The beauty in simplicity

About managing a brand with respect – and creating peace in a changing world

Pia Kirkeskov Andersen is the owner of the traditional Danish brand August Sandgren and was most recently appointed as the new CEO of Tivoli. She has moved from a global career in the consulting industry to an everyday life rooted in Nordic aesthetics and craftsmanship. At the same time, she is active on several boards and advisory boards – and a mother with a deep love for home life and closeness.

In Pia you meet a person who embraces both the big and the small. She balances precision and passion, strategy and sensuality. She doesn't speak loudly, but what she says stands strong. " It's not my brand - it's a brand I have on loan. And I have to be careful and carefully push it forward ."

Traditions with a contemporary look Pia is at the helm of August Sandgren – a 100-year-old Danish bookbinding and boxmaking tradition, which she has brought into our time with respect and precision. She is driven by aesthetics, care and the desire to make an effort. And she has a special understanding of the fine, almost invisible work it takes to keep a strong story alive. “ I come from a tradition of working hard and making an effort. It’s deeply ingrained in me – and it still is. ”

A changing storage culture

Today, August Sandgren produces storage objects in leather and textile – boxes, trays and folders, which are created with the same craftsmanship as 100 years ago. Everything is made in Europe, cut by hand and assembled without compromise. Pia sees a growing desire to buy fewer, but better things – and to surround herself with functional objects that also have a certain calm and aesthetic about them.

A brand with depth – and a calling Pia has worked her way through many layers in her career. From model to McKinsey, to entrepreneur – and now to new director at Tivoli. She is not driven by titles, but by passion. By the desire to create something that lasts. And by the curiosity to find the exact connections that make a story – or a brand – stand out clearly. " It's the fine lines that I love. What makes something 'on brand'. What makes something strong – and what gives it eternal life? "

About creating balance

The world is hectic and constantly changing. And although it may feel like a lot is changing for the worse, Pia believes that this is a feeling that many generations have had before us. Therefore, for her, it is both about taking the present seriously – and at the same time holding on to what makes sense in the immediate.

“ You have to fight for what holds the world together. But you also have to dare to live your life and take everyday life seriously – manage it in the right way. It's being there for your family and friends, but it's also allowing yourself to focus on everyday life and the brand you're creating. In all global contexts, it's infinitely unimportant, but in my life it's one of the most important things. I allow myself to hold on to that – and that's why I take pride in it .”

She finds peace in her family and energy in spending her time meaningfully. In the small breaks with a good book or a walk without a goal. In the larger ones with travel and conversations. And perhaps most of all in what she is learning: To prioritize herself and what brings joy. “ In all global contexts, my work may not matter – but in my life it is one of the most important things. I allow myself to hold on to that. And that is why I take pride in it. ”