Founder · Summit Path 1
Volker Glaeske.
Your Sherpa.
25 years in global leadership. 15 at C-level. Across KPMG, Schwarz Group and EssilorLuxottica - hiring, promoting and leading teams across Europe and Asia.
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SP1 was built from the inside. Not from a coaching programme.
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"I spent 25 years watching talented professionals get overlooked - not because they lacked ability, but because nobody taught them the unwritten rules. That is why I built Summit Path 1."
25
Years Global Leadership
15
Years C-level Experience
2bn+
USD Turnover Responsibility
120+
Professionals Directly Lead
The real story
Built from
the Inside.
I made many of the mistakes I now help people avoid. Early in my career I worked hard, delivered results, and still could not understand why others moved ahead faster than I did.
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It took years to realise that organisations do not run only on official processes. They also run on a second set of rules - unwritten, rarely discussed, yet often decisive in who gets hired, promoted, and trusted.
During more than 25 years in international leadership, including CFO roles at Lidl Asia and Apollo-Optik (EssilorLuxottica), I saw those decisions from both sides of the table. I led international teams, made hiring and promotion decisions, and drove transformation across cultures and organisations with fundamentally different ways of working.
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I know exactly what gets discussed when you are not in the room.
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Today I work with ambitious professionals and the organisations developing their leaders. Most leadership challenges in international environments are not capability problems. They come from invisible assumptions about communication, trust, authority, and decision making - shaped by our education, and organisational experience. I call this Cultural Wiring.
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For individuals, it means recognising those patterns and adapting without losing authenticity.
For organisations, it means developing leaders who build trust, work effectively across cultures, and deliver better results.
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That is why I founded Summit Path 1.
THE Mission
"Talented professionals get overlooked every day. Not because they lack ability, but because nobody taught them the unwritten rules. Summit Path 1 exists to change that."
Understanding how global organisations operate can transform your ability to influence, lead and advance your career.
Credentials
Certified.
Verified.
The credentials confirm the methodology. Every tool and framework used in SP1 sessions is grounded in internationally recognised standards - combined with the practical reality of having sat on both sides of the table.
ICF ACC
EQ-i 2.0
CQ
CQ Teams
PMP
PRINCE2
Hogan
OUTSIDE THE OFFICE
Hiker. Boxer.
Problem Solver.
Born in Heidelberg, Germany. Studied in Amsterdam. Started at KPMG in Munich, led Teams at Lidl in London, founded companies in Singapore. Volker now lives on Lantau Island, one of Hong Kong's most mountainous islands. He hikes the trails outside his door most mornings before work. That is probably also why the company is called Summit Path 1.
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He also boxes. You learn quickly that winning is rarely about strength. It is about reading the situation, staying sharp, and knowing when to move.
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He holds a Breathwork and Pranayama certification - something he uses personally to stay sharp under pressure, and occasionally brings into sessions when a client needs to slow down before they can move forward.
trusted partners
For the Journey.
Beyond the Session.
SP1 works with a small number of trusted partners whose services are relevant to the SP1 community - international professionals living and working across borders.
