Robbie Kellman Baxter

Peninsula Strategies

We help organizations build forever transactions with the people they serve. This forever transaction is the secret to predictable, recurring revenue, higher corporate valuations and deeper, more meaningful relationships. We've worked with some of the most well-regarded brands in the world, including Netflix, Microsoft and the Wall Street Journal, as well as with visionary start-up entrepreneurs and mission-driven nonprofits & associations. You can read more about our clients' results here: https://robbiekellmanbaxter.com/clients/

Founder, Peninsula Strategies

Strava

Advisory Board Member

LinkedIn

I've authored and facilitated 10 courses, including Value Creation, Brand Building, Membership, Networking, Customer Success, Service Orientation, Business Development and B2B Sales. See the full list here: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/robbie-kellman-baxter?u=2125562

Instructor 

For over two decades, I have been helping organizations leverage subscription pricing, digital communities, and freemium models to build deeper relationships with their customers and generate predictable recurring revenue. I am the founder of Peninsula Strategies, a consulting firm that has worked with some of the most well-regarded brands in the world, such as Netflix, Microsoft, and the Wall Street Journal, as well as with visionary start-up entrepreneurs and mission-driven nonprofits and associations.

I am also an advisor, a speaker, an educator, and an author. I serve on the advisory board of Strava, a social network for athletes, and I share my insights and expertise on subscription and membership models through keynote speeches, podcasts, and LinkedIn Learning courses. I have written two books, The Membership Economy and The Forever Transaction, that anticipated and defined the massive transformation from ownership to membership and the rise of subscription pricing. My passion is to help organizations create forever transactions with the people they serve and achieve long-term growth and sustainability.

Thinking Dimensions Global Consulting

Management Consultancy with offices in 17 countries including the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. Specializing in Decision Making for Strategy and Operations with Fortune 1000 organizations.

Projects Successfully led by Scott include (recent examples):

3 Business Unit Strategy formulation and identification of acquistion pipeline and plan in Europe, Asia, and North America for a NYSE traded industrials group.

North America entry strategy for a European equipment manufacturing corporation.

Global strategy for the expansion of a packaging company into adjacent technologies, products, and services.

Group Strategy and Country-Level Strategy formulation and implementation for Latin America for a multinational (USA based) NYSE traded pharma-co.

Acquisition and Integration of two European Manufacturing companies for a private equity group and subsequent integration of operations in Western and Central Europe.

Development and Deployment of a Strategy for a European automotive group to enter Asia for both manufacturing (China) and sales (ASEAN) including acquiring funding necessary for CAPEX.

Implementation of a global pricing strategy and program for a multinational B2B group with roll out including at salesperson level in multiple countries/languages simultaneously.

Joint Venture formation between an American and European group for expansion in the Americas in sales and service with a target to be #1 in terms of market position within 4 years.

Acquisition of a majority position in a strategic supplier in China by a European manufacturing group.

Plan formulation and implementation for selecting a North America manufacturing base, managing negotiations including project financing, and following plan through implementation stages to physical presence launch.

E-Commerce Strategy for a major brand: both direct and reseller sales in China, USA, and Canada from concept through to realizing budget EBITDA/share achievements.

Go to Market Strategy for a European group

Managing Partner

Sirius

Member, Board of Directors

AI-driven copilot for sustainability teams in metals and mining companies, allowing teams to save 80% of time on data sharing and reporting efforts.

Helping sustainability leaders in the industry to focus on impact, not on spreadsheets.

Member Board of Directors

Strategy Tools

Strategy Tools is a Strategy SaaS company, on a mission to help change how the world works on strategy. 

Strategy Tools is a platform, building a global community of strategy leaders, sharing our mission. 

Currently there are users in 110+ countries and customers in 60+ countries.

Board Of Directors

Techstars

Techstars Transformative World Torino

This program focuses on companies that will enable fundamental transformation and impact across industries and geographies.

Lead Mentor

CIMBA

Develop and Contribute to Executive Learning Strategy and Consulting Programmes

Responsible for the full time MBA learners programme in Consulting (learners deliver on projects for leading organizations)

Delivery of Senior Executive Strategy and Digital Transformation programmes

Senior Program Manager

Consilience Ventures

Consilience Ventures is a data-driven venture capital economy using it's own digital currency (not a crypto-currency) to invest in carefully selected b2b start-ups from pre-seed to Series A. It uses a combination of data and human driven decision making to raise the probability of selecting the best start-ups to which CV offers unparalleled growth support. 

We believe that investors can invest in start-ups/scale-ups without risking their capital and should be able to liquidate their investment anytime. We do this by redefining start-up financing which enables start-ups to launch twice as fast. We engage the best ecosystem service providers as part of their start-ups team at the heart of a vibrant marketplace. 

Investors in CV don't pay any management, carry or transaction fees and benefit from the IP value developed over time.

Global Expert Member

Managing Partner, CIMBA Business Advisement
Responsible for new business development
Management of projects with both direct reports and their teams
P&L responsibility- as Managing Partner directly responsible for results
Develop projects for clients related to Strategy, New Market Entry, Pricing, and M&A, key capability development.
Develop Executive programs for skill and key capability development.
Drive Internationalization programs.
Deliver courses and programs at MBA, Undergraduate, and Executive levels to participants from Europe, Americas, and APEC regions.
Facilitate worksessions and workshops for learners and companies.

Avis Budget Group

Senior Management Team Member with profit and loss responsibility for eight locations.
Developed MBO program for management, union, and non union employees.
Prepared strategic plans, budgets, optimization of productivity, development of revenue yield systems.

Director of Operations

Managed a staff of 60. Responsible for development. Major projects included implementation of TQM program, development of Web system, management of major business opportunities.

Division Manager, Auto

Responsible for business development, improvement of service levels. Bidding on corporate tenders, line staff management, and cost management initiatives included. Member of management team awarded the Chairman's Circle of Excellence Award for Quality in 1992.

Location Manager

Managing Partner, Thinking Dimensions ► LinkedIN Top Voice 2024 ►Bold Growth, M&A, Strategy, Value Creation, Sustainable EBITDA ► NED, Senior Advisor to Boards,C-Level,Family Office,Private Equity ► Techstars Lead Mentor

LinkedIn Top Voice 2024/2025

Harvard Business Review Advisory Council Member, Strategy Tools Best Partner Award 2023  for outstanding work in Corporate Strategy, Transformation, and Growth. Annual Award Winner 2019, 2020 and 2024: Business Consultancy Professional of the Year from Corporate LiveWire. Executive Education Professor of the Year Award for 2021, 2022, and 2023 at CIMBA/University of IOWA, Techstars All-Star Mentor Award for 2024.

I am a Managing Partner at Thinking Dimensions, and an N.E.D.

I work with boards, CEOs, private equity, family office, senior leaders and owners in Fortune 1000 businesses to impact future sustainable growth and profitability.

As managing partner in Thinking Dimensions- an international management consultancy renowned for its problem solving & decision making processes- I am part of a global team delivering EBITDA impacting outcomes to clients through 3 distinct offerings:
 
•	Strategy Definition and Execution
•	Digital Transformation
•	Sustainable Value Creation

Thinking Dimensions has locations and expertise with a network spanning 17 countries of which I have conducted business on 5 continents.

With 30+ years of international experience in advisory activities balanced between both multinational and family controlled enterprises, I've had the unique opportunity to assist over 250 CEO’s and Senior Business Leaders globally.
  
Issues companies are focused around include:

Digital Transformation
Succession Planning
Corporate Venture Capital
AI Governance/Integration 
Internationalization including Early Stage Markets
Value Creation through non-organic growth (M&A, platforms)
Group and corporate reorganization/organization design
Go To Market/Sales 
Business plans/Industrial plans
Develop new business models
Funding of New Market development and commercial opportunities
Executive and board alignment
Platform and Ecosystem Design
Long-Term Sustainability 
Circular Economy and the Business Decisions necessary for the future

The organizations my teams and I work with achieve speed, alignment, and practical results with a future long term view.  

In summary I am working as a trusted advisor assisting leaders with the big decisions necessary for the future. 

I continue to publish at:
 
http://www.thinkingdimensions.com/resources/blog/strategy

As a Non Executive Director, I bring an international perspective focused on new business models, innovative approaches to Strategy, and Diverse capabilities required for sustainability. 

Specialties: Strategy, M&A, PE, VC,Non-Organic Growth, Emerging Markets, Family Office

Scott Newton

Today I learned....

I don't know why this gave me such satisfaction, however it really did! 

And yes, this actually works. 

If you need a referral code for NORDVPN ping me ;)

What is something new you learned recently that gave you a chuckle?

Strategy is Mastery.

#alwaysbelearning

Managing Partner, Thinking Dimensions ► LinkedIN Top Voice 24/25 ►Bold Growth,M&A, Strategy, Value Creation, Sustainable EBITDA ► NED, Senior Advisor to Boards,C-Level,Family Office,Private Equity ► Techstars Lead Mentor

Chinese women are done being quiet and "appropriate."

A cultural shift is taking place in China today, and with this a change in the approach Women are taking towards work, life, and supporting each other. 

The South China Morning post recently opened an interview with famous author Jiang Fangzhou where she noted "I'can't be waiting for some influential man to say I'll give you an hour about literature. You can't be waiting for a seat, for a microphone."

Jiang is quite a prodigy: published her first book at age 9, and became a famous newspaper columnist at just 12 years old.  Over the decades, Jiang challenged the patriarchal culture, and began to question being "understanding, cooperative, easy to work with." Forms of self-censorship disguised as "common sense."

What has changed today is that creators in China are stepping out from behind this shadow, and "finally feel ready to attract their own audiences." 

In her interview, Jiang challenges the SCMP journalist Jiajia Li to start her own podcast,  encouraging her with "Make something you love!"

As Li notes, "Girls help girls" has moved on from being a hashtag, to an act of solidarity and defiance. 

Chinese women are definitely changing more than just the conversation, and across generations are now speaking out boldly in public, in women-led communities, and create entirely new space for expression.

This is not a small change in Chinese society, and with this bold step forward the impact on culture, on the workplace, and on business are significant.

How well does your Strategy address fast changing cultural norms in Asia, and what are your organizations doing to prepare for an inclusive future that is not x+1?

While some areas of the world are seeming take enormous steps backwards, in Asia and especially China we are to the contrary experiencing a tremendous gains towards bold growth and inclusivity.

What are your experiences recently in APEC and particularly China?

How are you assisting women to grab the microphone today?

Strategy is Mastery.

Photo Credit: Reuters, Beijing Olympics

You really cannot find a better commute in the world.

Taking the Star Ferry from Hong Kong Central over to Kowloon is perhaps the most relaxing and inspiring commute you can experience. 

What is next for HK?

When I first came to Hong Kong, it was a rough and twisty landing in the nose of a CP 747 touching down at Kai Tak. Unreal trip in that you could literally see what people were watching on TV in their apartments as the plane weaved through the skyscrapers of this unbelievable metropolis, and then somehow taxied off a runway into a smoky welcome. 

At that point in time, Hong Kong was still a major garment manufacturer and exporter to the world. 

Fast forward and HK continues to redevelop, refine, and create entirely new economic opportunities in their role as the bridge to Shenzen and beyond. Now you can take a high speed train from the city directly into mainland China in just 16 minutes, or less time than it takes to get through the Kowloon/Central tunnel at peak times in a taxi.

Hong Kong, home to 7.53 million residents is one of the most densely populated regions of the world. While GDP grew 2.5% in 2024, and with a GDP per capita of over $54K USD equivalent, the region is prosperous, well educated, and highly innovative. 

I was excited on my most recent business trip to learn of all the developments in AI, Scale Ups, and the emphasis on building a new university campus and high tech centre focused on research and technologies for the future. 

I am often asked by colleagues for restaurant and bar recommendations in the region, and I will share a few here: Tokyo Lima in Central, Buenos Aires Polo Club, The China Club, Lin Heung, Sushi Sase, Yè Shanghai (TST,) and start or end your evening with an unforgettable cocktail on the rooftop (Felix) of the Peninsula in Kowloon. Just a 10 minute walk away, nearby Butler in TST has one of the best Japanese whiskey collections outside of Tokyo.

Plus, don't let me forget to mention the excellent noodle bar at the Pier (Cathay Pacific lounge complex) near gates 64-65!

Given the state of the seven tower fire at Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po last week, with a death toll of 151 and 40 people still missing, my thoughts are to solidarity with the resilient and innovative residents of Hong Kong, on reflection of this sad and grave tragedy.

Where are the bright spots you see for Hong Kong of the future? I see a creative, intelligent, innovative group of people that will build with technology and create once again an entirely new business model for this impossibly beautiful region.

How well does your Strategy address opportunities in Hong Kong looking forward?

Strategy is Mastery.

Photo: shot on my iPhone, Star Ferry crossing Central to TST.

NOTE: this post is part of an ongoing series I create on cities and regions I have travelled to for business. If there is a city or region you are interested in, please let me know in the comments.

What have been your favourite experiences in Hong Kong?

When were you last in a meeting that got bogged down?

A board or management agenda that was derailed as a small decision took everyone deep, deep, down in to the weeds?

It happens, and unfortunately, this is not useful (as you already well know.)

What can you do to minimize this risk?

Ensure you are consistently applying a decision making process that is checks on how appropriate your attention is for the level of decision being taken.

Leverage a facilitator that can assist you and your teams on unlocking and raising up to the big decisions that really move the needle materially. 

Stop and park an issue for a couple of days if possible, and verify that you are focusing your energy where it matters most. 

We all are dealing with limited and constrained resources, and nowhere is this more apparent than when it comes to applying judgement. 

How well does your Strategy process embed and test for decision making, ensuring you are spending your time on the most critical issues and opportunities for a future that is not x+1?

Strategy is Mastery. 

How do you find it best to help your boards and management teams get out of the weeds, and on to the highest priority and impact concerns?

What tools do you use most frequently to improve the effectiveness of your online collaboration? 

I have been using Miro now for six years, and find this is a great tool in my experience to improve outcomes even with very large groups, and to crystallize thinking. 

In fact, in collaborating with 81 teams, in 29 countries, we were able to generate 206 "bright new ideas" in 2025! By overlaying this with our canvases, processes, and thinking tools, we are able to work at both board and management levels to deliver improved decisions, and especially check for Strategic blind spots. 

This is a top 5% use of MIRO according to their global cloud statistics, and I think an effective way to build a better future that is not x+1.

I love to be in the room with management and board, although this is not always possible, and maximizing our performance online and remotely is just as critically important as when we are in person. 

How well does your Strategy embrace new tools and technologies for collaboration even at a distance?

What are your favourite tools to use both online and offline, and why? Feel free to share one you recommend here.

Strategy is Mastery.

Will you submit 5 years of private social media data to enter the USA?

Under a new proposal published today, all travellers entering the USA on the ESTA (visa waiver) program could be required to submit:

5 years of private social media data

Mandatory "selfie" uploads exclusively from your personal smart phone

Self reported exit feature using geolocation data, selfie, and passport data

Phone numbers and email addresses going back a decade, IP addresses, and even biometrics such as fingerprints, face, DNA and iris scans

Customs Border Protection (CDP) of the USA says these changes are designed to "reduce fraud, improve identity verification and close long-standing gaps in the tracking of foreign visitors who enter and exit the U.S."

Attorneys warn that "public online activity, including political posts, can now come under scrutiny."

What do you think will be the impact on tourism and business to the United States if this proposal passes in to law?

Is this a good direction for the USA to head in, implementing some of the most strict surveillance on the planet?

How well does your Strategy anticipate geopolitical shifts, policy changes, and the implementation of technology in monitoring of individuals?

What will happen if your employees and business partners start to refuse to travel to America?

Strategy is Mastery. 

How to comment on CBP's proposal

The public has until Feb. 9, 2026, to submit comments on the proposed changes.

Breaking News 🚨 : China set to limit access to Nvidia’s H200 chips despite Trump export approval

Discussions among regulators come as Beijing seeks to achieve self-sufficiency in semiconductor production

Financial Times with Zijing Wu in Hong Kong, December 9th:

"Beijing is set to limit access to Nvidia’s advanced H200 chips despite Donald Trump’s decision to allow the export of the technology to China as it pushes to achieve self-sufficiency in semiconductor production."

"I'm forecasting China's sales to be zero. It's zero for the next quarter, zero for the quarter after that," Huang was quoted as saying in an interview. "We're assuming it's going to be zero. If we're able to break through on both sides of the ocean and with both governments, of course, China is going to a very large market."

Will Huang and NVIDIA be able to break through the tough restrictions on importing Chips laid out by the Chinese regulators, and even if so, will NVIDIA chips remain competitive longer term with a 25% export duty due to be paid by the company to the US Government on each H200 sold?

How well does your Strategy adapt to fast shifting geopolitical regulatory policies, and what will the impact long term be on your industry and businesses?

Strategy is Mastery.

Do you think NVIDIA will regain the high end China market, or will this be a case of "Zero?"

Photo shot on my iPhone, Qianmen Street, Forbidden City, Beijing, PRC

Shocker! 

Who would ever have guessed this could be coming from Kushner and Ellison? 

Last minute plot change for sure ;)

How well does your Strategy anticipate changes in your approach to M&A, and the impact of external actors on your long term plans for the future?

Strategy is Mastery. 

“The board’s overriding priority more than valuation was choosing a bidder that could sign immediately, withstand regulatory scrutiny and close on the terms required,” said a person close to Warner.

Does this surprise you, or is it as you expected??

USA drops to 57th place in press freedom rankings worldwide

The United States of America, formerly a leader in global press freedom rankings has now dropped all the way to 57th place, falling behind for example not only Canada, Europe, South Africa, and Australia, and also less well known nations for press freedom including Gabon, North Macedonia, Seychelles, Liberia, Romania, East Timor, and Sierra Leone.

How well does your Strategy address risks related to geopolitical shifts?

Are you surprised with the USA ranking, or is this par for the course in what is happening politically today?

Strategy is Mastery.

How did smart investors outperform the US S&P 500, NYSE, and NASDAQ indexes and equities in 2025?

Easy: they invested in Europe. 

MEGA is trumping MAGA in stocks!

European shares have had a breakout year, particularly for dollar-based investors

Spain IBEX index is +40% 
Italy FTSE MIB is +26%
France CAC is +23%

And the USA? S&P 500 is +17%

In addition, a USD based investor would also have gained from the outperformance of the EUR compared to the dollar, meaning that those investing in the Spanish exchange actually realized returns this year of over 60%!

To the contrary, a EUR based investor who held S&P 500 indexes only gained a paltry 4% due to the massive drop in USD this year (the largest since 1971.)

Go Europe! 

How well does your Strategy address the significant opportunities in Europe in 2026 and beyond? What are you most excited about in the EU?

Strategy is Mastery.

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Robbie Kellman Baxter

Scott Newton

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The Battle

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