What QVI does

QVI is an interdisciplinary business and brand consulting boutique founded in 2010 in New York City by Allan Margulies and domiciled in Zurich and Zug, Switzerland since 2017 under the legal entity QVI GmbH. The firm delivers contract-based consulting services spanning interim management and executive coaching, brand design and visual identity creation, market research and positioning, business model formulation, complex project coordination, board of directors and advisory board mandates, and market entry advisory for U.S. companies establishing operations in Switzerland. Its client base spans diplomatic missions (Swiss Embassy Washington D.C., Swiss Consulate NYC, Switzerland Global Enterprise, United Nations Global Compact), cultural and educational institutions (NYARC consortium, Zurich University of the Arts, Zurich Film Festival), real estate firms, financial institutions (Vontobel Asset Management, Cape Capital, Crypto Valley Association), industrials, pharma/med-tech (Novartis, ElectroCore Medical), and consumer brands (Vacheron Constantin, Jelmoli).

QVI operates as a principal-led boutique with 1-10 employees and no disclosed technology platform, proprietary software, patents, or AI capabilities. Revenue is generated through bespoke professional services engagements, likely billed on a project or retainer basis, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The firm is founder-owned with no institutional investors, no subsidiaries, and no funding rounds. Customer acquisition relies on professional networks, the Founding Principal's board-level visibility, and direct outreach through the company website ([email protected]). The firm's primary differentiator is the integration of brand consulting, interim management, and board-level advisory delivered by a single senior practitioner with cross-sector governance experience.

The business model is straightforward professional services: the Founding Principal and a small team deliver advisory and interim management work directly to clients on a contract basis. There are no indirect channels, resellers, or productized offerings. Geographic scope is transatlantic, with operating presence in Switzerland and historical roots in New York City, serving clients primarily in the U.S. and Europe. The firm does not participate in formal marketing, paid advertising, or content marketing; visibility is maintained through the principal's LinkedIn profile and board mandates.

Name

QVI

Legal name

QVI GmbH

Website

https://qvi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

QVI is a Zurich and Zug-based boutique consulting firm founded in 2010 by Allan Margulies, delivering interim management, brand consulting, board advisory, and U.S.-to-Switzerland market entry services to founder-owned businesses, international organizations, and institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Customer Experience (CX) & Digital Experience (BPAHAEAC)

Keywords

• Brand consulting services
• Interim management
• Business advisory
• Market entry consulting
• Board advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Zug

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: QVI generates revenue through professional consulting engagements including interim management, brand development, market research, business model formulation, project coordination, and advisory board mandates. Services are contract-based, likely billed on a project or retainer basis.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

QVI is an interdisciplinary business and brand consulting boutique that provides contract-based interim management, brand creation and media asset development, market research and positioning, business model formulation, complex project coordination, and board of directors as well as advisory board mandates. The firm also specializes in market entry advisory for U.S. companies establishing a presence in Switzerland, acting as a single point of contact connecting clients with local experts and guiding them through Swiss business practices.

Product overview

QVI is a consulting firm offering professional services rather than software products. The company's service portfolio includes: interim management and executive coaching; brand design and visual identity development; brand consulting and market research; business model and case development; project coordination; board of directors and advisory board mandates; and market entry advisory for US companies entering Switzerland. These are delivered as consulting engagements, not as discrete software products or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interim Management, Representation and Coaching Contract-based interim management in brand development, marketing, and general management, plus temporary or long-term on-site representation of a company's owner. Also includes board-mandated executive sparring and supervision to support and monitor management's operational execution in alignment with owner intent.
• Creation of Brands and Media Assets Brand design, visual identity development, key visuals, web development, and other creative services to achieve a differentiated market presence for a company, product, or service.
• Brand Positioning Consulting Brand consulting, market research, identification of unique selling propositions, and product and service naming and positioning for an enterprise, product, or service.
• Business Model and Case Development Formulation and documentation of business models and cases to showcase investment opportunities or for company-internal assessments.
• Complex Project and Stakeholder Coordination Reviews of complex, multi-stakeholder projects and in-house or remote support towards successful outcomes, delivered in close collaboration with the client or as a standalone management assignment.
• Board of Directors and Advisory Board Mandates Board of Directors and Advisory Board participation on behalf of clients seeking unbiased opinions and viewpoints, with specialization in entrepreneurship, reputation and brand management, negotiations, governance and succession management, conflict resolution, and mediation.
• Market Entry Advisory for U.S. Companies in Switzerland End-to-end market entry advisory for U.S. companies setting up in Switzerland, from first steps to a fully established local presence. QVI acts as a single trusted point of contact who opens the right doors, connects clients with proven experts, and guides them through Swiss practices and expectations.

Named customers23 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Brandtrust: Boutique brand strategy consultancy in the German-speaking market offering positioning, market research and business-model advisory. Highly comparable to QVI in scale, service mix and interdisciplinary consulting approach.
• Moving Brands: Independent, mid-sized brand and design consultancy offering strategy, identity and digital experience. Closely mirrors QVI's interdisciplinary boutique model of brand consulting plus strategic advisory.
• Pentagram: Partner-led, independently owned design consultancy covering brand identity, strategy and design across disciplines. Comparable to QVI as a founder/principal-led boutique practicing interdisciplinary brand work.

Broad incumbents

• Interbrand: Global brand consultancy offering brand strategy, naming, identity and valuation across industries. Competes with QVI on the brand consulting and positioning workstream, but at much larger scale and with proprietary IP like Best Global Brands.
• Siegel+Gale: Global brand simplicity consultancy focused on brand strategy, naming and design systems. Directly comparable to QVI's positioning and identity work, with similar emphasis on differentiated market presence.
• FutureBrand: International brand consultancy under the Interpublic Group covering strategy, design and experience. Comparable to QVI's brand and positioning practice, operating as a larger incumbent within the same category.
• Wolff Olins: Global brand consultancy combining strategy, identity and experience design for large enterprises. Competes with QVI on brand positioning and identity creation but at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Landor & Fitch: Large global brand consulting and design firm covering strategy, identity and experience design. Comparable to QVI's brand creation and positioning offerings but as a much broader incumbent with global delivery capabilities.

Regional players

• MetaDesign: Brand and design agency headquartered in the DACH region with strong Swiss and German presence. Overlaps directly with QVI's brand creation, visual identity and positioning services for the same regional client base.
• Serviceplan Group: Largest independent agency group in the DACH region offering brand consulting, creative and integrated communications. Overlaps with QVI's brand and positioning work for the same German-speaking Swiss market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qvi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about QVI