U.S. and Europe, I’ve learned the importance of adapting to different cultures.
What motivates people in New York is not always what motivates teams in Paris. But everywhere, people want clarity, trust, and freedom to contribute authentically. I focus on building a culture where people feel they belong, so they can contribute at their best. To me, inclusion will never be about rules; it is about daily behavior. Listening actively, celebrating differences, and giving people room to grow creates the conditions for true collaboration and long-term impact. I believe innovation stems first from people and then from processes. My role is to cultivate both.
When you are not consulting, what helps you find balance? How do you recharge outside of work?
David: For me, balance starts with spending quality time with my family. I try to have dinner with them most evenings, and I keep my weekends dedicated to them with very few exceptions. We often spend one out of two weekends outside Paris, and those moments are precious because we’re simply together, the four of us, sometimes just on our own, sometimes with close family or friends. We also regularly escape to the seaside, especially in spring and summer.
I recharge a lot through regular sports, where I’m a bit of a touche-à-tout: tennis, skiing, soccer, running, cycling, and a few others. What I enjoy most is doing these sports with people close to me. It used to be with my brothers when we were younger, and now it’s often with my son or good friends. I also recharge by traveling regularly, whether that means discovering new places or returning to those I love: the U.S., Italy, the Alps, and a few others. Traveling gives me energy.
You have mentored many future leaders. What is the best advice you have ever received, and what would you share with young talents starting their consulting careers today?
David: The best advice I ever received was: “Surround yourself with people who bring different spikes than yours and invest in their growth.” It may sound obvious, but we often fall into the trap of reproducing the same criteria or looking for people who think and work like we do. This advice reminded me that exceptional teams come from embracing complementary strengths, not cloning our own profile. When those differences are recognized and nurtured, the team achieves far more than any individual, including the leader, could on their own.
For early-career consultants, I would add:
- Be authentically you. Don’t try to fit the mold. Consulting thrives on diverse perspectives.
- Learn to listen before you advise. Understanding clients deeply is the foundation of great strategy.
- Focus on impact, not perfection. Real, meaningful progress matters more than chasing flawless execution.
- Invest in relationships. Your colleagues and clients will shape your journey more than any single project.
- Embrace discomfort. Growth happens when you stretch yourself beyond what feels easy.
What is one thing your colleagues would be surprised to learn about you?
David: I’m really bad at DIY around the house, especially when it comes to assembling furniture. I get overwhelmed and irritated very quickly when faced with screws, boxes, and instruction manuals. Here again, I try to surround myself with people who can complement my weaknesses😊