Karen van Diesen

Co-founder of High Noon Innovation
Karen van Diesen, founder of High Noon Impact Innovation Agency
I’m a pragmatic idealist and feel it’s most important to start now, to have an experimental mindset and to improve."

Get to know Karen

optimistic
achiever
empathetic

Why did you co-found High Noon?

I got to a point of my life where I realized the importance of contributing to a better world. Recognizing that not all projects prioritize social and environmental impact, I've taken it upon myself to lead that change. I believe organizations can grow while benefiting people, planet and profit.

What is your golden rule in innovation?

Change is difficult. A brilliant idea is not enough to secure adoption. A set of behavioural change strategies adapted to the target’s reality, strong communication skills and perseverance in the long run are needed.

What is your dream project?

My dream project involves working on challenges of marginalized groups, through immersive on-the-ground cultural research in remote corners of the globe, spanning from the lush Amazon rainforests in Brazil to the vibrant mountain communities of Nepal."

Which misperception on innovation do you want to debunk?

That purpose-led companies are less profitable than profit-led companies. In the longer-term, they are more profitable and more future-proof. It is a mistake to continue to over-focus on short-term returns as it will drive companies down the drain eventually.

How do you celebrate your successes?

An abundance of food and drinks (don’t tell my dietician or dentist 😉)

If I had an hour to solve a problem, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about the solution."

Meet the others

Hubertien Koopman, founder of High Noon Impact Innovation Agency

Hubertien Koopman

FMCG, Innovation organisation transformation, Make-Buy-Partner decisions
“Excited by understanding human motivations and behaviours to unlock (commercial) growth opportunities.”
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Levina de Raat, founder of High Noon Impact Innovation Agency

Levina de Raat

Non-profit innovation, Marketing, Organizational change
“Excited by the challenge of being profitable within the box of positive impact conditions.”
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More about High Noon