Anouk Pappers is a distinguished brand anthropologist and storyteller with over 20 years of experience supporting executives, C-suite leaders, board members, and organizations craft and communicate their unique narratives. As the founder of Signitt, a company dedicated to personal branding and online presence optimization, Anouk has worked with over 900 CEOs, CMOs, and business owners globally.
Through her extensive travels and interviews, she realized that most of the stories being told were of male leaders, prompting her to pivot her focus towards amplifying the voices of women and diverse leaders. Her mission became clear: to create a platform where these groups could build powerful personal brands, enhance their visibility, and position themselves for leadership roles that reflect their true potential. Through her storytelling approach, she works with these leaders to overcome those barriers, ensuring that their contributions are seen, heard, and valued.
In 2002, Anouk embarked on a storytelling expedition, Around the World in 80 Brands, with the goal of helping companies convey their messages through compelling narratives. Having founded her company in Amsterdam, Anouk expanded her business to Dubai, São Paulo, and New York, working with global giants such as PepsiCo, HP, Apple, Google, Mars, Mercedes, Hyatt, Harley Davidson, and Unilever. She has written and published 15 books chronicling their stories.
In 2016, Anouk founded Signitt, a platform designed to help business leaders, board members, corporations, and organizations build strong online visibility to achieve their professional goals. Anouk is passionate about helping individuals “use Google as their Wing(wo)man” to advance their careers and secure opportunities. She is also a highly sought-after speaker, sharing insights on personal branding and online presence strategy with audiences around the world.
Anouk is a strategic and critical thinker with a highly analytical and agile approach, always maintaining a positive outlook. Known for her curiosity and ability to understand situations from multiple perspectives, Anouk excels at identifying opportunities while being mindful of risks.
Anouk’s approach is deeply rooted in anthropology, using storytelling to bridge the gap between personal values and professional success. She helps clients not only define their next professional goals but also craft a narrative that authentically reflects who they are, what they stand for, and how they contribute to their organizations, industries and their communities.
Through Signitt, Anouk offers services such as executive branding, online presence optimization, and content creation, ensuring that her clients are not only seen but also remembered for their expertise and leadership.
Anouk collaborates with organizations to help align their leaders’ personal brands with corporate values and strategic goals. She believes that a strong online presence is critical for both personal and corporate success which emphasizes the importance of being in control of one’s digital reputation. By supporting individuals and cohorts of leaders in building a cohesive online image, she equips them with the tools needed to excel in today’s competitive marketplace.
Anouk’s work has led to numerous speaking engagements, where she shares her insights on personal branding, online presence creation and management, and the power of storytelling in the corporate world. Anouk has spoken at prestigious events and institutions, including the Luxury Marketing Council in Dubai, São Paulo and New York, NACD, Cannes Lions, EWOB, The Leverage Network, ELC, FWA, WX, Columbia Business School Alumni, DDI, inspiring business leaders to embrace storytelling as a strategic tool for growth and visibility.
Anouk’s educational background is in Cultural Anthropology and Communications from the University of Amsterdam. Her academic insights, combined with her real-world experience in interviewing leaders globally across various industries, allow her to approach branding and storytelling from a unique, anthropological perspective. This expertise is particularly valuable in today’s global business environment, where understanding cultural context and communication is essential for building successful, cross-border brands and personal narratives.
Anouk’s commitment to personal branding and storytelling has also extended to the next generation of leaders. Through Signitt Graduate, she has launched initiatives aimed at helping emerging leaders build their online presence and develop the skills needed to start and advance their careers. By working in cohorts, these future leaders support each other, grow in confidence, and learn how to create compelling content that positions them for their next professional step.
Character: Anouk Pappers is a dedicated and passionate leader committed to empowering women and diverse leaders through authentic storytelling and personal branding.
Knowledge: With over 20 years of experience in brand anthropology and personal branding, Anouk brings a deep understanding of how to craft impactful narratives for individuals and organizations.
Strategic: Anouk excels at aligning personal and corporate branding with professional goals, using storytelling to position leaders for success in a competitive digital landscape.
Communication: Known for her expertise in storytelling, Anouk communicates complex concepts clearly, helping leaders present their narratives in ways that resonate with target audiences.
